
Glass h .^4-7 
Book .E r4p4 



Y, 



/ 
HISTOEY 



EFFINGHAM COUNTY, 



miiiNois. 



S^EDITED BY WILLIAM HENRY PERI^IN.^ 

e/} . ■— -~<^ 



ILaLaUSTRATRD. 



CHICAGO : 

4 

O. L BASKIN & CO , HISTORICAL PUBLISHERS, 

Lakeside Building. 
1883. 



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CONTENTS. 



PART I. 

HISTORICAL. 

PAGK. 

CHAPTER I.— Introductory— The First Pioneer— Griffin Tip- 
sword — His Suporstitious Eccentricities — The Fifty-One 
Families — Timber and Prairies— Obstacles to Settlement 
— Wild Beasts and Insects— Beu Campbell— Moralizing 
on Pioneer Experience — Some Anecdotes and Incidents 
of Campbell— His Last Marriage and Death- Requiescat 
In Pace II 

CHAPTER II.— Topography and Physical Features— North- 
western Elevation or Mounds— The Little Wabash Bluffs 
— Geology — Relations Between Physical Geography and 
Geological Structure — Formation of Rocks — ■ Natural 
Forces — The Florida Reefs— Petrifactions— Human Re- 
mains — Coal — Iron Ore and Building Rock — Mineral 
Waters — Origin of the Prairies, etc 22 

CHAPTER III.— Organization of the County— Act of the 
Legislature Treating It — Location of First County Seat 
— Extracts from the Early Records — First Land Entries 
— Census and Taxes — Marriages — Schools — Their Origin 
and Improvements — Some New Facts and Theories on 
Education — William J. Hankins — Early Elections — 
Effingham in the Black Hawk War 36 

CHAPTER IV.— Character of the Pioneers— Great Men- Cum- 
berland Road— Toll Bridge — The First Census — Hard 
Life — How Brockett Played Bull Calf — Piuneer Women 
— Wild Honey — Coffee as Bean Soup — Dr. Biahi'p's Mills 
—The Killing of Hill— Rod Jenkins and Whisky— Boley- 
jack, etc., etc 55 

CHAPTER v.— Legal Life of the County— List of Officers- 
Boards of Supervisors — Their Official Duties— Farming 
and Stock Raising— Agricultural Societies, Their Meet- 
ings and Officers — The Good Accomplished, etc., etc 70 

CHAPTER VI.— Population, Farm Products and Other Statis- 
tics — Fortigneis — Our Own People and their Politics — 
Hueh Money — How Kept and IIow Invested — Removal of 
County Seat — Township Organization — Rich Mines — 
"Gold, yea, Much Fine Gold "—The "Way-Bill,'* and 
Where it Led — Salt Creek Silver— The Deserted Cabin, 
etc 77 

CHAITEU VII.— War History— Our Struggle witli Mexico- 
Soldiers Furnished— The Great Rebellion— Effingham's 
Part In It— The Press —" Kffintjham Pioneer " — The 
" Register "—Other Newspapers and Their Success and 
Influence, etc., etc.- ST 



PAOB. 

CHAPTER VIII.— Internal Improvements— The Illinois Cen- 
tral Railroad — It* Great Importance as a Highway — IIol- 
brook Charters — The Part Taken in the Road by Judge 
Breese and Judge Douglas — Completion of the Road — 
Brough's Failures — Vandalia Line — Its Construction — 
Opened for Business- Other Railroads, etc., etc. 96 

CHAPTER IX.— Retrospection— Moralizing on the Flight of 
Time — Post Office, Telegrajths, etc. — The Singing and 
Writing Masters — "Fling, Dang, Doodle, Da" — Literary 
Tastes of the County — Examination of a Schoolmaster — 
The Dutch Town War— A Bit of Church Gossip— Vale- 
dictory, etc 124 

CHAPTER X.— The Bench and Bar— Early Courts of Effing- 
ham County — Lawyers from .\broad — Judges of this Ju- 
dicial District — Sketches of Ewing, Field and Davis — 
Natui-alizatioii of Gen. Shields — Gov, Ford and Sidney 
Breese — Other Legal Luminaries, Past and Present — The 
Present County Bar, etc l.'J2 

CHAPTER XL— Douglas Townsliip— Its Boundaries and To- 
pography — Early Settlement -=- American and German 
Pioneers — The Bull Flatters — Progress and Advancement 
— Pioneer Incidents — Church and School History — The 
Railroad and the Birth of Effingham, etc., etc 145 

CHAPTER XII.— City of Effingham— The Old Town of Brough- 
ton — Laying Out of the New City — Its Boundaries and 
Additions — Firet Houses, Stores and Post Offices — Hotels. 
Manufactories, etc— Tho Fire Department — City Organi- 
zation and Officials — Railroads and the Press — Literary 
Societies, etc., etc 150 

CHAPTER Xni.— City of Effingham— Its Religious History- 
Early Churches and Preachera— Organization of Different 
Denominations — Secret and Benevi)lont Institutions, 
Freemasonry, etc. — Early Schools of the Town — Present 
Educational Facilities — Mercy Hosjtital, etc., etc 160 

CHAPTER XIV«— Summit Township- Introductory and De- 
scriptive — Timber, Surface Features, etc — Settlement of 
White People — Their Rough Life and Habits — Hunting 
as a Pastime*— Fii-st Schools and Present Educational Fa- 
cilities — Early Churches — Pioneer Preachers, etc — 
Towns and Villages— The Old County Seat, etc., etc 167 

CHAPTER XV.— Mound Township— Introduction. Description 
and Topography — Settlement of the Township — Pioneer 
Life — Churches and Schools — Blue Mound — The Village 
of Altamont — Its Growth and Development — Grain Busi- 
ness and Manufactorits — Schools. Churches, etc.. etc 181 



CONTENTS. 



PAOE. 

CHAPTER XVI.— urason Township — Topographical and De- 
scriptive — Settlement — Bro^m, the Stewarta and other 
Pioneers — A Fourth of July Celebration — Schools and 
Churches — An Incident — Villages — Growth and Develop- 
ment of Mason — Its Business Importance — Edgewood — 
Laid out as a Town — Stores, Shops, Churches and Socie- 
ties 188 

CHAPTER XVII.— Watson Township- Surface and Physical 
Features— Coming of the White Settlere— Their Loca- 
tions and Claims — Sketches of Some of the Noted Ones — 
Mills and Other Pioneer Industries— Schools and School- 
houses — Churches — Village of Watson — Its Growth and 
•- Business 200 

CH A PTER XVII [.—Jackson Township- Introduction and Gen- 
eral Description — Topography, etc. — Settlement of White 
People — Pioneer Improvements and Business Industries 
— Some Early Incidents — Births, Deaths and Marriages — 
Mills, Roads, etc. — Schools and Churches — Villages, etc., 
etc 212 

CHAPTER XIX.— Union Township— Introductory -Bound- 
aries and Topography — White Settlement — Frederick 
Brockett — Other Pioneers — locident* of Early Life — The 
First Roads — Educational— Schoolhouses — Churches, etc. 
Flemsburg Village— A Tragedy and its Results 220 

CHAPTER XX.— St. Francis Township— Description and Topog- 
raphy — The First Settlers and Their Hardships — A Trag- 
edy—Mills, Roads and Other Improvements — Early 
Religious History — Churches and Preachers — Schools, 
Schoolhouses, etc. — The Village of Montrose — Its 
Growth, Development, etc 229 

CHAPTER XXI.— Liberty Township— Its Physical Features- 
Timber Growth, etc. — Early Settlement — Pioneer. Hard- 
ships- industries and Improvements — The State of So- 
ciety — Educational and Religiovis — Beecher City — A Vil- 
lage of Large Pretensions — Its Business, Churches, 
Schools, Benevolent Societies, etc 238 

CHAPTER XXII.— Lucas Township— Introductory— Topogra- 
phy and BuunJaries — Pioneer Occupation — Where the 
Settlers Came From — Their Early Life Here — Growth and 
Improvement of the Country — Mills, etc. — Educational 
Facilities— Churches and Preachers — Villages, etc., etc... 242 

CHAPTER XXIII.— Teutopolis Township— Its Description and 
Formation — Topography — The Prairie and Timber Soils 
— German Emigrants — Village of Teutopolis — The Ger- 
man Colony — Growth of the Village — Schools — St. Jo- 
seph's College — Sisters of Notre Dame — The Church — 
Village Incorporation and Officers 250 

CHAPTER XXIV.— West Township— latroductory and De- 
scriptive — Topography and Physical Features — The First 
Settlements — Pioneer Industries and Internal Improve- 
ments — An Incident — Schools, Churches, etc, — Village of 
Gilmore — War Record and Experience, etc , 257 

CHAPTER XXV— Banner Township— Topography, Timber 
Growth, etc. — The Settlement — Bingeman, Rentfrow and 
Other Pioneers — Wolf Hunts — Churches and Church In- 
fluences — Schools — Village of Shumway — Its Growth and 
Development — Religious and Educational Facilities 2G4 



CHAPTER XXVL— Moccasin Township— Configuration and 
Boundaries— Streams, Timber, etc. — Pioneer Settlement 
— Early Life of the People — An Incident — Churches and 
Preachers — The First Schoolhouse — Schools of the Pres- 
ent—Moccasin Village — Platted— General Business of the 
Place 270 

CHAPTER XXVII.— Bishop Township— Topography and Sur- 
face Features- Coming of the Pioneers— Their Hard 
Times and Vicissitudes — The Early Improvements in Liv- 
ing — Roads, Mills, etc. — Schools and Schoolhouses — 
Religious History — Churchesand Preachers — The Village 
of Elliottstown, etc., etc 274 



PART II. 

BIOGRAPHICAL, 

PAGE. 

Effingham City and Douglaa Township 3 

Mound Townahip >5 

Lucas Township 124 

Teutopolis Township 141) 

Mason Township 148 

Jackson Township 179 

Liberty Township 196 

West Township 208 

Watson Township '. 21T 

Moccasin Township 228 

Bishop Township 238 

St. Francis Township 244 

Union Township 251 

Banner Township 257 

Summit Township 2(»1 

Addendum— Weiler 4 Meyer 286 



PORTRAITS. 

PAGE. 

Beecher, H. L 279 

Bcrnbard, H 16 

Broom, John 189 

Dawson, Robert 32 

Field, L. J 171 

Gillenwaters,!. J 27 

Groves, John N 153 

Gwin, J. N 81 

-Hoeny, John 45 

Kepley, Henry B 117 

Le Crone, John 63 

Leith, David 48 

Mitchell, Calvin 135 

Bice, S. S 207 

Scolt, Owen 99 

Stair, Jacob 64 

Tennery, Thomas D 171 

Williamson, D 243 

Wills, John 225 

Woody, John 171 

Wright, C. M 261 



PREFACE 



AFTER several months of laborious research and persistent toil, the histor}- of Effing- 
ham County is complete, and it is our hope and belief that no subject of general 
importance or interest has been overlooked or omitted, and even minor facts, when of sufficient 
note to be worth}' of record, have been faithfull}- chronicled. In short, where protracted 
investigation promised results commensurate with the undertaking, matters not onlj' of 
undoubted record but legendarj lore, have been brought into requisition. We are well aware of 
the fact that it is next to impossible to furnish a perfect history from the meager resources at 
the command of the historian under ordinary circumstances, but claim to have prepared a work 
fully up to the standard of our engagements. Through the courtesy and assistance generously 
afforded, we have been enabled to trace out and put into systematic shape the greater portions 
of the events that have transpired in the county up to the present time, and we feel assured 
that all thoughtful persons interested in the matter will recognize and appreciate the importance 
of the work and its permanent value. A dry statement of facts has been avoided, so far as it 
was possible to do so, and anecdote and incident have been interwoven with plain recital and 
statistics, thereb\' forming a narrative at once instructive and entertaining. 

We are indebted to H. C. Bradsby, Esq., for his very able general history of the county 
comprised in the first nine chapters ; to B. F. Kagay, Esq., for the chapter on the " Bench and 
Bar ;" to Charles Eversman, Esq., for chapter on Teutopolis, and to G. M. Le Crone, Esq., and 
many other citizens of the county for material aid in making the proper compilation of facts 
embodied in the work. 

Fkbruart, 1883. THE PUBLISHERS. 



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R.6.E . 




PART I 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY, 



CHAPTER I.* 



INTRODUCTORY— THE FIRST PIONEER— GRIFFIN TIPSWORD— HIS SUPERSTITIOUS ECCENTRICITIES 
—THE FIFTY-ONE FAMILIES— TIMBER AND PRAIRIES- OBSTACLES TO SETTLEMENT- 
WILD BEASTS AND INSECTS— BEN CAMPBELL— MORALIZING ON PIONEER EXPERI- 
ENCE—SOME ANECDOTES AND INCIDENTS OF CAMPBELL— HIS LAST 
MARRIAGE AND DEATH— REQUIESCAT IN PACE. 



" I stand alone, like some dim shaft which throws 
Its shadows on the desert waste, while they 
Who placed it there are gone — or like the tree 
Spared by the ax upon the mountain's cliff. 
Whose sap is dull, while it still wears the hue 
Of life upon its withered limbs." 

— The Aged Pioneer. 

TO rescue from fast-fading traditions the 
simple annals of tlie pioneer people of our 
county is a pleasing but a laliorious tasli, notso 
laborious as perplexing, the annoyances arising 
from there being now no connected record of 
their official acts and doings. Many of the 
earliest and most important legal papers are 
gone beyond recovery; many of them were 
never put in a more permanent form than mere 
slips or scraps of unbound sheets of papers, 
stuck carelessly away, not even marked or 
filed; some not dated, and others again ad- 
dressed to no one. Then, in the burning the 
court house in 1868, many were consumed or 
destroyed in being removed. 

•Tho Chuptera fullowing on the bhtory of the county at large 
are written by H. C. Dradsby, Esq. 



To suppi}- this loss of important papers, with 
their invaluable facts and statistics, is now 
largely forever impossible. 

But to meet and converse with the few now 
living of these early settlers — those who came 
here as children, or as very young men and 
women, and are now fast approaching or have 
passed the allotted threescore and ten, 
stooped with age, venerable patriarchs mostly, 
and their white-haired " blessed mothers in 
Israel," companions and helpmeets — has been 
the most pleasing task of our life. 

To gather up the raveled threads of the 
strange but simple stories of their lives — now 
mostly broken threads — to catch these fleeting 
traditions and fireside histories, and hand them 
on to posterity', might well be the ambitious 
labor of any man's life. 

The importance that attaches to the lives, 
character and work of these humble laborers in 
the cause of humanity and civilization will some 
daj- be better understood and appreciated than 
it is now. Thej- willsome time, by the pen of 



13 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



the wise historian, take their proper place in the 
list of those immortals who have helped to make 
this world wholesome with their toil and their 
sweat and their Ijlood. Of them all the pioneer 
was the humblest, but not the meanest nor the 
most insignificant. They laid the foundations 
on which rests the civilization of the Western 
Hemisphere. If the work was done well, then 
the edifice stands upon an enduring rock; if ill, 
then upon the sands; and when the winds and 
the rains beat upon it, it will tremble and fall. 

If great and beneficent results — results that 
endure and bless mankind — are the proper meas- 
ure of the good men do, then who is there in 
the world's historj' that maj' take their places 
above these hardy, early pioneers? 

To point out the wa}', to make possible our 
present advancing civilization, its cheap and 
happy homes, its cheap food, its arts, sciences, 
inventions and discoveries, its education, litera- 
ture, culture, refinement and social life and joj', 
is to be the truly great benefactor of all man- 
kind and for all time. This, indeed, was the 
great work of these adventurous pioneers. 

Grant it, captious friend, that they builded 
wiser than they knew; that few, if any of them, 
ever realized in the dimmest way the transcend- 
ant possibilities that rested upon their should- 
ers. Grant it that, as a rule, their lives were 
aimless and ambitionless, with little more of 
hope, or far-reaching purposes, than the savage 
or the wild beasts that were their neighbors. 
Yet there stands the supreme fact that they fol- 
lowed their restless impulses, took their lives 
in their hands, penetrated the desert wilderness, 
and with a patient energy, resolution and self- 
sacrifice that stands alone and unparalleled, 
they worked out their allotted tasks, and to-daj' 
we are here in the enjoyment of the fruitage of 
their labors. 

Should we allow their names and their fame 
to pass into oblivion and contempt, the act 
would mark us as the degenerate sons of heroic 
sires, unworthy the inheritance they gave us. 



To say that in this work it is proposed to 
write the history, in the broad and large mean- 
ing of that word, would be a careless use of 
language — would be promising more than it is 
possible for us to do; for history in its true 
sense is philosophy in its highest type, teach- 
ing by example. But to gather such facts, in- 
cidents, statistics and circumstances, trifling or 
important, as are left to us, and place them in 
a durable form, and transmit them, ready to 
hand, to the future and real historian, is all that 
one can attempt or hope to do in a manner at 
all satisfactory. To tell their simple annals in 
their chronological order, to secure something 
of the substance ere the shadows wholly fade, 
IS enough to attempt now. 

In the 3'ear 1814 or 1815, Griffin Tips word 
came to this part of Illinois and took up his 
abode with the Kickapoo Indians. These In- 
dians then occupied what is now parts of Fay- 
ette, Shelby and Effingham Counties. South of 
the Kickapoos were the Winnebagoes and Del- 
awares. At that time these Indians were peace-" 
ably disposed, and, it seems, were indifferent as 
to the coming of the lone, straggling, white man. 

We make no doubt that Tipsword was the 
first white man that was ever here. He was a 
strange compound of white man b}' birth and 
Indian b^' adoption. He was a self-exile from 
civilization in his native Virginia, and by choice 
a roving nomad, who sought the solitudes of 
pathless woods, the dreariness of the desert 
waste, in exchange for the trammels of civilized 
society. Of the latter, he could not endure its 
restraints, and he despised its comforts and 
pleasures. His soul yearned for freedom — free- 
dom in its fullest sense, applied to all property, 
life and everjthing, here and hereafter. He 
hunted in the Indian chase, talked in their dia- 
lect, danced their dances, and to show how fully 
he was for them, with them and of them, he 
gave them his oldest son, who remained with 
them wholly for years, in order that he might 
be fully educated in their ways. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGUAM COUNTY. 



13 



Moses Dotj- was a nt'phevv of Tipsword, and 
from liira and the grandsons of the old pioneer 
we learn that he left Virginia in tlie }ear 1812 
and came to Southern Illinois, where he re- 
mained for two or three j-ears, and then came, 
with his wife and two children, to this part of 
tiie State ; that he first lived in the northwest 
corner of this count}-, and in Shelby, and lived 
and hunted and migrated as far northwest as 
Quincy, and then would return to this place. 
The Indians did much the same in following 
the game and in searching for new and better 
hunting ground. 

For years after he came here he saw no hu- 
man face except the Indian. His people in Vir- 
ginia had no word of him for sixteen years after 
he left tliem. 

In many respects he was a remarkable man. 
He had gone West, cut loose from kith and kin, 
and he didn't burn the bridges behind him, be- 
cause there were none to burn. He was a pio- 
neer, a doctor, a missionary preacher, his own 
bishop, as well as his own committee on ways 
and means. He hunted, fished, cut bee-trees, 
and talked with the Indians in their way and 
fashion. He was as illiterate as they, and he 
told them in Indian the story of Mount Calvary 
and the lake of fire and brimstone, and those 
who had no fears of an angry God had a healths- 
dread of ills unerring rifle. Beneath God's first 
temples he pointed the way to heaven to these 
simple savages. In the trackless woods he met 
the bad Indian and slew him. He was not only 
a physician for the poor soul, but he was a 
" medicine man," who could exorcise witches, 
conjure ghosts, remove '■ spells," make '• silver 
tea " for cattle sick of the murrain or otherwise 
bewitched. He regulated the storms, stayed 
the angry lightning flashes, and could appease 
the deep-mouthed thunders as they rolled across 
the darkened heavens in terrifying peals. He 
had much to do in his Protean capacity of a 
luinler, a iialf savage, a doctor, a preacher, and a 
pioneer, witii no visible means of support except 



his rifle, and that he lived out a long life (it is 
supposed over a hundred years) is evidence that 
he was singularly well adapted to surrounding 
circumstances. 

His family name was Souards. He only called 
himself Tipsword after he came here. It was 
only in the latter years of his life that he told 
any one that he had changed his name. Wlien 
asked why he had done so, he would nod his 
head toward the south, where he had first lived 
among the Indians, and repl}' that he did not 
want to run his " head into the halter." From 
this and other hints that he gave out in his 
last years the inference may be drawn that, in 
his mind, it was much the same whether you 
saved a savage by preaching or I)}- the rifle. 
He believed it was the Divine economy to save, 
and in one way or the other he did a livelj- 
business. 

It is not known what particular church he 
belonged to — perhaps he did not himself know, 
but the records leave no doubt it was that 
broad, liberal Catholic faith and practice that 
gathered up with as much alacrity the Indian 
with a bullet hole through his head as the 
saint with finger nails two or three feet long. 
He was a well-armed drummer in the golden 
slipper trade, a "rustler" for the golden stairs. 

He could doctor the body quite as well as 
the souls. The prevalent diseasesof his da}-, it 
seems, were witches, spooks, spells and charms. 
He was as superstitious as his neighbors and 
quite as illiterate, and yet he must have played 
many tricks upon his savage followers to retain 
his power over them, and impress and awe 
them with a dread of iiis occult powers. His 
trade was not destroyed by the coming of the 
first whites and the migration from here of the 
Indians. He continued to practice medicine, 
preach and hunt. He kept sacred his witch- 
balls to the day of his death. These were 
made of deer's and cow's hair, were large, and 
held together by a long string. They consti- 
tuted his materia medica. 



14 



HISTORY OF EFFIJ^'GHAM COUNTY. 



Most people then believed implicity in 
witches and charms; some do now. All dis- 
eases were the work of witches, and so it was 
with their cattle. Ghosts could be seen anj" 
dark night in passing a grave or a graveyard. 

Hunters would sometimes be almost be- 
deviled out of their lives by witches that would 
appear to them in the woods as a beautiful 
deer, which would career and gallop around 
them in easj' range and yet, no matter how 
often he shot, he could not touch them. It 
came to be well known that a leaden bullet 
would not touch a witch, but a silver bullet car- 
ried death on its wings. When this kind of a 
ball was fired at a witch deer, if the aim was 
fatal, the deer would run home, return to its 
human form, go to bed and die. If the shot 
was not fatal, the witch would go to bed, be 
sick a long time, and no visitor would be al- 
lowed to see the wound, nor would the attend- 
ants tell them the particulars of the ailment. 

If cattle were sick, it was the witches and 
nothing would do them any good except " silver 
tea." This tea was made by boiling a silver 
coin in water for a long time and giving the 
water to the sick brute. ' 

When people were bewitched, thej- would 
send for Tipsword or take the patient to him. 
He would doctor them by standing over them, 
moving about in a mysterious way his witch- 
balls and muttering a strange guttural jargon, 
and this was repeated from daj' to day until 
the witch would fl^' unseen awaj in sore agony 
and distress and the cure was complete. 

The good old John Knox, Presbyterian, of 
Scotland, never had more trouble with witches, 
or the devil, as he went prowling through 
the country, in the shape of a snake, a wild 
boar or some other unknown and unseen wild 
beast, than did these pioneers and Indians. 
Men who are now growing old, who were here 
as children, in the days of unbounded super- 
stition, can yet tell you how they have often sat 
around the lour fireside and heard the gathered 



neighbors tell over their soul-harrowing stories 
of ghosts and witches. Poor, innocent, credu- 
lous children, listening, open mouthed, to 
superstitious fathers and mothers telling fright- 
ful stories — -stories that would make these 
youngsters' hair stand out " like quills upon 
the fretted porcupine." If the story chanced 
to be too monstrous for even ignorant cre- 
dulity, then some crooning old granny, well 
known to the whole neighborhood, was always 
referred to as a living authoritj-, who had been 
there and had seen or knew it all. 

These ignorant superstitions, sucked by the 
babes with the milk from the mother's beast, 
have done far more to beat back the cause of 
civilization among the common people than 
could all the swarms of greenhead flies, the 
murderous Indians, the poisonous snakes and 
wild beasts, the deadly malaria, disease and 
poverty. Their tendencj' was to breed igno- 
rance, to raise up a people that believed enor- 
mously', that never questioned, never doubted, 
but the more impossible the storj- the more 
implicitl}' the}' believed. 

Yet as widespread as were these beliefs in 
goblins and spells, there are to-day men and 
women in our county who grew up among such 
pernicious influences that will tell you of the 
terrifying beliefs of their childhood and laugh 
at them. We note this fact with the greatest 
satisfaction. By their own strength of mind 
the}' have grown awaj' from the faith of their 
fathers. A hard thing for anj' one to do — an 
impossible thing for the weak and slothful- 
minded to do. An ignorant man of large be- 
liefs rears his child very differently from a man 
of large mind, or a man who often doubts and 
always investigates. The ignorant man takes 
charge of not onlj' the body of his child which 
he guides with a rod of iron, but he is equally 
watchful for its mind and soul and equally 
severe with his gibbets, chains and slavery 
upon the slighest signs of deviation from his 
precepts. He believes in education, provided 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



15 



the educator he emploj's is as ignorant and 
credulous as himself. He believes what his 
fathers believed, and, by the eternal, his chil- 
dren shall believe as he does. When the world 
was, or if it shall ever return to this condition 
of affiiirs generall}-, it will have reached ca- 
lamities tliat will surpass all the afflictions of 
the sword, fire, disease, famines and pesti- 
lences. 

To some this maj- be regarded as wandering 
somewhat from our text, especially our sketch 
of GrifBa Tipsward. It is not. To write the 
liistory of the pioneers, it is of the lutmost im- 
portance to bring prominentl}- forward every 
circumstance, so far as the}- can be discovered, 
that had any marked influence upon the prog- 
ress of the people. The reader will readilj- 
perceive that among all the calamities that befel 
the very earliest settlers and their children, a 
widespread belief in witches, ghosts, spells 
and goblins was the greatest of all. Tipsword 
carried with him to the day of his death manj^ 
of the customs and characteristics of the In- 
dian. He was always reticent of speech, and a 
ringing, heart}* laugh — he had forgotton all 
about it. In approaching a neighbor's house, he 
would never be seen until standing in the door. 

He lived here a long time after the sparse 
settlements of whites had come and the Indian 
had gone. When the Indians first went away, 
it was not fleeing from the pale faces, but fol- 
lowing the game. They would, for some years, 
annually return, and often Tipsward would go 
with them and not return for a year or more. 

On one occasion, after the whites had settled 
in Shelby and Fayette Counties, the Indians 
warned them to leave in three days, or they 
would massacre all in the country between 
Shelbyville, by way of Vandalia, to St. Louis. 
The warning came like a death knell to the 
poor defenseless whites — they were terror- 
stricken. Three days was too short a time in 
which to get away, yet it was too long a time 
to await in dread horror the cruel torture and 



death that they well knew that the red devils 
had in store for them. In the calmness that 
comes of despair, they talked over the situa- 
tion. A few, but very few, gathered their lit- 
tle families and fled, but the majority could 
only make a feeble attempt to put themselves 
upon the best defense of their household gods 
that they could. They had hoped at lirst that 
Tipsword could intercede for them, but when 
appealed to he could give them no hope, as he, 
too, was in the list of warned. On the after- 
noon of the third and last day the Indians held 
a general povv-wow in the woods, and Tipsword 
attended it as a spectator. He had friends 
among the chiefs and braves, and he had no 
doubt talked as much as he dared to them, and 
told them the certain consequences that would 
follow a general massacre of the whites. The 
first speakers urged that they adjourn the 
meeting, paint themselves, and at early dark 
commence the bloody work, and allow no pale 
face to escape. These sentiments met the ap- 
proving grunts of the braves. But late in the 
evening better informed Indians talked. They 
told their people that, while it was true they 
had it in their power to murder the whites, but 
suppose they did, would not the word go to 
the people of the States, and would not an 
army, numbering as the leaves of the forest, 
come here and kill every Indian in the Terri- 
tory. Such representations soon turned the 
attention of the Indians to questions of their 
own safety, and they determined to postpone 
the massacre. 

The settlers had been spared. How much 
they owed of this good fortune to Tipswonl 
will never be known. 

Griffin Tipsword died in the year 1845, and 
lies buried on the banks of Wolf Creek. He 
left surviving children — John, Isaac and 
Thomas. 

John Tipsword married, and was the father 
of Jackson, Griffin, Jerusha, James and Car- 
lin. These all married and had large families. 



16 



HISTORY OF EFFi:>JGHAM COUNTY. 



Isaac Tipsword married Nancy Stanberry, 
and their ciiildreii — Isaac, Ashbj-, Sallie, Ruth, 
Thomas, Martha. Marion, John, William, Re- 
becca and Mellissa — all married, and have 
reared large families. 

Thomas Tipsword was the father of Albert, 
Jonathan, Isaac, Jackson, Millie, Lj'dia, Mary 
and Bell, and from these there is another ex- 
tensive branch of the family. 

From the above it will be seen that the Tips- 
words were pioneers and the sons and daugh- 
ters of pioneers. They seemed to realize that 
the great want of a new country is people, and 
unflinchingly they responded to their country's 
call. 

No stone marks the spot where the old patri- 
arch of this numerous family sleeps. 

Of all the men now living we believe that 
Dr. John 0. Scott was the first to kindle a 
camp fire within the confines of our county. 
There were a few who had been here before 
him, but none of them are now living. 

Fifty-seven years ago, 1825, Mr. Scott, in 
company with a man named Elliott, and his 
wife, traveled through this countj- on their way, 
moving from Wayne to Shelby County. The}- 
camped near Blue Point. In passing the tim- 
ber at the head of Brockett's Creek, a smoke 
was seen curling up from a camp fire, a clear- 
ing, or a wooden chimney. Mr. Elliott, who 
had made the trip through here before, told 
him that it was smoke from the cabin or clear- 
ing of a man's place named Fancher. This 
was Isaac Fancher. That Fancher was here 
then is stronglv corroborated bv the oft-re- 
peated statements of Ben. Campliell to his 
step-son, Thomas Andrews, that when he 
(Campbell) came here in 1826 he found the 
Fancher familj- here ; that he stopped with 
them for several weeks, and they put in their 
time hunting bee-trees, of which they found a 
great man}-. Campbell also stated that he 
thought the Fulfers were here when he came, 
or that they came soon after. 



This brings up the record of early settlers to 
1826. It is brief and soon told. 

Griffin Tipsword and family, 1815. 

Isaac Fancher and famil}-, 1825. 

Ben Campbell, and Jesse and Jack Fulfer, 
1826. 

And John 0. Scott, and Elliott and wife 
passing through here as movej's in 1825. 

Fancher and Fulfer in 183-1-35 moved away 
from here into Coles County, where they died 
years ago. With the exception of Mr. Scott, 
these, the earliest of the pioneers in our coun- 
tj-, are all gone — sleeping peacefully in their 
unmarked graves. 

In 1828, Thom.as I. Brockett and family, and 
Stephen Austin, Dick Robinson, John McCoy, 
Bob Moore and Richf^rd Cohea came. 

In 1829 came John Broom, Jonathan Park- 
hurst, Ben Allen, Mrs. Charlotte Kepley, Jacob 
Nelson, Andrew Martin, Alexander Stewart, 
John Ingiaham, John Trapp, Samuel Bratton, 
John Fairleigh, Alfred Warren, Amos Martin, 
and old Auntj' Bratton, Andrew Lilley, Henry 
Tucker, William Stephens, Allec Stewart, Bill 
Stewart, and Jacob Nelson. 

In 1830, Jesse Surrells, T. J. Rentfro, James 
Turner, John Allen, Micajah Davidson, Henr}' 
P. Bailej-, George Neavills, Alexander McWhor- 
ter, Jesse White, Enoch Neavills. 

In 1831, Jacob Slover, Isaac Slover, John 
Gallant, William Gallant, Sej'mour Powell, 
Thomas Loj', William J. Hankins, the Hutchi- 
sons, and John Galloway, the fiddler. 

Here were the fifty-one families that were here 
prior to February 15, 1831 — the date of the act 
of the Legislature organizing the county. Why 
did they come? What was it that stopped 
here this meager stream of emigration and 
fixed them permanently in this place? What 
was there here to tempt and lure them to 
brave all, endure all, and cause them to fix 
here the nucleus around which all this present 
people, and their wealth and enjoyment has 
gathered? True, they could not see the toils 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



17 



ami danger that lurked unseen upon ever}^ 
hand, 3'et tliere was raucli to repel them that 
they could see, enough, one would think, to 
have settled the question, and forever have pre- 
vented thera from flying in the face of dangers 
that they knew not of. 

We can imagine notiiing more dreary, lone- 
some or depressing than was the face of this 
boundless waste of cheerless solitude, where 
had sat through the ages silence and deso- 
lation. These vast prairie seas, with their 
long reaches of desert waste, their flat sur- 
face covered with tall, dank grass, often as 
high as a man's head on horseback. In the 
autumn when this grass became sear, it was 
burned, and the smoke from these fires filled 
the atmosphere for hundreds of miles with 
smoke that darkened the face of day and hung 
like mourning drapery upon the horizon. The 
prairies were wet, flat and marshy*. Waters 
standing a goodly portion of the year on, per- 
haps, two-third's of the soil's surface. When the 
grass was freshly burned the weary eye could 
find no relief in the vast expanse save the 
crawfish chimnej-s that thickly dotted the face 
of nature. The water lay mostly where it fell, 
and could escape only by evaporation, and 
from this cause it is believed the rainfall then 
was greater than now. Recalling these da}-s 
when monotonous solitude was all that was 
here, is to modern people but ringing the 
changes on the story of the " Lost Mariner," 
when the poet tells us he was 

"Alone, alone, all, all alone. 
Upon the wide, wide sea." 

The forests consisted of tall trees with no un- 
dergrowth of brush or vines. The annual fires 
that swept through them had done the work of 
the forester well. It cleared awa}- the debris, 
burned most of the fallen trees, and trimmed 
smooth the sprouts and had trained the limbs 
not to grow out near the ground. You could 
ride anywhere through the woods, or, for that 
matter, drive a wagon with nearly the same 



ease that you could in an orchard. People 
now express great surprise that the pio- 
neers always settled in the timber, or close 
upon the edge of it ; and as a rule the first 
selections were the poorest land. There were 
good reasons for their acts. The face of the 
country was immensely different then from 
now. They were compelled to hunt out, first, 
for a spring where they could get water. Thej- 
could find these and dry land onlj- in the woods. 
They were, too, a people who knew little or 
nothing about the prairie. It was not then 
possible for man to live upon these treeless 
marshes, pools and bogs, fit only for the home 
of the " green heads," the poisonous insects, 
amphibious snakes and the more deadly ma- 
laria. The prairies were then mere lagoons 
filled with rotting grass and death, that was 
carried awaj' bj- the unobstructed winds to 
poison the pure air of heaven. There was 
very little chance for the water to drain off the 
land, the topography of the country then 
being such as to hold it in its naturally formed 
basins. Mr. Joshua Bradley suggested to the 
writer the most plausible theory as to how these 
prairie basins were formed. His idea was that 
when the tall grass was burned, the fire that 
traveled with the wind, burned everything as 
it went, but that which burned against the 
wind traveled slowly and burned the grass at 
the roots always first, and when a strong wind 
prevailed it would carrj^ the long stalks of this 
burned off grass into the burnt places and 
leave it there. In the spring the heavj- rains 
would cause the water to float these off and 
they would lodge at points until they were 
piled there in great quantities, and in the long 
course of time they thus received accretions 
until the waters were held back, sod formed on 
the embankment and complete natural dams 
were made and a basin formed. It was the 
cows of the pioneers that first made beaten 
paths as they traveled to water or to the " late 
burns" to graze the tender and nutritious 



18 



HISTORY OF EFFIXGHAM COUNTY. 



grasses, and these paths were the lead-way for 
the water to follow, and as the cows killed the 
sod the water could cut its own ditch, so 
stream was added to stream until strength was 
accumulated, and in the years the prairie 
swamps became comparatively dr^-, rich 
land. 

As great and numerous as were these ob- 
stacles that confronted the pioneer, thej' were 
not all. The hostile and treacherous savage 
was here. Milk-sick lay in wait for man and 
beast along nearly all the streams in the south- 
ern part of the country. The horrible malaria 
freighted the air, as it floated out from its 
noisome lurking places, with its deadly poison. 
Howling and ahva\-s hungr3' wolves, both 
prairie and timber wolves, made night hideous 
with their howls, and the blood-curdling scream 
of the soft-footed panther added a terrible 
warning to that of the wolves, that there was 
little hope of ever having any domestic animals 
here. The "green-head flies," in countless 
billions and as ravenous and voracious as the 
migrating ants of Africa, held undisputed pos- 
session of the prairies always during the hot 
summer mouths. Their business hours were 
between sunrise and sunset. And in a very 
short time the}' could kill a horse or a cow. 
The " green-head" alone made the prairies 
wholh' uninhabitable. Here, too, were all 
manner of beasts that devastate the poultry 
yards and break the good housewoman's heart 
in the destruction of chickens, geese and 
turkeys. Such, indeed, were the surroundings 
that poultry, sheep, hogs, calves, and, in fact, 
most of domestic animals would have been 
secure onlj^ in a fire and burglar proof safe, 
with a time lock to do duty while the house- 
hold slept. 

The galinipers, the mosquitos, the wood 
ticks, chiggers and lizzards, with ''yaller 
jackets," bumble-bees and hornets and poison- 
ous insects were here and ever3'where and all 
hungry or angry at the approaching pioneers. 



The bald eagle, flanked by the hawks and egg 
devouring crows, screamed his defiance at civil- 
ization and swooped down upon the poultry, 
the pigs and the lambs in the sheep-fold. Here, 
too, was the snake — spotted with deadlj' 
beautv — but for snake stories, go to any of the 
old settlers, especially A. G. Hughes. For our 
part we are like Washington's hatchet, " I'd 
rather tell ten thousand lies than cut down a 
cherry-tree." 

When all these things are considered, and 
when it is further remembered that these earli- 
est pioneers were trul}- strangers in a strange 
land, with no aids of machinery' or mechanical 
contrivances to help them, except their rifle, 
and wife and little ones ; no doctors, no medi- 
cine, no mills, no stores, no markets, no any- 
thing but appalling difficulties, is it not indeed 
a wonder that anj- one ever came here, or stayed 
after he did come, or lived to perpetuate his 
race and name. 

We have named the people that were here 
prior to 1831. The}' were in settlements, in 
Blue Point, on Fulfer Creek, the Wabash Riv- 
er, Brockett's Creek, and Union Township. 
The earliest and largest of these settlements 
were the neighbors of Thomas I. Brockett. 
While this was j'et a part of Fayette County, a 
voting precinct was formed, the voting place 
generally at Thomas I. Brockett's house, but 
one year it was held at the house of James 
Turner. The last election had there while it 
was Fayette Count}', there were, we are told, 
thirteen votes, solid for Andy Jackson ; we do 
not doubt it. 

In this effort at pen pictures of the early 
settlers and the county when first the}' came, 
whenever we have found a strongly marked 
characteristic pioneer, we have told all we could 
learn of his leading traits, and tried to give the 
reader as perfect a drawing as we could as to 
what manner of man he was. In this connec- 
tion we deem it not inappropriate to close this 
chapter with a short sketch of Ben Campbell, 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



19 



a king among his kinil. a fine type of his class, 
with ever}' trait abnormally developed. 

Since the memorable days of '49, when the 
discover}' of gold on the Pacific slope set 
all tiie world agog, the pioneers, the. men who 
skirt the outer confines of civilization on this 
continent, have entirely changed in their char- 
acteristics. They are now perhaps the most 
cosmopolitan people in the world, and we in- 
cline to the belief that the old Californians are 
the best practically educated people in the 
world, for they were suddenly gathered togeth- 
er in large numbers, representing every civil- 
ized people of the globe — many of the half 
civilized, and even some of the totally barbar- 
ous. This heterogeneous gathering of such 
varieties of people resulted in the world's won- 
der of a public school. It rapidly educated 
men as the}- had never before been taught. It 
was not perfect in its moral symmetry, but it 
was wholly powerful in its rough strength, 
vigor and swiftness. It taught not of books, 
but of the mental and physical laws — the only 
fountain of real hwidedyc — of commerce, of 
cunning craft — it was iron to the nerves and a 
sleepless energy to the resolution. This was 
its field of labor — its free university. Here 
every people, every national prejudice, all the 
marked characteristics of men met its oppo- 
site, where there was no law to restrain or 
govern either, except that public judgment that 
was crystallized into a resistless force in this 
witches' caldron. This wonderful alembic, 
where were fused normal and abnormal human- 
ities, thoughts, false educations, prejudices, 
and pagan follies into a molten stream that 
glowed and scorched ignorance along its way 
as the volcanic eruption does the debris in its 
pathway. It was the untrammeled school of 
attrition of every variety of mind with mind — 
the rough diamond that gleams and dazzles 
with beauty only when rubbed with diamond 
dust. The best school in the world for a thor- 
ough, practical education. Universal educa- 



tion — we mean real education and not "learned 
ignorance " as Locke has aptly called it — is a 
leveler of the human mind. It's like the strug- 
gle for life, where only "the fittest survive" 
and the unfit perish. But its tendency is to 
lift up the average, to better mankind, to 
evolve the truth, and mercilessly gibbet in- 
grained ignorance and superstitious follies. 

Ben Campbell's pioneer school life was spent 
in a wholly diflbrent one from that just named. 
The surroundings of the Illinois pioneers dif- 
fered radically from that of the California 
" forty-niners." They did not come here in 
great rushing crowds, but alone or in meager 
squads, they had abandoned home and the 
signs of civilization and plunged into the vast 
solitudes. They settled down to live where 
language was almost a superfluity, and a smile 
or laugh were as lost arts. These sturdy, lone 
mariners of the desert were men of action and 
silence. Not very social in their nature, moody 
often, almost void of the imaginative faculty, 
with no longing for the Infinite, and seldom or 
never looking through nature up to nature's 
God. They simply whetted their instincts in 
the struggle for existence, against the wild 
game, the ferocious beasts and the murderous 
savage. 

Such was Ben Campbell, and he was pre- 
eminently one of his kind. A man of tremen- 
dous physical organization, with coarse feat- 
ures, a sun-burned skin, that was covered with 
hair and unsightly " bumps " all over his face ; 
great scars upon his face and body, especially 
a frightful scar that ran down the whole left 
side of his cheek, injuring the muscles of the 
eye and giving it a strange expression. San- 
dy, coarse, stubby hair and beard, blue eyes, 
very large mouth, with thick lips, and teeth 
double-rowed and so large that they looked 
more like horse's than human teeth. Generally 
dressed in skins of animals he had slain, ex- 
cept a small, close-fitting red bonnet that was 
alwavs on his head. Altogether a figure well 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



calculated to frighten children to death, and 
might even appall timid grown people when 
suddenly beheld for the first time. 

While hunting one day, he met an Indian 
who had a splendid fresh deer skin on his 
shoulder. By a strange coincidence Campbell 
had a bright silver half-dollar in his pocket. 
Campbell much wanted the skin and the other 
coveted the money. Negotiations resulted, and 
the hide and half-dollar were placed together 
on a log, to be fought for by the two men. 

Campbell always wound up his story hy 
stating that for nearly an hour he could not, 
for the life of him, tell whether he was going 
to get the deer skin or loose the half-dollar. 
But he eventually got it and walked off with 
his troph3\ 

At one time he went to Vandalia when the 
Legislature was in session. On his way he 
killed a fine fat turke3'-gobbler. This he nego- 
tiated at the hotel for his dinner and horse 
feed, stipulating that he was to have his dinner 
earlier than the regular meal and to have some 
of the turkey. When he sat down to the table 
he eat the entire turkey, as well as everj-thing 
else that was on the table. Mother Maddox, 
the landlady, declared that she honored the 
guest that honored the food she put before 
them b}' eating heartily, and so she extended a 
life-time invitation to Campbell to always 
come, and, without money and without turkej's, 
to eat at her table free. 

This story is made the more plausible by an- 
other one, that has been vouched for by at least 
one-half of the old settlers. A part^- was out 
camping and hunting. Campbell had with him 
a favorite and worthless dog of the bench-leg 
kind — very fat, clumsy and lazy. It was fit for 
nothing in the chase, so it stayed at the camp- 
fire with the cook while its master would be 
hunting. On one occasion. Campbell had been 
gone all daj% and when he returned, tired and 
hungry, he anxiouslj' inquired what luck his 
companions had had in killing something to 



eat. To his joy he saw roasting over the fire 
what he supposed to be an enormously large 
coon. Now, if there was one thing in the world 
that Campbell liked best of all, it was a coon, 
fat and cooked bj' a camp-fire. The coon was 
soon cooked to a turn, and Campbell's joy, 
when the others announced that they had had 
supper, was sincere, for he knew his capacity, 
and he wanted enough for himself Without 
bread, potatoes, coffee, or anything else but 
coon, he sat down to a repast fit for a king, par- 
ticularly in quantity, which was much in Camp- 
bell's eye. He picked a bone and called his dog, 
but the dog did not respond. He would pick 
another bone and whistle again and call his 
dog; the dog never came, and this went on 
until ever}' bone was picked. The boys iiad 
killed and cooked the dog for a coon. 

Like Daniel Boone, he could boast of tasting 
about everything he could get hold of in the 
way of bird or beast in the country. When 
hungr}', he was willing to try, without prejudice, 
anything he could get. In this world's wealth 
he was never able to try a horse, but those who 
knew him best would not have gambled a cent 
that he would have made a failure here. 

His capacitj- and love of eating were only 
equaled bj' his love for whisky and fighting. 
The prospect of a jolly big fight would take him 
to any part of the world. He was in the Nau- 
voo war, in the thickest of the fight, and here 
he got numerous of the scars that he carried to 
his grave. The ugly scar on his face was made 
by a man he found chopping in the woods one 
day. The man was a pioneer, too, who had 
concluded to stop and build a cabin. Camp- 
bell resented this, and leveled his gun at the 
stranger and ordered him not to trespass on his 
land. The wary stranger eventually got 
Campbell to put his gun down and enter into 
negotiations. He deceived the old hunter, and 
when he got between him and his gun, he sud- 
denly raised his ax and struck a wicked blow 
at his head. Campbell barely saved his life by 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



dodging back, Init he did not dodge enough to 
prevent the wound. 

Campbell was a man who was moved in cverv- 
thing by his own promptings. He knew little 
or nothing of the rules of societ}-, and he cared 
less. He was an honest man, and as rough of 
speech as rough could be. He was crabbed, 
sullen and moody of temperament. A stranger 
seemed to affect him as a red flag does a mad 
bull. Such he would generally roughly insult 
without cause, and while he was slow of speech 
and his words were few, he could make his 
taunts sting terribly. If the stranger, in igno- 
rance of the man, resented the insult, a fight was 
improvised at once; and in the old style of 
rough-and-tumble-knock-down-and-drag-out, he 
seldom met his match. Yet, the fight once 
over, he was ready to drink friends at his vic- 
tim's expense — get roaring drunk and savagely 
friendly. 

He lost his pioneer wife, and after awhile he 
made up his mind to marrj again. He had 
heard of Robert Moore's widow in the north- 
west part of the county. He had never seen 
her. but, nothing daunted, he' mounted his horse 
and rode to her house, called her to the door, and 
as he sat upon his horse, looking closelj- at the 
widow, he finally informed her that ho had come 
to see her on business — that he wanted to mar- 
r}- her — but that she wouldn't do, and he turned 
his horse and rode off. He proceeded to an- 
other house, where there was also a widow, 
called her to the door, told her his business, 
and commanded her to mount behind him and 
go to the magistrate's and be married. The 
poor woman remonstrated and begged for time; 
but with oaths that fairly snapped as he uttered 
them, he told her to mount, and she mounted, 
and the cooing doves rode off and were mar- 
ried. 

Mis death, on Christmas Day, 185G, was much 
after the manner of his life. He not only died 
with his boots on, but on horseback. He had 
been to Freemanton all day, and in the evening 



started home —one of the Higgs boys riding be- 
hind him. When the horse stopped in front of 
his cabin door, Campbell made no motion to- 
ward dismounting — he was dead. 

Ben Campbell has now been dead many years, 
with no lineal descendants surviving him. The 
above would be an extravagant drawing of the 
pioneer generally; yet there is much in it that 
recalls a tj'pe and character of that day. He 
had been admirabl3- trained, or had trained him- 
self, for his place in life, and in security and con- 
tent had lived out a long life and filled to full- 
ness his measure of ambition. He knew noth- 
ing of romance or sentiment, nothing of a gov- 
ernment of rigid laws and stern police regula- 
tions. Tinder these, he could neither have 
thrived nor lived. He was coarse, rude, un- 
gainh' and wild, as were his worst surround- 
ings. He was brave, generous and strictly- hon- 
est. He was illiterate, but not ignorant; but 
shrewd, active, alert, and rich in animal life and 
vigor, with the most of his natural faculties cul- 
tivated almost to the perfection of the smell of 
the Siberian bloodhound. Here was marvelous 
adaptations to extraordinary surroundings. 
Exactly such as he was he had to be, in order 
that he might blaze the way into the heart of 
the wilderness for the coming hosts of civiliza- 
tion. 

Rare old Ben Campbell ! Your times and 
your kind have passed away forever. You 
lived out your allotted term in your own proper 
and best way. You filled your mission in life, 
and died when it was best you should. Rest 
forever in peace! For should you now " revisit 
the glimpses of the moon," and behold your de- 
generate successors, with no hunting-grounds, 
no moccasins, no leather breeches, no flint-lock 
guns, nor roasted coons, j-our great heart would 
wither and decay like a plucked flower. Aye, 
would not your big heart itself burst asunder 
upon seeing the men of this day, in plug hats 
and storcclothes, riding in carriages and sleep- 
insj-cars, chasing no other game save the meta- 



22 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



phorical tiger, upstairs, beiiiud closed blinds 
and under bright gas-lights? 

The graves of these early pioneers are un- 
marked and mosth' unknown, and their fast re- 
ceding memories are unhouored and unsung. 
Thej" deserve better tliau this. Thej' deserve bet- 
ter than this from us. The}- wrought for us the 



richest and most enduring legacy in all the world. 
May this poor flower flung upon the unknown 
graves arrest the attention and enlist some 
mind and pen that can render justice and award 
a meed of praise to those great lives whose 
works will ripen into the noblest civilization the 
world has ever known. 



CHAPTER II. 



TOPOGRAPHY AND PHYSICAL FEATURES— NORTHWESTERN ELEVATION OR MOUNDS— THE LITTLE 
WABASH BLUFFS— GEOLOGY— REL.ATIONS BETWEEN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY AND GEO- 
LOGICAL STRUCTURE— FORMATION OF ROCKS— NATURAL FORCES— THE FLORIDA 
REEFS— PETREFACTIONS— HUMAN REMAINS— COAL— IRON ORE AND BUILD- 
ING KOCK— MINERAL WATERS— ORIGIN OF THE PRAIRIES, ETC. 

EFFINGHAM COUNTY is bounded on the 
north by Shelby and Cumberland, on the 
east by Cumberland and Jasper, on the south by 
Clay and Fayette, and on the west by Fayette. It 
has an area of -486 square miles, of which more 
than one-half is timber. 

The Little Wabash River, passing southward- 
ly, nearly equally divides the countj-. Its tribu- 
taries are : On the east, Lucas, Big Bishop, with 
its forks, Little Bishop and Ramsey Creeks, 
Big and Little Salt Creeks, Brush Creek, Green 
Creek and Sugar Fork; on the west are Fulfer 
and Limestone, Big and Brockett's Creek, Sec- 
ond Creek, Funkhouser, Blue Point and Shoal 
Creek and Green Creek, and Moccasin Crepk, 
The higher surface land is mostly flat prairie, 
or flat woodland, with some beautifully rolling 
lands in the northwestern part of the county. 
Above the flats are a few low mounds, not so 
abundant nor so elevated as in the counties 
west. One of these is in the eastern part of 
the county, another is Blue Mound, and there 
is a low ridge near Mason. The low woodlands 
contain many fine oak flats, that change to 
white and burr oaks, hickor}- and post oaks on 
the breaks. The ridge at Mason is about two 



miles across at its base, and a little over fifty 
feet high, descending very gradually for more 
than a mile to the flat level prairies, which are 
soon merged into post oak flats. 

We are told by the State Geologist that the 
elevations in Northwestern Illinois known as 
the " mounds," are no doubt the result of denud- 
ing forces acting upon the surface, which have 
swept away the surrounding strata, leaving 
these isolated hills as the onlj- remaining indi- 
cations of the former level of the adjacent region. 

From Freeport southward, along the line of 
the Illinois Central Railroad, there is a gradual 
descent to the valle}- of the Big Muddy River, 
in Jackson County, where the level of the rail- 
road grade is only fifty-five feet above the river 
at Cairo. From this point there' is a rapid rise 
toward the south, and at Cobden the railroad 
intersects a true mountain range that has an 
elevation of 500 to 600 feet. The geologist 
distinguishes this as a mountain ridge, because 
the e\idences show there was here an uplift b}' 
forces acting from beneath, and not a washing 
away from the general level by the waters, as 
in the case of the northwestern mounds (no ref- 
erence to the so-called Indian mounds that 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



23 



cross the State from northeast to the south- 
west). 

This Cobden ridge is the eastern extension 
of an axis of elevation or uplift, which brings 
the St. Peters sandstone of the Lower Silurian, 
above the surface at Bailey's Landing, on the 
west side of the Mississippi lliver, tilts up the 
Devonian limestone at the " Bake Oven," and 
" Bald Bluffs " in Jackson Count}' at an angle 
of about 25°, and after elevating the upper por- 
tion of the Lower Carboniferous limestone above 
the surfixce entirely across the southern portion of 
the State, iinallj' crosses the Ohio in the vicinity 
of Shawneetown, and is lost beneath the coal 
measures of Kentucky. 

If the strata forming the elevation lie in their 
original horizontal position, the mountain owes 
its existence to the removal of the surround- 
ing strata bj- denuding forces, but if the strata 
are dislocated, and tilted at a high angle from 
their original horizontal position, then the ele- 
vation may be attributed to upheaving forces, 
or, as sometimes happens, to both causes. 
These upheavals, when they have occurred 
after the deposits of the coal measures, as at 
La Salle, Utica, Carbondale, St. Johns, and at 
other points, lift the St. Peters sandstone some- 
times from hundreds of feet below to the sur- 
face, and thus bringing the coal beds also up. 

Near the count}- line, the Little Wabash 
bluffs are sometimes eighty feet high; near the 
railroad bridge they are thirty to forty feet, 
near Kwington about the same, and fifty to 
eighty feet high near the north county line. 

The bottoms of the Wabash are an eighth to 
a quarter of a mile wide. 

The hills near Salt Creek are often quite 
abrupt, sometimes seventy-five feet high; its 
bottoms are low and generally narrow, with 
quicksand in many places in the creek bed. 
Near Sugar Creek, Shoal Creek and Green 
Creek, the hills are somewhat steep, bottoms 
very narrow, and beds of the streams very 
sandy. On all the other streams in the county 



the bottoms are much wider, and contain much 
excellent agricultural lauds that is now being 
put in cultivation. The streams also possess 
the great advantage of much lower hills, and 
that are of a more gradual and easy ascent. 

The prairie in the western part of the county 
is not so fiat as that in the eastern, yet it may 
be all pronounced flat prairie, with occasional 
ponds, on the margin of which may be found 
Ceplialanthus occidental is and Iris versicolor. 
In the woods are post oak, pin oak, white oak, 
black oak, hickory, sugar, elm, laurel oak, sassa- 
fras, ash, hazel, sumach, iron wood, buckeye, 
sycamore, red-bud, linden, hornbeam, Spanish 
oak, grape vines, plum, clematis, trumpet 
creeper, red birch, etc., etc. 

Geological Formations* — It is an anxiom of 
general application in geological science, that 
there is an intimate relationship existing be- 
tween the physical geography and the geolog- 
ical histoi'y of every portion of the earth's sur- 
face, and in all cases the topograplaical features 
of a country are molded by, and therefore 
must be, to some extent at least, a reflection of 
its geological structure. 

If this geological axiom could but find its 
way to every school-room, then would this 
chapter, provided it is a fair presentation of 
the geological and physical geography of the 
county, become the most interesting and use- 
ful book ever placed before either the children 
of the schools or the community at large. To 
the future fiirmer, and to all dependent upon 

* Throughout this chapter we hare made free drafts upon the 
" Economical Gpology of Illinois," by A. H. Worther, whose inter- 
eating repoit of tile gPolt>gy of tli" Slsile of Illinoie is jnet now from 
the press, and as its title page says, " Puolished by authority of the 
Legislature of Illinois," 1SS2, and thechangfS it ha.^ undergone from 
the surface agencies of more modern times. The varied conditions 
of monntain and valley, dei'P g<'rge and level plain, are not the re- 
snlta of chance, but, on the contrary, are just as much due to the 
operations of natural laws, lu, the rotations of the e.irth, or the 
growth and continued existence of the various speciei of animals 
and plants which inhabit its surface. Moreover, all the varied con- 
ditions of the soil and its productive capacities, which may be ob- 
served in dilTfrent portions of our own Stjite, are traceable to the 
causes existing in the geological history of that particular region, 
and to the surface agencies which have served to modify the whole, 
and prepare the eartli for the reception and sustenance of the exist- 
ing races of beings. Hence, we see the geological history .»f a coun- 
try determines its agricultunil ca]iacities. and also the amount of 
population which it may susiain, and the general avocation of its 
inluibitants. 



34 



HISTOKY OV EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



him, an indispensable beginning of their edu- 
cation will commence with the investigation of 
these important subjects as they exist in their 
own county, their own township and upon their 
individual farms. 

The whole earth was once a globe of liquid 
fire. The radiation of heat from the surface 
resulted in the gradual cooling of the mass, 
and thus the first rocks were formed. Geology 
teaches that the earth has been in process of 
creation through countless ages, and has ar- 
rived at its present condition by regular stages 
of growth or development in some respects 
analogous to those which characterize the life 
of an animal; that these have been effected by 
the same general law of progressive develop- 
ment which chai-aeterizes every development 
of nature, and apply with equal force to the 
mineral, the vegetable and the animal king- 
doms, that all. from the minutest globule, as 
shown by the microscope, to the grandest world 
that revolves around its controlling central 
sun, is alike subject to the control of unchang- 
ing laws; that through these laws, order has 
been evolved and the earth finally fitted and 
prepared for the habitation of man. 

These changes have been going on forever; 
so long that the human mind utterly fails to 
grasp the immense duration of the earth's his- 
tory, that have preceded the coming of the 
now existing races of beings. You can no 
more enumerate these j-ears, periods and iEons 
than could you count the grains of sand re- 
quired to form a solid globe like this, or the 
drops of water contained in all its waters, or 
the number of cubic inches in infinite space. 
Geological time is measured onlj- b}- periods, 
and each period is measured by an immeasur- 
able number of years. 

The eternity of the past is as incomprehensi- 
ble as the eternity of the future; it is impos- 
sible to conceive when the material that con- 
stitutes this earth did not exist in some form, 
and equally impossible to conceive a period in 



the future when it will not exist ; nothing has 
ever been or ever will be anihilated. Nature's 
laws are eternal and unchangeable, always pro- 
ducing like effects from like cau-ses ; the law 
of change is the vast clock of God that ticks 
off the aeons, that had no beginning, no end- 
ding. The organic beiug may die and the con- 
stitutional elements of which it is composed 
be returned to the earth and atmosphere from 
whence thej- came, but no portion is lost or 
destroyed in the process. 

Natural forces are manifested by motion, and 
various effects produced, such, for instance, as 
the attraction between particles of matter in 
solution, by which the\- are caused to assume 
a definite form of crystallization. Perhaps the 
thought may be a new and startling one to the' 
reader, that the forces that give form to the 
crystal are living forces, and that, in this sense, 
life really pervades all matter. Hence every 
mineral assumes its own peculiar form of crys- 
tallization, and that, too, with unerring cer- 
tainty. The formation of the crystal is the 
unmistakable effort and force of nature toward 
organic creation — the first results of a great 
law that has culminated in the creation of all 
the higher forms of organized beings. 

The time that has elapsed since the present 
race of beings were first here is much greater 
than the popular mind has been prepared to 
admit. Prof Agassiz, in a work on the coral 
reefs of Florida, clearly establishes the fact 
that this living species of coral have been at 
work on that coast for more than 70,000 3-ears. 
Capt. K. B. Hunt, of the United States Corps 
of Engineers, for many years at Key West, in 
Florida, published in Silliman's Journal, the 
evidences that the existing corals that built 
the limestone formations of the Florida coast 
had been at work there for at least 5,400,000 
years. Sir Charles Lj'ell admitted in his last 
work "Antiquity of Man," that there are clear 
evidences that the human race have inhabited 
this continent more than 100,000 j-ears. 



HISTORY OF EFriNGHAM COUNTY. 



Sf) 



The earliest formed rocks having resulted from 
the cooling of mineral matter existing in a 
state of fusion, are termeil priinary igneous 
rocks. 

When the surface of the earth had become 
sulHciently cooled, the aqueous vapors of the 
atmosphere were condensed into water, and 
the oceans and streams were formed. The 
waters, b}* their solvent and eroding influence, 
aided by other atmospheric agencies, acted 
upon the hardened rocks, wearing them away; 
and the -disintegrated material, being carried 
by the streams to the bottom of the ocean, 
were there deposited to form the stratified 
rocks. These two causes — -fire and water — 
have given origin to all the rocky masses 
known. Sometimes the sedimentary or strati- 
fied rocks are subjected to heat or other agencies 
bj- which their original formation is changed. 
They then are called metaraorphic rocks. 
Thus sandstone is converted into ((uartz or 
quartzite, and limestone into crystalline mar- 
ble, etc. These constitute, in the simplest 
form, the three classes of rock which enter 
into the formation of the earth's crust. 

The ancient oceans, like those of the present 
day, were filled with organized beings, and the 
shell of the moUusk, and the hard, calcareous 
habitation secreted by the coral, become im- 
bedded in the constantly accumulating sedi- 
ment at the bottom of the ocean; and when 
this sediment was hardened into rock, these 
organic remains were preserved in a fossilized 
condition, so perfect and entire that the general 
character and habits of these ancient animals 
may be studied and determined in a most sat- 
isfactory manner. These fossils, though be- 
longing to a species now extinct, and in manj' 
cases, to a genera that are no longer rep- 
resented among living species, are nevertheless 
referable to the four great sub-kingdoms of 
existing animals, and many of them to the 
same families, and sometimes the same genera. 

Some of the stratified rocks, especiallj- the 



limestone, are composed almost entirely of the 
calcareous habitations and bony skeletons of 
the marine animals that lived in the ocean 
during the time these beds were in process of 
formation, with barel}' enough mineral matter 
to hold the organic materials together in a 
cemented mass. Thus we find that these simple 
t3'pes of life have played an important part in 
the formation of the solid frKamework of the 
globe. The same process is now being re- 
peated, and in this waj- nature preserves her 
own records of succeeding creations, linking 
them all together by the unerring characteris- 
tics of a common origin and weaving them 
into one complete chain of organic existence, 
which beginning with the lowest and simplest 
form — Protozoa — -culminates in the final ap- 
pearance of iMAN, the highest and complete re- 
sult of creative energy. 

As before stated by these records of the 
rocks, it is established that upon this continent 
we find the traces of man running back 100,000 
years. To us these would certainly be " old 
settlers,'' but geology, paleontology and zoiilogy 
hold suspended their judgment and patiently 
investigate, turning over the pages of stone and 
prying out the marvelous secrets that have 
been securely locked and guarded for us in the 
protecting bosom of mother earth for millions, 
perchance billions of years. The question of 
how these beings came here is answered by 
the beautiful and never-changing forces of 
nature. That prepotency of the natural forces 
that account for every '' form and quality of 
life." How they then came we substantially 
know. How they go is another and a more diffi- 
cult question. That the earth at regular re- 
curring periods is filled with vegetable and 
animal life that come and grow and flourish 
and pass away, leaving not a wrack behind. 
That the earth, but now vocal with life, is to- 
morrow a barren solitude locked in the noise- 
less sleep of death to commence again at the 
lowest beginnings of life — the j'east plant 



26 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



probably in the vegetable, the rhizopods, the 
humblest of the known in animal origin — and 
continue the upward circle until the earth is 
again re-habilitated, to be again desolated, are 
fields for the investigator and for speculation 
that are enough to appall the ordinary mind by 
their magnitude. 

The astronomer tells us of the astronomical 
day and night,, that are in duration about 
twenty-one thousand years, and upon this the 
speculative scientists (some of them only) have 
constructed the plans of creation to be, that 
these recurring periods of life and solitude 
upon the earth correspond — the life with the 
astronomical day, the dead and barren with 
the astronomical night. 

In this work of life and death they agree 
that heat is, as well here as everywhere else, 
the motive power that produces life, while cold 
is the productive power of death. 

Evidences are found nearlj- all over Illinois 
of the presence here of glaciers, those rivers of 
moving ice, that slowly travel from the north 
and from one to five miles in thickness, and it 
is easy to conceive that in their track no life 
is left. In the rock beds of Lake Superior 
they gathered up and dropped here and there 
the boTflders that are so frequentl}- found in 
our count}'. Some of these are found on the 
surface and others are deeply buried in the 
soil, presenting evidences that these glaciers 
came at diflfereut and repeated times, but how 
long between them cannot be known. 

One of these oval shaped bowlders was found 
in digging a well, near the Van Machine Shops, 
in this city, in 1870; it would weigh about 
two hundred and fifty pounds. Nearly one- 
third had been plained down, by the moving 
ice that had carried it from the Lake Superior 
regions, and presented a smooth and polished 
appearance. It was twenty-two and a half feet 
below the surface and the strata of earth 
above it gave no evidences of disturbance, but 
lay as they had been deposited in the long 



course of time; where it lay it probably was 
the surface when it was left there by the gla- 
cier. 

Petref act ions. — Some very remarkable petre- 
factions were found in 1854, in the work of 
constructing the Illinois Central Railroad, 
when digging the " cut " through the hills of 
the Little Wabash, where the road crosses the 
river, and on this side of the river. 

In order to get dirt, to make a " fill " in the 
river bottom, they dug into the side of the hill 
from the cut, and down to about the general 
level of the road-bed. After drifting back a 
few feet, they found a strata of hard limestone 
rock about sixteen inches thick running horizon- 
tally into the hill, and this was six to eight 
feet above the level or bottom of their drift. 
The ascent of the hill was gradual from the 
road-bed, and when they had removed the dirt 
and stone until they were taking it some fifteen 
or twent}^ feet below the hill surface, they 
found these petrefactions at the level of their 
drift and beneath the strata of rock mentioned. 
As the earth was cleared away, the}- found 
man}' evidences that they were following what 
had once been the earth's surface. Thej- found 
the stumps and partially preserved bodies of 
trees that presented the appearance of having 
grown or fallen where they were found. 

They found specimens of petrified wood, that 
were piled out of the waj- of the workmen, 
making a pile as large as a cord of wood. 
One stump that had ever}' appearance of still 
standing where it had grown, was perfectly 
petrified, except the bark, and it was plainly 
marked by the ax that had been used in cutting 
the tree. At the root of the stump were per- 
fectly preserved chips — partially petrified — 
that told again unmistakably of the use of the 
ax. In the clay soil, on a level with the foot 
of the stump, was found the imprint of the 
fallen tree where it had lain and decayed. 

The rock was above the petrefactions. fifteen 
or twenty feet of earth above the rocks, and 



m 






VT> ;■ "■'^V^pv^;-- 



fe? i'.- 





zs^^5 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



upon all this was the great forest trees that 
had stood there for centuries. 

We are indebted to Joshua Bradly and 
H. B. Kepley for the facts just given. 

Human Remains. — All over the county have 
been found what are known as Indian relics, 
the most common being heart shaped flint 
rock, that were doubtlessly used for pointing: 
arrows, and were the savage's ammunition with 
which he warred and hunted; stone axes are 
also found, but no authenticated specimens of 
pottery. We have in this county none of the 
works of the Mound-Builders. 

In the extreme southern part of the county 
along the Wabash River, but more especially 
across in Clay County, in the heavily- timbered 
bluffs and brakes of that stream, are many 
evidences of there onee being an extensive 
burial ground of some unknown people. 

Beneath the big oak trees liave been found the 
curious graves of which some are still well pre- 
served. Thej- were made by being dug down 
probably thirty inches, and the rude sarcoph- 
agus formed h\ placing a stone slab at each 
side of the vault, and was completed by a 
similar stone covering. In this stone box, 
which generally is not over three feet square, 
was placed the body in a half sitting posture, 
the feet and head as near together as they 
could place them. 

The surface geology of our county is one of 
the greatest importance to the farmer and to 
all classes dependant upon him. The time 
will come when the young children, and the 
old, too, most probably, will be taught these 
tilings until farming will be as much of a science 
as anything else. To understand the beds of 
superficial material that are spread u neon form- 
ably upon the rocks, all over the State — the ac- 
cumulations of cla}-, sand and gravel, called 
drift — is now of the greatest importance to the 
farmer. By these can he know the wants and 
proper capabilities of his land — how to care 
for, protect and feed it and supph' its impera- 



tive wants the same as he can now his calf or 
pig. The entire agricultural interests in the 
count}-, as well as the common intelligence of 
all our people, are interested here alike, because 
the soil is predicated upon this superficial 
detritus and owes its productive qualities, in 
part at least, to its homogeneous character. 

Our soils are mainlj- composed of mineral 
■matter in a finely- comminuted condition, to 
which is added, from year to year, the vege- 
table and animal matters which are accumu- 
lated upon the surface. If the superficial 
deposits are absent, the soil is formed by the 
decomposition of rocks, upon which it rests. 
If the rock is a sandstone, it will form a light 
sand}- soil; if a clay shale or other argillaceous 
rock, a heavy claj- soil will be the result; and 
if a limestone it will produce a calcareous soil, 
so there will be a marked change in the soil 
with every variation which occurs in the char- 
acter of the underl^'ing rock strata. 

In the drift deposits will never be found any 
valuable mineral deposits. And the fragments 
of lead, copper, iron and lumps of coal that are 
sometimes found in this drift are often believed 
by the ignorant to be proofs (5f valuable mineral 
de[X)sits, where there are none. In rare 
instances, minute particles of gold have been 
thus found and charlatans, professing to be 
geologists, have proclaimed these to be valuable 
gold or silver mines. 

These deposits, while so far they have been 
often used to play upon ignorant credulitj-, are 
b}- no means destitute of valuable materials 
for industrial use. They furnish the clay, brick, 
sand and tile that are so generallj- in use; they 
are the great reservoir that hold so securely 
the sweet, pure, cold water that supplies our 
wells; they are the agriculturist's bank of de- 
posit, where, when he learns to properly draw 
his check upon it, is supplied with inexhausti- 
ble wealth with which to honor all his drafts. 

State Geologist Worthen reports of EfBng- 
ham. County as follows: 



30 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



West of the Little Wabash there is exposed 
in the National road four to six feet of brown 
cla}- resting on blue claj-, with bowlders. 

On the bank of Green Creek, near the north 
county line, is exposed — 

Ft- 

1 Brown soil 1 

2 Brown sandy clay 6 

3 Brown sandstone 4 inches to 1 

4 Sand and pebbles 2 

In the railroad cut south of Watson^ 

Ft. 

Brown clay (loess). 8 

Clay and sand with pebbles 20 

On Bishop's Creek — 

Ft. 

Brown and buff clay 12 

Blue clay and bowlders 15 

On Salt Creek— 

Ft. In. 

Brown and buff clay (thin) 

Sandy conglomerate 6 

Blue clay and bowlders 8 

In Sections 17 and 30, Township 8 north, 
Range 5 east, there are regular beds of ferrugi- 
nous drift conglomerate, two to three feet in 
thickness. 

A citizen of Effingham (Wes. Stephenson), en- 
gaged in well-digging, reports the following gen- 
eral sections of wells; 

Ft. 

1 Soil and subsoil 1 

2 White, buff and blue clay (loess) 10 

3 Red clay and giavel — hardpan.. 3 to 4 

4 Hardpan, blue-gray clay and 

gravel 12 to 24 

5 Sometimes black clay 3 to 6 

The sand and gravel that furnishes the abun- 
dant and excellent water all over the county, 
and especially here in the city of Efflugham, in 
inexhaustible quantities, is found from thirteen 
to twenty-four feet below the surface. 

On the prairies in the southeast, water is ob- 
tained from twelve to twenty feet; at Watson, 
sixteen feet; in the southwest, twenty; at Mason, 
eighteen to thirt}'. The deepest wells known in 
the county are G. W. Nelson's, fifty feet, through 
clay and coal measure rocks to good limestone 



water, and at Jesse Newman's place in Mason, 
145 feet. This last had only a scant supply of 
water. 

Coal. — The State Geologist estimates that a 
coal-shaft at the citj' of Effingham would have 
to go down 900 to 950 feet in order to reach 
Vein No. 5. This is a five-foot coal vein. It 
lies below Coal No. 9, six inches; No. 8, three 
feet; No. 7, five to seven feet; and No. 6, two 
feet six inches. 

The only remarkable bed of coal yet found or 
worked in the county is G. W. Nelson's, in Sec- 
tion 20, Township 6 north, Range 4 east. A pit 
was opened here and good coal procured. The 
vein was reported three feet thick, but six miles 
down the creek, at Mahon's, it was only ten 
inches thick, and on Limestone Creek, in Sec- 
tion 18, Township 6 north, Range 5 east, it is 
sixteen inches thick. These designated out- 
crops indicate a decided easterly dip. The 
same coal is also found on Big Creek, in Section 

25, Township 7 north. Range 4 east. The State 
Geologist catalogued this vein as No. 16, count- 
ing from the lowest upward. 

On Salt and Brush Creeks there is a six-inch 
seam of bituminous coal, which is catalogued 
as No. 17. Its sure guide is two thin even la}-- 
ers of gra}- limestone, occurring about four feet 
above, and abounding in Spirifer plano-convexus. 
This has been reported sixteen inches to two 
feet thick, but it is probably an overestimate. 
A thin seam of coal was also found in Section 

26, Township 9 north. Range 5 east. 

Can coal be found here? This is now a ques- 
tion of deep interest to the people of the county. 
In the total absence of any definite knowledge 
upon the question, commendable but perhaps 
foolish struggles have been made and monej" 
and time expended to test the question. Men 
and their drills have been brought here, and a 
boring was made south of the depot a few years 
ago, and all any one learned was that their 
money went into a hole, where it will never 
come out. 



HISTOKY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



31 



Tlic people of Vandalia made a much more 
expensive investigation a few years ago than 
our people made. At immense expense, they 
carried a shaft (the water was here unusually 
strong) to the depth of 474 feet, and there 
stopped. 

Tlio shaft at Centralia was sunk to the depth 
of .'JTli feet, at whicii depth a seam of coal seven 
feet in thickness was found. This coal is 370 
feet below the Carlinville limestone in that shaft, 
and if the strata retains the same thickness at 
Vandalia, they stopped eighty feet above the 
Centralia coal seam. These borings indicate a 
decided increase in thickness of the stone strata 
toward this part of the State, and therefore the 
coal will be deeper here than at Centralia in that 
proportion. 

When you know what you have to do it is easy 
to prepare and do it. We make no doubt coal 
will be found here some day and worked to good 
profit, even if we do have to go 900 or 1,000 feet 
to it. 

Iron Ore. — The drift conglomerate occur- 
ring in Section 17, Township 8 north. Range 5 
east, is three feet thick and contains a good 
deal of iron ore. It crops out on a point of 
the hillside extending for thirty* feet across. A 
similar deposit occurs near the mouth of Big 
Creek, in Section 30, Township 8 north. Range 
5 east. Coal measure shales on Big Creek 
abound in many concretions of o.xide and car- 
bonate of iron; there are also some in otiier 
localities, but the quantit\' is insufficient. 

The sandstone below Effingham, in the fos- 
sillferous portion, is very ferruginous. Red ox- 
ide of iron occurs on Beech Creek in sandstone 
over Coal No. 15. 

Building Rack. — On Sugar Fork, near its 
mouth, there is a good quarr}' of hard sand- 
stone, and one of silicious limestone on Green 
Creek aljove the mouth of Sugar Fork. 

Eversman's quarry has furnished a firm, gray 
sandstone. This is two miles south of Effing- 
ham, on Salt Creek Bluffs. On M. V. Park's 



farm, adjoining the city of Ellingluira, is a 
quarrj' that has also furnished the most of the 
rock for foundations in the city. Very good 
sandstone, in thick beds, occurs in the blufl's of 
Shoal Creek near its mouth; on Fuller Creek, 
in Section 2, Township 6 north. Range 5 east, 
near Ramsey Creek, half a mile from its mouth, 
in Section 27, Township G north, Range (< cast, 
and on Big Creek, in Section 29, Township 9 
north, Range 5 east. 

There are good limestone quarries on Lime- 
stone Creek and on Fulfer Creek. A good deal 
of rock used on the National road was ob- 
tained here and at Mahon's on Fulfer Creek, 
and also on Big Creek. The best rock for the 
production of lime is found at Nelson's coal 
bank. 

Mineral Waters. — Few if an}' counties in 
the State are better supplied with medicinal 
waters than this. So far they are wholly un- 
developed sources of wealth and industry. 
Douglas, Watson, JIason and Jackson Town- 
ships have each springs that possess good min- 
eral qualities, some of them strong, and that 
some of these manj- waters when analyzed and 
once understood, will become widely popular 
and beneficial to mankind we make no doubt. 

In Jackson Township, on Sam Winter's land. 
Section 32, Township 6, Range 5, are two fine 
springs, and while they are not more than 
a rod apart, arc wholly difl'erent in their 
medical properties. These springs were once 
the favorite rendezvous of the Indians. Mr. 
Winters tells us that before these springs were 
fenced, cattle would come there for miles to 
drink of these waters, passing other drinking 
places in order to quench their thirst in these 
delicious waters. The neighbors have for a 
long time understood the value of these springs. 

In the same township, near James Larimer's 
and David Mitchell's, on Section IG, Township 
7, Range 5, southwest quarter of southeast 
quarter, is a fine flowing spring, that has iron 
unquestionably, and probably sulphur. 



32 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUKTY. 



In Mason township, in Section 2, Township 

6, Range 5, about three miles north of the town 
of Mason, are three springs, linown as Sulphur 
Springs. These have been extensively inves- 
tigated by Dr. Mathews, and they are already 
resorted to by a great many people. 

In Watson Tow&ship, Section 22, Township 

7, Range 6, on land of the I. C. R. R., near the 
farm of Andy Parks are still other aud very 
fine springs. In the recent sale of the lands of 
the railroad, these springs were reserved, and it 
is said the road intends to improve and de- 
velop this health resort. 

The Origin and Formation nf Prairies. — ■ 
For many years this subject has been under 
discussion by some of our most eminent men. 
Among the first to enter at any length upon 
the subject was Hon. Walter B. Scat^s, former- 
ly of the State Supreme Court, Prof. Whitney, 
of the Geological Survey of Iowa, and Prof 
Winchell, the eminent geologist of Ann Arbor 
University, continued it at great length, and 
Prof Lesquereux joined also the investigation. 
Mr. Worthen, the State geologist, realizing the 
great importance of the people of Illinois of 
this subject, requested Prof Lesquereux to 
give his latest and best conclusions in refer- 
ence to it, after his recent discussions with 
other eminent geologists. 

The Professor holds that prairies are, at our 
time, in process of formation along the shores 
of our lakes — Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, etc., 
as also along the Mississippi and some of its 
affluents, especiallj' the Minnesota River. The 
formation of these recent prairies, whose ex- 
tent is not comparable to that of the primitive 
ones, is peculiar,"and has the greatest analog}- 
with that of the peat bogs. Where the lake 
waves or currents strike the shores or the low 
grounds, and there heap materials —sand, peb- 
bles, mud, etc. — they build up more or less ele- 
vated dams or islands, which soon become cov- 
ered with trees. These dams are not always 
built along the shores; they do not even always 



follow their outline, but often inclose wide 
shallow basins, whose waters are thus shel- 
tered against any movement. Here the aquatic 
plants, sedges, rushes, grasses, etc., soon 
appear, these basins become swamps, and, as 
it can be seen near the borders of Lake Michi- 
gan, though the waters maj' surround them, 
the trees never invade them, never grow upon 
them, even when the swamps become drained 
b}- some natural or artificial cause. Along the 
Mississippi and the Minnesota Rivers the same 
phenomenon is observable, with a difference 
only in the process of operation. In time of 
flood, the heaviest particles of mud are depos- 
ited on both sides of the current, along the line 
of slack water, and bj- repeated deposits, dams 
are slowly formed and upraised above the gen- 
eral surface of the bottom land. Thus, after a 
time, of course, the water thrown on the bot- 
toms bj' a flood is, at its subsidence, shut out 
from the river, and both sides of it are con- 
verted into swamps, sometimes of great extent. 
Seen from the high bluff's bordering its bottom 
land, the bed of the Minnesota River is, in the . 
spring, marked for miles by two narrow strips 
of timbered land, bordering the true channel 
of the river, aud emerging like fringes in the 
middle of a long, continuous narrow lake. In 
the summer, and viewed from the same point, 
the same bottoms are transformed iuto a green 
plain, whose undulating surface looks like im-- 
mense fields of unripe wheat, but forms, in 
truth, impassible swamps, covered with rushes, 
sedges, etc. By successive inundations and 
their deposits of mud, and by the heaping of 
detritus of their luxuriant herbaceous vegeta- 
tion, these become, by and bj', raised up above 
the level of the river. They then dr}' up in 
the summer, mostl}' by infiltration and evapor- 
ation, and when out of reach of flood, they be- 
come first wet, and afterward dr}' prairies. 
Prairie du Chein, Prairie la Fourche, Prairie la 
Crosse, etc., as their names indicate, are towns 
located upon formations of this kind. These 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



3a 



spleadid patches of prairie, thougli of a far 
more recent orgin than the immense plains 
above them, are, nevertheless, true prairies, 
bordered on one side by the high, timbered 
banks of the bottoms, a fringe of trees separ- 
ate them still from the actual bed of the river; 
nevertheless, the trees do not invade them. 

This peculiarity of formation explains, first 
the peculiar nature of the soil of the prairies. 
It is neither peat nor humus, but a black, soft 
mold, impregnated with a large proportion of 
ulmic acid, produced by the slow decomposition, 
mostly under water, of aquatic plants, and thus 
partaking as much of the nature of the peat as 
that of the true humus. In all the depressions 
of the prairies where water is permanent and 
unmixed with particles of mineral matter, the 
ground is true peat. 

It is easy to understand why trees cannot 
grow ou such kind of ground. The germina- 
tion of seeds of arborescent plants needs the 
free access of oxygen for tlieir development, 
and the trees especially in their youth absorb 
li}- their roots a great amount of air, and de- 
mand a solid point of attachment to fix them- 
selves. Moreover, the acid of this kind of soil 
b}' its particular!}- antiseptic property, promotes 
the vegetation of a peculiar group of plants, 
mostly herbaceous. Of all our trees, the tam- 
arack is theonl}' species which, in our northern 
climate, can grow on peaty ground; and this, 
even, happens only under rare and favorable 
circumstances; that is, wlicn stagnant water, 
remaining at a constant level, has been invaded 
by a kind of mosses, the Sphagnum. 

To this the objection is made* that if the 
prairies are so formed they would be univer- 
sally flat and horizontal. 'And WinchoU has 
replied to the objection that the assertion that 
it is not the peat in the prairie soil that keeps 
them prairies, because trees do grow and flour- 
ish upon them when planted there. 

* .\twater, in SUtim'\n^s Journal, Volume 1, pag« lift, anil Romne 
s&meji'lirnal, Volume II, page 30, both hold lhalprairli-a oriRinateil 
from swamps. While Winchell, Desce and others make the ohjoc- 
tion considered above. 



These apparently strong objections are an- 
swered by Prof. Lesquereux and others, that it 
is not proper to refute one assertion by another; 
that it is a well- settled fact in botanical phj-si- 
ology, that trees absorb by their roots a certain 
amount of oxygen necessary to their life. It 
is in accordance with this principle that trees, 
to thrive well, ought not to be planted too deep, 
that most of the species of trees perish when 
their roots are buried in a stratum of claj^ im- 
permeable to the air, or underlaid b}- clay im- 
permeable to the water; that whenever the 
water is dammed to make a pond, all the trees 
are killed on the whole flooded space; that still 
water always kills a tree, but there are some 
trees with roots so formed into many and fine 
branches,. that they may live in moving waters, 
or running streams. Thus, the bald Cyprus 
and lupelo that, in the South, grow in the mid- 
dle of creeks and ba3'ous, are enabled to get air 
from the waters that are moving and changing. 
De Candole, in his book on Vegetable Physi- 
ology, says that a constant in-igation necessary 
for the rice culture in Lombardy, was a gi-eat 
inconvenience, because the water penetrates 
the ground of the neighboring properties and 
kills the trees. That '• water left stagnant for 
a time on the ground rots the trees at their 
column, prevents the access of oxygen to the 
roots and kills them." That " in the low 
grounds of Holland they dig, for planting trees, 
deep holes, and fill the bottom with bundles of 
bushes, as a kind of drainage for surplus water, 
as long as the tree is young enough to be killed 
by humidity." That " the true swamps and 
marshes have jio trees, and cannot have any be- 
cause stagnant water always kills them.' 

As to the assertion that trees will grow on 
the prairies when once introduced, this, all ad- 
mit, is certainly true. But one should take 
care to make a distinction between the results 
of an artificial and those of a natural one. 
When trees are planted on the prairie, the soil 
is conveniently pre-prepared. The clayey 



34 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



subsoil mixed witti ttie black mold forms a 
compound which combines density of certain 
parts with the lightness of others, and contain 
a great proportion of nutritive elements. If the 
clay of the subsoil is not too thick to be im- 
permeable to water, and then to retain it around 
the roots, this prepared or artificial ground is 
indeed, very appropriate to the growth of trees, 
But has anybod}' ever seen oaks or hickory, or 
any other kind of trees, grow on the plains from 
a handful or from a bushel of acorns or of nuts 
thrown upon the surface ? Why, then, if trees 
will grow on the prairies, do we not see those 
isolated and far-between cluster of trees, which 
appear here and there on the borders of ancient 
lakes, cover a wider area, and by-and-by invade 
the whole prairies ? Some of these trees have 
lived there for ages; their trunks are strong and 
thick, and their branches widely expanded, are 
shaken, and their fruits swept away by the au- 
tumnal storms, and nevertheless their domain 
is restricted by the nature of tlie ground to 
limits which they have never surpassed. 

The soil on the prairies of Illinois varies in 
thickness from one to four feet, and even more 
sometimes. How has been produced this 
enormous coating of black mold which covers 
the clay subsoil ? This subsoil could only be 
produced by water. Complete oxidation of 
vegetable remains has never resulted in the 
heaping of such a peculiar thick compound as 
the soil of the prairies. Even in our oldest and 
still virgin forests the humus is never so deep. 
In some bottoms, the arable grounds may be 
found as thick, but it is not the result of vege- 
table decomposition, but of successive accumu- 
lations of mud by floods. We must then con- 
sider this prairie soil as formed under peculiar 
chemical action, by a slow oxidation or decom- 
position of vegetable matter, retarded in its ac- 
tion by water, in preventing the free access of 
oxgen, as it has happened in the formation of 
peat. But in this last matter, the oxidation is 
much slower and less complete, and water be- 



ing permanent, not exposed to change of levels, 
cannot bring into it the elements of fertility 
which it gives to the soil of the prairies. This 
soil, as before stated, is half peat and half 
humus. 

The great proportion of ulmic acid contained 
in the prairie soil is perceivable in its slow de- 
composition when exposed to atmospheric ac- 
tion. The overturned sod of the prairies would 
scarcely become decomposed and pulverized in 
two or three years, if its disintegration was not 
helped by repeated plowings. It is tliis acid 
which, in too large proportions, renders the soil 
sometimes hard and sour. But it has also the 
property of preserving for a long time the fer- 
tilizing elements mixed with it. Hence, it is 
one of the causes of the long-continued pro- 
ductiveness of the prairies. Under the influ- 
ence of stagnant water, and the remains of ani- 
mals which have inhabited it while the soil was 
in process of formation, silica especially, with 
alumina, ammonia and other elements, have 
been left in the soil, in such proportions as to 
make its extraordinary fertility, and especially 
its inexhaustible productiveness for grasses; 
for by the unpermeability of the under clay, the 
fertilizing elements have been left in the soil. 
As natural meadows, our prairies have fed for 
centuries, innumerable herds of buffalo and deer, 
etc., which roamed over them, and now they 
will feed and fatten our herds of cattle for as 
long a time as we may want or save them for 
that purpose. But more important than this to 
the agriculturist is the great fact taught him 
who has the intelligence to investigate and un- 
derstand the soil of our prairies, namely, that 
by the peculiar compound of the prairie soil, it 
will, under proper cultivation, produce, for an 
indefinite length of time, crops of cereals, corn, 
wheat, etc., as rich as ma}- be obtained from the 
richest bottom lands, and without any apparent 
diminution of the productive capacity of the soil. 
Even if, by successive crops of the same kind, 
the upper soil should become somewhat de- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



35 



prived of its fertilizing elements, especiall}' of 
its silica, lime and alumina, so necessary for 
the growth of corn, we know b}- experience, as 
well as the geologists know b}' its formation 
that the subsoil is a real mine of these fertiliz- 
ing elements, and that deep plowing will re- 
turn to an exhausted prairie land its primitive 
fertility. 

For the culture of trees also, the foregoing 
explanation of the formation of the prairies give 
directions in accord with what experience 
teaches us to be right. To plant trees which 
do not like humidit}' — fruit trees especially — 
dig deep holes, pass through the clay to the 
drift, and thus establish a natural drainage. 
Fill, tiien, the bottom of the hole with loose 
materials, pebbles, bushes, sod, mold, or any 
debris, and thus 3'ou have the best ground that 
can be prepared for the health and long life of 
trees. When this cannot be done, and shade 
trees are desirable, for example, plant, in any 
^ole deep enough to contain the roots, elms, 
buttonwood, white locusts, sugar tree, maple, 
etc., all species which live generallj- along the 
rivers and support a certain degree of 
humidity, and they will thrive, if only they 
get some air through the ground which covers 
them. 

The prairies of the West, especially of Illi- 
nois, are in harmony and agree with the destin}- 
of our people, even to a greater extent than our 
rich and extensive coal fields. Like these pro- 
digious sources of combustible mineral, they 
clearly point out the future race of men which 
is called to inhabit them, and profit by their 



immeasurable and inexhaustible fertility. While 
one of these formations is destined to furnish 
an immense population the elements of indus- 
trial greatness, the other is ready to provide it 
with both the essential elements of life — bread 
and meat. Hence, the prairies have their place 
marked in the future histor}- of mankind. They 
do not indicate or prophec3' luxury, laziness 
and dissipation of life, but hard work, abun- 
dance, and the enjoyment of freedom and true 
manhood. 

Effingham County is, and will be for }'ears, 
an agricultural county. Whilst the black loam 
is not so deep here as in the corn counties north 
of us, 3'et the peculiar formation of the surface 
soil is such that there never will be waste for 
the stored plant food that will be here for ages, 
and alwajs read}' to respond generously to the 
farmer who knows enough to find it. For grass 
and the cereals it may be prepared to equal, if 
not excel, an}- county in the State. Already in 
wheat it stands the first, both in quantitj' to 
the acre, and in the quality. Deep plowing is 
the farmer's key to wealth here. Deep subsoil 
plowing will make these ruinous droughts almost 
wholl}- disappear, as well as prevent from harm 
the heav}- falls of water that alternate with the 
droughts and sometimes one and sometimes the 
other send dismay to our people. And when 
this deep subsoil plowing is followed up with 
tile drainage, it will bring the true wealth and 
abundance to our people that will both surprise 
and please. It may not in the end prove the 
best of corn laud in our State, but in all else, 
she may indeed be '• Queen of the May." 




36 



HISTORY OF EFFII^GHAM COUNTY. 



CHAPTER III. 



ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY— ACT OP THE LEGISLATURE CREATING IT— LOCATION OF FIRST 

COUNTY SEAT— EXTRACTS FROM THE EARLY RECORDS— FIRST LAND ENTRIES— CENSUS 

AND TAXES— MARRIAGES— SCHOOLS— THEIR ORIGIN AND IMPROVEMENTS— SOME 

NEW FACTS AND .THEORIES ON EDUCATION— WILLIAM J. HANKINS— 

EARLY ELECTIONS— EFFINGHAM IN THE BLACK HAWK WAR. 

" Y'e buildetl wiger than ye knew." — Pearre. 

THE act of the Illinois Legislature creating 
and defining the boundarj' lines of Effing- 
ham and Jasper Counties bears date February 
15, 1831. The two counties were organized in 
the same act, in which there is not a word in 
reference to what other county or counties the 
territory is taken from. The Legislature pro- 
ceeded to designate by township lines the 
boundaries of the two counties. The county 
of Jasper Is first defined, and then it proceeds 
to describe Effingham County as " beginning 
at the northwest corner of Jasper County." 

The territor}' comprising Effingham County 
was taken from Faj-ette Count}'. Fa3-ette was 
taken from Bond, and Bond from the good old 
mother county of all the counties in Illinois — 
St. Clair. In the royal train of daughters of 
St. Clair County this would, properly speak- 
ing, be a great-granddaughter. 

This county is just thirty days the junior of 
Cook Count}'. Chicago was then a small, out- 
lying precinct of Crawford County, that so 
worried the Tax Collector when he had to go 
there to collect the taxes, as it would cost him 
always more than the entire tax to defray 
expenses. 

The act incorporating Effingham County 
proceeds in the usual phraseology of such 
enactments, and defines the boundary lines as 
follows : 

" Beginning at the northwest corner of Jas- 
per County, running south with the line there- 



of to the southeast corner of Township No. 6, 
thence with the line dividing Townships 5 and 
6 to the northwest corner of Township 5 north, 
in Range 4 east, thence north with the town- 
ship lines to the northwest corner of Section 
19 of Township 9 north. Range 4 east, thence 
east with the section line to the northeast cor- 
ner of Section 24, Range 6 east, thence south 
with the township line to the southeast corner 
of Township 9 north, thence east to the north- 
east corner of Township S north, in Range 7 
east, and thence south with the range line to 
the place of beginning." 

The act appointed John Hale}', James Gal- 
loway and John Hall Commissioners " to lo- 
cate the seat of justice for Effingham County." 

It then recites that "the said Commissioners, 
or a majority of them, are hereby required to 
proceed to examine the said Commissioners 
(sic?) respectively, at any time they may agree 
upon previous to the 1st day of November 
uext,'and, loith an eye to the best interests of said 
counties, shall select a suitable place for the 
seat of justice." 

"The Commissioners respectively are hereby 
empowered to receive from the owner of such 
land as they may select for the purpose afore- 
said, a donation of not less than twenty acres. 
Or they may receive donations in money, 
which shall be applied to the purchase of lands 
for such purpose, and. in either case, they shall 
take good and sufficient deeds therefor, grant- 
ing the land in fee simple for the use and bea- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



37 



efit of said counties. The Commissioners, if 
they shall select lands belonging to the Gov- 
ernment, shall purchase a half quarter-section 
for the use and benefit of such county, pro- 
vided they shall receive donations in money 
sufficient to make such purchase or purchases." 

The act proceeds to state that " when the 
Commissioners shall have made the selections 
of land for the county seats of the two coun- 
ties, they shall report their proceedings to the 
Recorder of Crawford County for .Jasper and 
to the Recorder of Fayette County for Effing- 
ham." It then requires the Recorders of these 
counties to keep the same in their respective 
offices until the said counties shall be organ- 
ized, when theyxShall transmit the same to the 
Clerks of the County Commissioners' Court of 
the aforesaid new counties respectivelj'." 

If the Commissioners for this county, 
Messrs. Haley, Galloway and Hall, ever made 
a report of their proceedings in selecting a 
seat of justice for this count}- to the Recorder 
of Fa3'ette County, as the law required, it can- 
not now be found in the records. There is no 
doubt but they did. They selected Ewingtou, 
and named it in honor of Gen. W. L. D. Ew- 
ing, then a leading law3-er and afterward a 
prominent politician of the State, who resided 
at Vandalia. 

Why the county was named EtHngham is 
not known. The bill to incorporate the county 
was the work of Gen. Ewing, William Linn 
and Joseph Duncan, and it is said the name 
was the suggestion of Gen. Ewing. James 
and Joseph Duncan had donated the twenty 
acres mentioned in the legislative act when 
they instruct the Commissioners, all three of 
them, to act " with an eye to the best interests 
of the county." How the^^ expected three 
men to go about the business with " an e3e " 
we cannot imagine. 

After the Legislature incorporated the coun- 
t}-, matters seem to have remained quiescent 
until the 20th day of December, 1832, when 



the Legislature passed an act authorizing 
Effingham County to hold an election " to elect 
three County Commissioners, a Sheriff and a 
Coroner." The designated places of election 
were Ewingtou, and the house of Thomas I. 
Brockett, and further designating Jacob Slo- 
ver, John L03' and Levi Gorden as the Judges 
of the election at Ewingtou, and William 
Thomasson, M. Brockett and Jonathan Park- 
hurst the Judges at Brockett's. This election 
was held Januar3- 1, 1833. No record of it can 
be found. Theophilus W. Short, Isaac Fancher 
and William J. Ilankins were elected the first 
Count3- Commissioners, and the3' proceeded to 
organize the Count3- Commissioners' Court in 
Ewington on the 21st da}' of JanuarN', 1833, 
by the appointment, first temporary and then 
permanent County Clerk, of Joseph H. Gilles- 
pie, who at once entered upon the discharge of 
his duties. 

Henry P. Baile3' had been elected Sheritf at 
the above-named election. John C. Sprigg had 
been appointed February 15, 1833, Circuit Clerk 
of the cnunt3' bv Judge Wilson. Sprigg's com- 
mission bore date, Vandalia, February 15, 1833. 

Here then, Februar}- 15, 1833, the whole 
countv legal machinery was put in motion, and 
Effingham became in fact as well as in name 
a live, active, absolute count}-. The County 
Court at this term merely organized and ad- 
journed, no count3' business being transacted. 
The court met in session again February 4. 
Its first official act was to divide the county 
into two voting and election precincts. The 
voting place of one being Ewington, and Levi 
Jordan, John Loy and Jacob Slover were ap- 
pointed Judges. The other precinct voted at 
T. I. Brockett's, and John Martin, William 
Brockett and William Thomasson were the 
Judges. Court adjourned. It met again the 
next month, March, and its first act at this ses- 
sion was the first time in the life of the count3' 
that it made an order on the Treasurer, as fol- 
lows : 



38 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



" Ordered, that thirty cents be paid the 
Count}' Clerk for postage and one dollar for 
services, and also one dollar to each of the 
Commissioners, and one dollar to John Broom 
for services as Constable at this term of court." 

From this very little fountain flows a peren- 
nial stream that will always flow and never 
stop.* 

In May, 1833, the first Circuit Court con- 
vened in Ewington. Theophilus W. Smith, 
Presiding Judge, and John C. Sprigg, Clerk of 
the Court. Henry P. Bailey, Sheriff. The 
grand jurors were Seymour R. Powell, foreman, 
Martin Davenport, John Trapp, John Gana- 
way, Hickman Lankford, John P. Fairleigh, 
Kinton Adams, James Levitt, Alfred Warren, 
James Hudson, James Martin, Newton E. Tar- 
rant, James Xeal, Stephen Austin, Harrison 
Higgs, John Martin, Charles Gilkie, Levi Jor- 
dan, Levi Self, TLoraas I. Brock'ett, James 
White, Robert Moore, Samuel L. Reed. 

The petit jurors were Uriah Moore, Thomas 
Williams, Ben Campbell, John Mitchell, John 
George, John Allen, Jacob Slover, Joseph Nes- 
bitt, Andrew Martin, Jesse White, James 
Howell, Amos Martin, Richard Cohea, Andrew 
Lilly, John Maxwell, Dan Williams, Duke Rob- 
inson, Henr}- Tucker, James Porter, William 
Tibbs, Jesse Fulfer, Enoch Neaville, John K. 
Howard, Michael Robinson. 

There were four cases on the docket, name- 
ly : John Beasley vs. Robert Moore, trespass 
on the case ; Andrew Bratton vs. Simeon 
Perkins, appeal ; John Maxfield vs. John 
W. Robinson, ditto ; William M. McConnell 
vs. Jacob Slover, sci fa to foreclose. There 
were three lawyers at this court, namelj' : 
A. P. Field, Levi Davis, W. L. D. Ewing. 
Of these Levi Davis, of Alton, is the onlj' sur- 
vivor. The grand jurj' returned three indict- 
ments into court ; T. W. Short, for selling liq- 

*The first Constables in the couaty, John O. Scott and John 
Broom, attended upon this conrt. A license to sell goods was 
granted to John Funkhouser, and at the next June term Eli Cook 
was granted a similar license. 



nor without license, William Crisap, adulter}-, 
Martha Hinson, fornication, and adjourned 
its labors. 

At the June term, 1833, of the County Com- 
missioners' Court, the only business was the 
following order : 

"That J. H. Gillespie be allowed for clerk- 
ing on day of sale of lots, 1.50, ordering 
bonds, .50. 2 <2uou-s of paper for to make rec- 
ord books, 50 cts. Rent of house for holding 
court in, 1.50." 

These record books, for which " 2 quoirs of 
paper " were purchased, '' for to make," are 
lost. A fact much to be regretted. At this 
term of the court, James Turner succeeds Fan- 
cher as Commissioner, but there is no explana- 
tion how this came about. The County Court 
appointed John Lo}' County Treasurer, and 
William J. Haukins County Surveyor. In 1833, 
there was a public auction of lots in the do- 
nated twenty-acre part of the town of Ewing- 
ton, S. R. Powell, auctioneer, and J. H. Gilles- 
pie, clerk. Twentj'-two lots were sold. The 
highest price paid was $64, by Hankins, and 
the lowest was $8.12^-, The average price per 
lot was $24.46. About ten times their value 
now. 

The count}' court made an order to T. W. 
Short for $1.87|^, " for whiskey furnished on 
the day the lots were sold." The county was 
divided into three road districts, and Road Su- 
pervisors appointed, Andrew Bratton for Dis- 
trict No. 1, Jonathan Parkhurst, No. 2, and John 
Broom, No. 3. The subjects of county and 
cart roads was of the first importance to the 
people. Among the first acts of the Commis- 
sioners was to order N. E. Tarrant and Joseph 
Rentfro to lay out a cart road from E wington 
to the county line, in the direction of Wither- 
spoon's mill, in Shelby County. Another road 
was made, a county road, and ordered worked, 
namely, a road from Fairfield, via Ewington, 
to Shelbyville. 

The Government had commenced work on 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



the National road in 182!) in tliis county, and a 
considerable force was stationed at the Little 
Wabash, engaged in building a bridge across 
this stream. Workmen's shanties had been 
constructed, and this fact, no doubt, caused 
Evvington to be selected as the county town. 
They were very rude, miserable pens and 
sheds, and yet the first people there, as well as 
the first Circuit Courts, utilized them as terapo- 
rar3' resting places. 

The work on the National road in this coun- 
ty stopped in 1833, a little west of Evvington. 
The bridge across the Little Wabash, although 
expensive, was a tumble-down affair. It was 
soon washed awaj', and the stone abutments 
were carried off by the people to wall their 
wells and for foundations for their buildings. 

The new county was thus left much as na- 
ture had made it in regard to roads. A pou}- 
mail, at first weekly, was carried from Terre 
Haute to St. Louis. Another mail route, of 
the same kind, was from Fairfield to Shelby- 
ville. When the streams raged the mails 
stopped. But as there were few people here, 
and still fewer that could read and write, and 
as letter postage was 25 cents, and not 
prepaid at that, it was probabl}' a blessing that 
the people were not smothered with our mod- 
ern avalanche of mail matter. Nevertheless, a 
crying want of the people — a want not yet 
wholly satisfied, althougli many thousands of 
dollars have been washed toward the Gulf in 
the form of bridges — was roads, and passable 
bridges across the streams. The Commission- 
ers made commendable efforts to supply this 
want. But the}' were not skilled civil engi- 
neers, nor were their contractors, apparently, 
that did the work. But they had this great 
advantage of the present. Tiiey built cheap 
structures, and when they floated away upon 
the muddy torrent, they left at least the conso- 
lation that they had not bankrupted the un- 
born generations to come. 

The court notified contractors to send in 



their bids for a numl)er of contemplated 
bridges in the county. James Cartwright and 
T. W. Short, John Funkhouser and Gillen- 
waters, among others, seem to have been the 
principal builders. There were neither pens, 
paper nor circumlocution wasted in. these im- 
portant business papers. For instance : " I, 
will build the l)ridge across the Wabash at 
Brockott's for $588. (Signed) John Trapp." 
Or this : " I will dam the work agreeable to 
the present contract for one hundred and fiff- 
teen dolls if high water dont prevent. T. J. 
Gillonwaters." 

Can the school-teacher improve on this : 

"James Cartwright, bid for Brig $158.00." 

Or, 

" I will do the work at Ewington bridge for 
a dollar less than anj' responsible bidder. 

"John Funkhouser." 

These papers were not addressed to any 
person or thing. They were without date or 
flourish of any kind. E pJurihus unum. 

The next pressing public necessity after 
roads and bridges, seems to have been a county 
jail, induced probably by the following : On 
the 30th July, 1833, John Cooper was ar- 
raigned before Esquires Gillespie and Han- 
kins for larceny. The preliminary examina- 
tion resulted in the following commitment : 
"it was adjudged by us that thar was proba- 
ble ground for his guilt and hes failed to give 
security for his appearance at the next cir 
court he was committed to the jail of Shelby 
county as there was no lail being provided in 
this county." To this incentive was soon after 
added the circumstance that one Charles Lewis 
was arrested for a horse-thief. And during 
1834-35, SheriflF Bailey certifies that nearly 
every able-bodied man in the countj' was paid 
in county orders for at one time or another 
guarding Lewis. The fact is, the expense of 
holding this man a prisoner for more than a 
year cost the county double all otlier county 
expenses except bridges. In 1833, a jail was 



40 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



built, made of logs, and was locked with a 
very fair padlock; Tliere was not money 
enougti, it seems, to buy the lock for some 
time, but as the door swung outside the Sheriff 
propped it good and fiist with leaning poles 
and rails. We will do the court the justice 
to mention that this was intended only as a 
temporary structure. It answered verj- well to 
hold men while they were sleeping off their 
drunks. In fact, it did in its time keep safe 
sober criminals when it was constantly sur- 
rounded by well-armed, vigilant guards. The 
architect and superintendent of this public 
structure was T. W. Short. The county paid 
him .$10 for his services. Levi Jordan and 
James Krai were paid $496 for building the 
jail. 

At the March term, 1834, appears the follow- 
ing order : " Ordered that the coart proceede 
to a point a county treasurer for the present 
Year. What a pon it a peared that John Loy 
and T. J. Gilenwaters was aplicants it apears 
that John Loy is apointed." 

The election of a Treasurer being so suc- 
cessfully completed, the following county leg- 
islation was had : " Ordered, That no Tavern- 
Keeper or Grocery Keeper in this County 
shall charge more than twenty five cents for a 
meals vituels and Twenty Five Cents for a 
Horse feed Lodging 12^ Cents. Twenty five 
Cents for a quart of Whiskey and twelve and 
a half Cents for a pint of Whiskej', not exceed- 
ing fifty cents a quart for Brandy, Wine and 
Gin and not exceeding eighteen and three 
fourths Cents per half pint for Brandy Wine 
and Gin Rum at the same as Brandy Wine 
and Gin." 

Bless their good old souls I They gave no 
heed to those vile decoctions, lager beer, apple- 
jack and black strap ! 

The jail being off the hands of the court, 
and a secure place provided for the surplus 
part of the community, the following proceed- 
ings were had with a view to restraining the 



running at large of other stock : " Ordered, 
that the letting of the bilding of an Estray 
Pon be let to lowes and mos responcible bider 
on the 13 day March in the town of Ewington 
to lie sitawated on the north west corner of the 
Publick sqare of the following description to 
Wit Sixty fete Sqare the ponnells ten fete 
long the posts to be of Mulberry hewen eight 
inches sqare two feet in the groun and seven 
fete and ahalf above the two fete in the to 
Scorched the Railing to be of White Oak tim- 
ber such as will not spring either hewen Sawed 
or Split to be not over six inches wide nor 
under three thick oil of which shal be in com- 
plyance with Law regulatin the building of 
Estray Pons and that the Clerk Advertise the 
sam by pasting written notices." 

At March term, 1835, contract made to build 
court house. Contract price Sa80.37i^. Built 
same j'ear by Hankins & Cartwright. 

December 11, 1829, Robert Moore purchased 
at the Land Office in Vaudalia the east half of 
the southeast quarter of Section 7, Township 8 
north. Range 5 east — the first land entry ever 
made within our countj' limits. 

July 9, 1830, Riley Howard entered the west 
half of the southwest quarter of Section 11, 
Township 7, Range 4. September 30 of the 
year, Robert Moore entered the east half of 
the northeast quarter of Section 18. Township 
8, Range 5. 

In 1831, there were four land entries — R. 
Peebles and W. H. Brown in Section 7, 
Township 5 ; Alfred McDaniel the northeast 
quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 2, 
Township 6, Range 5, and some Polanders en- 
tered a half quarter-section in the northwest 
part of the county. There were no entries in 
1835. Several small tracts in 1833, then there 
were a ver}- few scattering entries until 1838. 
This year and 1839, the land market was act- 
ive for this count3-, due to some extent that it 
was these two years that marked the advent of 
the Germans that have built up Teutopolis 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



41 



and now own a large portion of the surround- 
ing country. 

Tlie first deed recorded iu the county bears 
date Februars' 27, 1833, Isaac Fancher and 
Amy Fancher, his wife (her mark), to T. J. 
Gillenwaters; consideration $500, and conveys 
by quit claim east half of northwest quarter 
of Section 36, Township 8 north, Range 5 east. 
The officer vouches that he " examined the 
wife separtely," etc. Then follows a number 
of deeds by different men and their wives in 
which there is nothing of special interest until 
one is reached tiiat is signed by T. W. and 
Sally Short. Sally was the first woman that 
ever in an instrument of record in the Circuit 
Clerk's office who did not make " her mark." 
The land market continued exceedinglj- dull, 
and entries few and scattering over the county 
until 1852-53. Then people began to realize 
that a railroad was coming — coming like a ray 
of light and hope. To this stimulant of tiie 
land market was added the enactment by Con- 
gress of what was known as the "Swamp 
Land Act," b}' whicii, upon proof by the coun- 
ties that certain land were ■' swamp and over- 
flowed lands," the Government would give all 
such lauds to the respective counties (really 
first to the State and the State to the counties) 
that were not entered, and if entered, then the 
Government would refund the entry money in 
kind. 

In 1856, Congress had passed the " Bit 
Act." In other words, it said that all lands 
that iiad been a certain number of years in the 
market could be entered for 12^ cents per acre, 
provided the applicant therefor made oath 
that he was bu3-ing for his own use and for 
actual settlement and cultivation. It is as- 
tonishing wiiat a spontaneous uprising of actual 
and intended fiirmers this act made in a night, 
in and around Vandalia, of all classes of men, 
women and even school cliildren. The act was 
a wise one, and it closed the Vandalia and all 
other land offices in Illinois, except Springfield, 



where the others were taken to. Thus all the 
lands became corporate and private propertj-, 
and in one way or another have been made to 
contribute their share to the wealtli of the 
country. 

In 1835, the Countj' Court removed Loy 
from the Treasurer's office and elected Sam 
Huston, and at the same time appointed Huston 
a Commissioner to take the county census. 
The enumeration of the people was carefullj' 
made and, from the best data now to be found 
(Huston's books being lost), the entire popula- 
tion was about one thousand or one thousand 
and eight in the year 1835. These settlements 
still were Blue Point, Ewington, on the Lower 
Wabash, on Fulfer and Second Creeks and in 
Union Township. 

Loy was County Treasurer in 1833 and 1834, 
and his 2 per cent for the funds for two years 
amounted to $8.87^. Or in other words, the 
entire funds the county possessed for two years 
was $443.75. 

From the organization of the county until 
some time in the " forties" the entire tax upon 
all property was five mills on the dollar. The 
whole revenue from taxes iu the countj" the 
first year was $50. The next year it rose to S58 
The increase upon these figures vvas very 
gradual. Indeed, so much so, that in 1837 the 
total revenue collected in the county was 
S122.27. 

The heaviest taxpaj'er in 1837 in the county 
was John Funkhouser, S5. The next heaviest, 
Robert Moore, $3.25; John Martin, S3. Then 
followed John McCoy, Presley Funkhouser, 
Rile}' Howard, W. J. Hankins, Bartholomew 
McCann, William Freeman, C. Duncan and John 
Trapp, $2 each. T. J. Gillenwaters paid $1.75. 
There were 142 names on the tax book, and 
thej- averaged 86^ cents each. 

If there were any tax-record books before 
the year 1837 kept, which is very doubtful, 
they are lost now. The tax record of 1837 is 
a little book of ten pages, made for a school 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



copj- book; has a paper back, on which is a 
wood-cut intended, probably, to represent a 
school-room exhibition daj'. The audience is 
represented by four or five grown people, all 
sitting straight as arrows and as flat against 
the paper as if they had been just taken out 
of a hydraulic tobacco press ; a like number of 
similar looking children are perched in a row 
on benches, and a putt\'-faced little Henry Clay 
is on the rostrum. His left hand and arm is 
pasted flat and tight to his leg, his right arm 
is stiff and straight at an angle of forty-five, 
and j-ou can almost hear his piping treble as 
he exclaims: 

" How large was Alexander's pawV 
The cost of this record book could not have 
been less than five cents, because that was 
the smallest monej' they had in those daj's, 
and for the further reason that then it cost 
money to indulge in the decorative arts. It is 
said that the purchase of this book made a 
profound sensation throughout the countj' and 
became the ruling question in politics for some 
time, some contending it was too prettj' a 
book to spoil b}' writing in it, others holding 
that such extravagance would be ruinous to 
all, and still others saying that they believed 
in the county keeping in the lead in the fine 
arts, even if it did cost money. This public 
discussion evidently taught the official a lesson, 
because the book for the next year was made 
at home, and consisted of foolscap paper cut 
and stitclied. 

In 1838, W. J. Hankins certifies to the 
Cuuuty Court the following as the total rev- 
enue of the count}' : 

Tax on personal propert)' $162 57^ 

Real estate for 1836-37-38 29 45 

Total $192 02i 

Marryitig and Gicing in Marringe. — There 
were weddings here when the parties nad 
to go to Vandalia to get the license, 
among the earliest of which was the marriage 



of Burgess Pugh to Pamelia Jenkins, 1329. 
IMrs. John 0. Scott informs us she attended 
this wedding as a j'oung girl. She remembers 
the bride had on some kind of a white dress 
and store shoes ; that there was chicken pie 
and honey Pjr dinner. John Trapp performed 
the ceremony', and when it was over the groom 
told him he would bring him his pay in a short 
time in "real strained beeswax." About the 
same time Mike Robinson and Delilah Pugh, 
and Enoch Neavills and Laura Pugh, Jesse 
White and Katie Neavills, Mary Parkhurstand 
James Porter were all married. 

The first marriage license issued fiom the 
count}' was January 21, 1833, to James C. 
Haden and Nancy Nesbitt. The next was 
March 28 of the same year, to John 0. Scott 
and Patsy B. Parkhurst. The County Clerk 
was verv cautious about Issuing marriage 
licenses without first having the parents' or 
guardians' consent, as the following will show; 

" Mr. hankins pies ishue m^- son fielden 
Mcoy licens for Marrieg for I hav noe objec- 
tions to the sam, Nov. 1835." . 

Again ; 

" Mr. Hankins, pleas to letJohn Chadwcll hav 
Liesns and you will oblige your friend I Kant 
atend to git m^- self 

"Richard Cohea." 

It is proper to explain the above bj- stating 
that Chadwell married Elizabeth Cohea Novem- 
ber 19, 1835. 

Micheal Brockett married JIary Thomasson 
August 18, 1834. 

It is certified in the records that on 27th 
April, 1835, was " Laufley joined to gether as 
husban and Wife Jackson tiner, and Sin they 
Land." 

On 13th June, 1833, Pendleton Nelson mar- 
ried Eliza Martins. 

Jul}' 12, 1836, Alexander McWhorter mar- 
ried Margaret Loy. 

The following tells the story for Elizabeth 
Sullivan: 



HISTORY OF EFFIXGIIAM COLXTV. 



■13 



" I asserte that Eleizabeth Sullivan is over 
eighteen years old, and is her own agent. 

"Dec, 1834. " P. A. T. Sullivan." 

This document clears up all doubts as to 
whether Pat was willing to act as the agent for 
Lizzie in the matter of marrying or not. He 
evidentl}- was not. But when he was for the 
last time appealed to to do something, his rudd^' 
face glowed a little more than usual, and he 
stormed and raved and called for pen, ink and 
paper, and fixed himself at the table to fire at 
the Count3' Clerk the above formidable State 
paper. The imagination can almost see him as 
examines carefuUj- his pen, dipping it into the 
ink, sucking it clean, and again closely examin- 
ing it, before spreading himself all over the 
table and biting his tongue; the old goose-quill 
fairl}' creaks and sputters as he puts upon the 
virgin paper the truth about his daughter being 
•'her own agent." He boldly "asertes" that 
she is. and holds himself ready to pummel all 
who doul)t it or say one woid to the contrary-. 

The diflFerent officials who performed the dif- 
ferent marriages in those days seem to have all 
dropped into the same st3ie of writing their re- 
turns upon the back of the licenses. They 
each apparently thought it highly proper to sa3- 
that they had '• solemnized the rites of matri- 
mon}-," etc. They must have met with great 
difficulties in spelling the word " solemnized," 
as in the diflFerent returns it is spelled incor- 
rectly as many as fourteen or fifteen times. 
For instance: Sollemise, solemize, solemise, sol- 
oise, solemside, solemsided, solamis, solmnis, 
soUomondise, solimsis, solimize, soUumise, sol- 
imnize, soUemis, etc. 

Among the first of preachers to marry a 
couple was one who made the following poet- 
ical and rather neat return: 
"According to law and injunction of Heaven, 

On the 2 of June, 1837, 
In wedlock I joined, during natural life. 

The within Jessee Fuller and Rhoda, his wife. 
" Geo. M. Hansen, L. D., M. E. C." 



lu searching among these " quaint an curious 
volumes of forgotten lore," the following docu- 
ment was dug up in the rubbish. It is a bill 
rendered b^- James B. Hamilton, and as near as 
the types can give it, it is in the following facts 
and figures: 

" I dowe sert^-f}- to the Corns Cort of Effing- 
ham an State 111 That Mr Henry BouUs Fell 
Sick at mj' hous on 16 July 1840 and was 
beried the 25 of the same instant. 

Funerl Ex Spences 
" For nersin and nersment — maid out — 

Mr T.Levitt an H Laukfort 15 00 

for plank and nales from Brent Whit- 
field 2 00 

to Davis for Meckin the Cofin 3 00 

to T. H. Gillinwatrs Srawdiu 3 25 

It is onl3' b}' inference that the world will 
ever know whether BouUs died at all or 
not. We are informed that he "Fell Sick" 
on the 16th and was "Beried the 25 of the 
same instant," and that Gillinwaters furnished 
the " Srawdin " (shroud). Who was the damsel 
that the bill tells us, at the end of the line 
" Nersin an Nersment," was the " maid out " ? 
Why did she go out? What was she doing 
there, an3'how? The account says ^istinctl3- 
and unmistakably that " He fell " sick " at m3- 
house," not in my house. If the " maid " was 
helping with the " nersin an nersment " she 
could not have been in the house to have au- 
thorized the announcement that there was a 
" maid out." 

Schools. — Mrs. John 0. Scott reports the first 
school ever taught here was in 1831, by her 
brother, Elisha Parkhurst. who at that time was 
a mere lad, not over twelve years of age. 
Thomas I. IJrockett, realizing tiie pressing 
necessities in this line, set about it and cleaned 
up and fixed a stable on his premises, and hired 
Elisha, whom he overlooked and superintended 
and assisted in all emergencies. The neigh- 
bors, John Allen, John McCoy, Lilly, Stephen 
Austin, Widow Dagner (two grandchildren), 



44 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



sent their children and made a school of fifteen 
or twenty pupils. Elisha apparently was a suc- 
cessful teacher, although a boy, and for years 
he taught in various parts of the countrj'. The 
next school was taught by Dr. John Gillenwa- 
ters (a cousin of the Jud^e), in Ewington, in 
1833. A room was rented for this in some 
private residence. The next in order was Samuel 
White, who taught in the garret of Judge G-il- 
lenwater's house. 

These were pioneer schools, and, considering 
all the circumstances, were very good indeed. 
The only Latin they ever taught was to make 
their pupils pronounce the letter z " izzard." 
The people of those days, compared with the 
present generation, had some very healthy 
ideas about schools. They believed a school 
was a place of training in the " three R's," 
and that its usefulness stopped at the " rule of 
three." 

A picture of Elisha Parkhurst's school in 
Brockett's stable, more than half a century' 
ago, would be an appropriate as well as sug- 
gestive scene to hang upon the walls of every 
school room in our count3'. 

It was a long time before the rudest log 
schoolhouses were erected. The people were 
sparsely scattered in the sparse neighborhoods. 
They were poor in this world's goods as a rule. 
Teachers were scarce, and so were books. 
There were a large portion of the grown peo- 
ple that could neither read nor write, and some 
of these had lived where there was no use to 
be made of these accomplishments, and thej- 
had no realizing sense of the importance of 
teaching their children to read and write, in 
order to prepare them for what was soon com- 
ing, namely, mail facilities by the hour, cheap 
postage, and abundant and cheap literature ; 
a people transformed from trappers and hunters 
into an eager commercial and trading commu- 
nity, where a ceaseless activitj' is combined 
with that rapid, broad comprehension, that 
could ever}- morning look over the movements 



of the commercial world of the preceding 
twenty-four hours, and form his conclusions 
and put into instant execution his plans and 
purposes for the next twelve hours. 

In 1838, John Fuukhouser, the School Com- 
missioner for the county, made a report to the 
court of his ofBcial acts and doings for the 
years 1837-38. The report is addressed to the 
" Onorable Commrs. Cort, June, 1838." 

He charges himself with $146.76 for the 
year 1838. Then follows : 

"Dec 5, 1837. Amount paid on last return. 
Shoes not demanded, 38.21^." 

Total, 184.671. 

The inference is that there was $38.21 of the 
money of 1837 that had not been called for by 
orders, and this swelled the total fund to 
$184.67. 

He then credits himself as follows : 

Paid Thomas Loy for teaching .school 

in T. 8, R. 5, 28.33i 

Ruella Griffith, do., T. 8, R. 6, . . 9.88 

This he says was all he paid out for the j-ear 
1837. 

For the next year, he paid Sam Huston, 
teacher, $24.79. Thomas M. Loy, do., 41.67. 
Charles Gilkie, do., 16.58. Ruella Griffith, 
20.12. 

This shows that for the'j'ear 1838 there was 
paid to the four teachers that taught the 
schools of the county, $103.10. The number 
of school children in the county, from the best 
obtainable estimates of that time, was four 
hundred. Four schools were taught, and one 
hundred and twenty-five pupils would be a fair 
estimate of the number that were in attendance 
upon the schools in the county, and 82^ cents 
per capita was the total expense. 

The assessment for the pi'esent year in the 
city of Effingham school district is $6,000. 
The school attendance is about five hundred. 
The difference in then and now is as 82^ 
cents is to $12 per pupil. Those were in 
part pay schools — these are free' schools 





^p^-e^-z^-z-^j 



T 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



47 



Those were managed b^' the people — these by 
the State. There are no statistics, iinfortu- 
natei}-, bj' which the comparative illiteracy of 
then and now of the rising generation can be 
shown. This is much to be regretted. 

The fundamental idea of all schools is to 
take care of the mind and morals of children 
and train them up in the way the}' should go 
assisted in the moral work b3- religion and the 
church. This being admitted, we have this 
light thrown upon the subject of progress 
made in intelligence and marals in the fiflj' 
years just past. There has been as marked 
improvement in tlie number and qualit}' of our 
present splendid and expensive church build- 
ings as there has been in the schoolhouses in 
that time. So has the improvement in uum- 
b'.irs and superiority of ministers of the Gospel 
kept equal pace with the race of school teach- 
ers of then and now. It has cost many thou- 
sands of dollars to erect the numerous school 
buildings in the county. From Elisha Park- 
hursts pioneer school room in Brockett's sta- 
ble to the elegant and elaborately furnished 
high school room of to-day is a long stride in 
educating mankind. This was onlj- paralleled 
by the places of worship tiien and now, and to 
complt e the picture in a ministerial line let 
Boleyjack and Beecher stand forth. The ad- 
vance all round has been marked and great, 
especially in the matter of expense and show. 

Are these finger boards lining the highways 
back fifty years, that point out an equallj- great 
improvement in public manners, morals, or in- 
telligence ? Illiteracy is a crime, but so is 
pinching poverty. Illiteracy and ignorance 
are not synonymous terms. But neither are 
education and expense sj'nonymous terms. Is 
outward change in teacher or preacher, or 
great extravagance in the sclioolhouses, any 
proof that morals or education is improved ? 

The people pour their money into the school 
treasury unsparingly. Not only without grudg- 
ing, but freely and gladly. Why ? Because 



they are told and believe that the system is 
about perfect, and the only possible cause of 
its failure to perfect mankind is the absence of 
a sufficient quantity of it, and its universal ap- 
plication to all ciiildron. Does this fiftj- years' 
experience and practice in this county- prove 
this or the contrary ? We have plenty of men 
near the age of fifty years who were reared 
here, and some of them learned to read and 
write after they were thirty years old. The}' 
had not the benefit of those primitive schools, 
as there are many here now antl sucih there 
alwaj-s will be, who reap none of the benefits 
of the modern school. Compare the average 
man and woman, natives of this Slate, who 
were reared under the poor, meager pay schools 
of the olden time, with the average man and 
woman from different States, reared under the 
benign influences of the most liberal free 
schools. Is illiteracy banished? Do crimes cease 
and immorality flee to the mountains before 
the mightj' tread of this grand army of free 
schools ? Is there a proportionate disappear- 
ance of the one with the appearance of the 
other? The multitudinous mass of mankind 
will say yes / The figures of statistics will 
alone tell the true story. 

This is no place to discuss the question of 
how to make better the common school, even 
if it is one of supreme importance. We pass 
to other parts of the subject, content with this 
statement. The schools are based upon the 
idea that all can and should become philos- 
ophers, with no difference among men, except 
in degree of advancement. Whereas the truth 
is that the best and most difficult thing for so- 
cietj' to do is to produce gentlemen. True, it 
is that the home influence and training is where 
this precious commodity to society- is mostly 
to come from, yet if the schools ever arrive at 
the point where the^' can, even in the smallest 
degree, supply this to the cliildren of homes 
that have it not, then will there be the com- 
mencement of the real school. Tlien mav the 

c 



48 



HISTORY OF EFFIjSTGHAM COUNTY. 



school teacher, snrroiindeci bj' his school familj', 
like the proud mother of the Gracchi exclaim : 
"Behold, these are my jewels! " 

Men have interested themselves in education 
since recorded, and even before recorded time. 
The earliest traditions present only grown men, 
seeking to educate themselves. Children then 
were left to grow, with only the restraints or 
training that society and home forced upon 
them, their education being left to their own 
exertions after they became men and women. 
Remember that such schooling advanced all 
mankind — made civilization out of barbarism. 

A little book entitled " Ten Days in Athens," 
gives us some account of a school, taught in 
the porches and the gardens by Epicurus. This 
little book tells the secret of the intellectual 
greatpess and glory of Athens, that immortal 
cit3'— the mistress and nourishing mother of 
civilization — whose grand work has for 3,000 
years stood as a beacon light upon the troubled 
waters. The school of Epicurus had no aid 
from the State, it had little, if any more, ele- 
gance or paraphernalia than did the boy teacher 
— Elisha Parkhurst's school in Brockett's stable. 
It was without books. Yet it was a fountain 
of profound philosoph}-, from which his fol- 
lowers might drink, and drink long and deeply. 
The routine of his school-room were his con- 
versations in which he gave them the ripened 
wisdom of his mind. He gave them true knowl- 
edge — that knowledge that lifts truth from error; 
the greatdoctrine that the highest and most en- 
during pleasure in life is the acquisition of new 
truths that come of the better understanding 
and comprehension of the mental and ph3-sical 
laws; that this alone destroyed ignorance, and 
that ignorance is the fruitful source of the evils 
that afflict mankind. In discussing the gods, 
he bluntly told his pagan school that their 
dieties no more caused rain to come to make 
the grain grow than did the}- send the rain to 
rot in the field the gathered but ungarnered 
products of the farm; that to worship these 



gods in the hope that the worship would be 
pro-rated anil paid in future great favors was 
not the most ennobling religious idea of which 
a great and pure soul could contemplate or 
have. 

What, think you, would this old pagan 
school teacher saj', could he now pay us a visit, 
and be taken to Oxford Universit}', and in 
solemn soberness shown the exact and priceless 
facsimile, that is there so carefully preserved, of 
the horn that blew down the walls of Jericho? 

Epicurus had been reared in paganism; he 
had been cradled in its lap, had taken it with 
his food from his mother's breast, and, like all 
men, had adopted the religion of his fathers. 
Yet he grew to be intellectually almost a demi- 
god. He did not grow to think iu the old 
groves of formulated ideas where " to dally was 
to be a dastard — to doubt was to be damned." 
He was nominallj- a pagan, but he wor- 
shiped truth alone, and with " an eastern de- 
votion he knelt at the shrine of his idolatry." 
He was illiterate, but who iu the ages since he 
was upon earth has been great enough to take 
his master's seat in the school-room ? 

Another great man, but not his peer, was 
the Swiss, Pestolozzi, the school teacher who 
lived and taught school a hundred jears 
ago. He believed and taught that there was 
much error in the fundamental idea and s}'stem 
of the schools. He contended that mere mem- 
orizing from books was not education, was not 
the source of knowledge; that knowledge came 
not by being told so and so, either by the books 
or the teacher, but bj- experimental lessons 
where not only the brain, but the heart the 
eye, the touch, in fact, all the avenues to the 
brain were not onlj' partakers but become part 
and parcel of the lesson. 

Pestolozzi took issue with the schools as the 
system and science of teaching had been the 
accepted practice for sixteen hundred j-ears 
before his da}'. He established a school and 
attempted to put in practice his theories. His 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



49 



school was a failure, not because of the defects 
of Ills discoveries in the system, but because 
he taught in advance of his day — a cause of as 
much loss to mankind probabli' as all other 
causes combined. It is true that, in the insti- 
tutes and conventions of teachers we are told 
and re-told, as often as these bodies meet, that 
all schools are now taught strictly upon the 
•' Pestilozzian plan," as the}' term it. Go stud}' 
what the great Swiss sa3's, and j'ou will be 
amazed at the wide misunderstanding that 
exists between his ideas and the practices of 
the school room. 

The profound thinker, Locke, has slapped 
the faces of the first schools of I<]urope, with 
the "learned ignorance" thcj- annually pour 
upon the world, labeled " Education. ' He tells 
them illiterate intelligence is inflnitelj- prefer- 
able to " learned ignorance." And 3'et a 
I'nited States Senator, in Congress two years 
ago, in discussing some school subject, an- 
nounced that " every illiterate person in our 
country is a menace to our free institutions," 
and from the fact that he did not say that he 
had any fears of ignorance, it is a fair presump- 
tion that the Senator, in common with most 
men who think vaguely and talk loosely-, con- 
founding words with a shocking recklessness, 
useil the word '• illiterate " when he meant 
ignorance. 

Richard Grant White discussed very ably re- 
cently, in the North American Review, the ques- 
tion " The Public Schools a Failure," in which 
he arrays the statistics of illiteracy and crime 
of a certain number of States north of the Po- 
tomac with an equal number south of that river. 
They were States of free public schools and 
States without them, classified and compared. 

In the United States Census of 1870, Dr. 
Earle discussed at much length the question of 
public schools and insanity, and basing his con- 
clusions upon the Government statistics, he 
draws some frightful conclusions. 

A committee of gentlemen in Chicago, deeply 



interested in the schools, who had been ap- 
pointed to investigate the subject in that city, 
reported unanimously that they could arrive at 
no other conclusion but that the whole system 
had been so pressed and pushed by the cry I'or 
improvement that they were now almost value- 
less as a means of education. 

A prominent school man of California suras 
up his investigations, and he has no hesitation 
in putting down as his best judgment that the 
whole S3-stem is so full of faults that it is of 
doubtful value. These men may, and it is to 
be hoped they are, in error upon this vital 
question; j'et thej- start a discussion that can- 
not but prove wholesome. It is the waters that 
are stirred that are pure and healthv. 

Educate! Educate! Teach all men, though 
what is true education first; then you cannot 
provide too much of this, nor is the necessary 
cost a question for a moment's consideration. 
Because it is-the inestimable boon to man — the 
basis of civilization and man's welfare. 

The young State of Illinois manifested a deep 
interest in this important subject. On the 13th 
of April, 1818, it was admitted as a State in 
the Union, and Congress in the act of admis- 
sion offered for the State's " free acceptance or 
rejection " the following; among other proposi- 
tions: 

1. "That section numbered sixteen in every 
township, and when such section has been sold 
or otherwise disposed of, other lands equivalent 
thereto, and as contiguous as ma}- be, shall be 
granted to the State for the use of schools. 

3. " That five per cent of the net proceeds of 
the lands lying within such State, and which 
shall be sold by Congress from and after the 
1st day of January, 1810, after deducting all 
expenses incident to the same, shall be re- 
served for the purposes following, viz.: Two- 
fifths to be disbursed under the direction of 
Congress in making roads leading to the State, 
the residue to be appropriateil by the Legisla- 
ture of the State for the encouragement of 



50 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



learning, of which one-sixth part shall be ex- 
clusively bestowed on a college or universit3'." 

These propositions were accepted by the 
State Constitutional Convention at Kaskaskia 
on the 2Gth day of August, 1818. 

January- 15, 1825, the Legislature passed an 
act for the " establishment of free schools and 
other purposes." An amendment to this act 
was passed February 17, 1827, providing, 
among other things, as follows: 

" The legal voters of any school district, at 
their regular meetings, shall have power in their 
discretion to cause either the whole or one-half 
of the sum required to support a school in such 
district to be raised by taxation. And if onlj' 
one-half be raised b3- taxation, the remainder 
may be required to be paid by parents, masters 
and guardians, in proportion to the number of 
pupils which each of them shall send to such 
school. 

" Sec. 4. No person shall hereafter be taxed 
for the support of any free school in this State 
unless by his or her own free will and consent, 
first had and obtained in writing. Any person 
so agreeing and consenting shall be taxed in 
the manner prescribed in the act to which this 
is an amendment. Provided. That uo person 
shall be permitted to send any scholar or schol- 
ars to such school unless such person shall have 
consented as above to be taxed for the support 
of such school, or by the permission of the 
trustees of said school. And proi-ided, That all 
persons residing within the limits of a school 
district shall at all times have the privilege of 
subscribing for the support and establishment 
of anj- such schools." 

In May, 1827, a general act relating to the 
school lands was passed by the Legislature pro- 
viding for the appointing by the County Com- 
missioners' Court of three Trustees in " each 
township where they may deem it expedient, 
and where the population thereof will admit, 
to be called the Trustees of the School Land," 
making the Trustees a body corporate, requir- 



ing them within six months after their appoint- 
ment to survey section sixteen, or such other 
land as ma3- be selected in lieu tliereof, in tracts 
not less than forty nor more than one hundred 
and sixty acres, make a plat thereof for the 
Commissioners' Court, authorizing it to reserve 
from sale certain timber or stone or coal lands, 
and to lease said lands, etc., etc." These Trustees 
were required to laj- off school districts, so that 
each district should not have less than '• eighteen 
scholars subscribed or going to school." The 
State then levied an annual two-mill tax on the 
property of the State for the maintenance of 
schools, and thus step by step laid the founda- 
tion for our free schools upon a broad and lib- 
eral and wise financial plan. The State put the 
means in the school men's hands. It did all it 
could do in this wa}' in the cause of education, 
and if there is any failure in the sj'Stem, it is 
the fault, not of its financial provisions, but of 
the organizers and the workmen in the school- 
room. 

From the little beginning in Brockett's stable 
has grown the public free schools of the county, 
of which there are seventy -seven school dis- 
tricts, that have three log, sixty-three frame and 
ten brick schoolhouses, with an enrollment of 
pupils of 4,238, a daily attendance this school 
year (1882) of 327,659, the average school terra 
of six and five-tenths months, with the scliools 
classed as graded, and an attendance upon 
these graded schools of 1,449. There were 
ninety-five teachers employed. The total 
expenditure for 1882 was $30,685.79; the 
amount paid teachers, $19,416.51; the highest 
monthly salary paid was $75, and the lowest $15, 
an average of $31.58. We have a school in- 
debtedness of $13,650. There are other than 
the free schools — ten schools vvith an enroll- 
ment of 520. The number of children under 
twentj'-one years of age in the count}' is 9,443, 
and the number of school age— that is, between 
six and twenty-one — is 6.218. The number of 
illiterate persons in the county is placed at six- 



HISTORY OF EFFINCiHAM COUNTY. 



51 



teen. This is palpably an error, but by how 
much the number is understated cannot be 
known. 

The schools of EfHngham County rank well with 
those of other counties in the State, and this 
evidences a commendable spirit of enterprise 
and liber.ality of the people. They are deeply 
interested in this important work, and the money 
they freely paj- in such large sums demands of 
our school men a wise discharge of their duties. 
It demands of them that the}- shall educate, to 
the best, the rising generation; that thej' shall 
neither waste the lives of their children nor 
their money by false education. There is noth- 
ing in this life of more importance than the 
school-room. There is no class of people that 
are surrounded with such important responsi- 
bilities as the educator. A mistake here is a 
crime. To teach the young a falsehood is to 
poison the mind and pollute the soul. The evils 
of such an act are well-nigh incurable. Here is 
the paved highway to ignoi-ance and mental 
sterility that is a menace indeed to civilization 
itself 

Let it be remembered that these pioneers 
had to begin at the foundation and from 
there build. To create our possessions and 
belongings. Did thev build only upon the 
eternal rocks ! 

WtUiam J. ffan/L-ins. — Of the early legal 
and official life of this count}', we know of no 
man who stands out in the picture more promi- 
nently than Judge William J. Hankins. He 
came here just when he was most needed and 
his finger marks are everywhere, telling the 
story of his handiwork, and writing his epitaph 
in the hearts, not only of his descendants, but 
of the thousands who arc reaping, and who 
will in the future enjoy the fruits of his labors 
and his foresight. 

He came here in 1832, with a wife and sev- 
eral young children — impelled, doubtless, by 
the Napoleonic impulse of destiny. A new 
county had been incorporated by- the Legisla- 



ture, and its people were few, and there was a 
demand for men competent to do the work 
of placing the infant municipality upon its 
feet. An unorganized community of people 
were placed by law to themselves, and society 
and fellowship was to be created, their own 
police and local laws to be made and executed, 
the wheels and machinery of a little govern- 
ment were to be constructed and adjusted, and 
the whole to be so adapted that it would work 
harmoniousl}- and without friction. 

It is the men of the strong intellects and 
force of character that come to the front when 
important work, especially work that is not 
routine, is to be done. Judge Hankins. in his 
small way — smaller because his field of opera- 
tions was, in the nature of things, circum- 
scribed within the smallest limits — is as much 
an expression of this truth as was the Little 
Corporal, whose " frown terrified the glance its 
magnificence attracted." 

In the first elections ever held in the county, 
Hankins was elected Count}- Commissioner, 
and he organized the County Commissioners' 
Court and was the central figure in all the 
official acts and doings of that body. He was, 
at the same time. County Surveyor, Justice of 
the Peace, Postmaster, and in nearly every im- 
portant special commission, or supervision, or 
agent for the people or county, he was invari- 
ably the master, mover and leader. At one 
time or another he held about every position 
of public trust in the county, and in each and 
all was lie ever honest, faithful and com- 
petent. His education in the school books 
had been limited and meager. His chirograph}- 
was good; his spelling bad and his grammar 
faulty, and yet he wrote many legal and other 
documents and papers that are models of terse- 
ness, completeness and perspicacity. He^evi- 
dently had been his own schoolmaster mostly, 
and he had wrought out for himself a practical 
education of great value to himself and the 
people of the count}-. He probably, if alive 



52 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



and in his prime, could not pass a successful 
examination for a fourth grade teacher's cer- 
tificate, yet it is a question if there has ever 
been a school teacher in the county but that 
could have gone to Hankins to learn — and 
there have learned much ot incomparable 
value. He helped the helpless, aided the 
weak, fed the hungry and was a generous and 
warm-hearted friend to all mankind, as were 
all men who knew him, a friend to hira. 

Among the simple rustic pioneers he lived a 
useful and busy life. If he had ambition, it 
was not made of that " sterner stuff " that pro- 
tects its friends by crushhig to death all oppo- 
nents. He must have felt he was superior to 
the majority of his surroundings, yet he was 
never officious or offensivelj- dictatorial. 

When the count^-'s record of social life, its 
legal and official growth and existence, the 
peoples prosperit}', happiness and joj', together 
with their griefs and pains are rendered and 
the accounts closed, the great book completed, 
bound and ready to put away, let it be in- 
.scribed "The work of William J. Hankins and 
others." 

Among the earliest elections in the county 
was a memorable race made by William Free- 
man for Justice of the Peace. In those good 
days, that official was most commonly called 
" Squire," not Esquire, but Squire, and some 
pronounced it Square. Freeman was ambitious 
to serve his country-, and to his ear the title 
Squire was a long step in the line of honorable 
promotion. There was another man who 
coveted the prize, and so the two became can- 
didates. The contest was spirited, and on the 
daj- of election it was, to put it mildlj', red 
hot. The candidates and their friends, in 
looking for the official worm, literalh- left no 
stone unturned. As election day waned, the con- 
test raged only the fiercer. It was hurrah! for 
one side, and hurray! for the other. Living 
witnesses testif}- that before the middle of the 
afternoon some of the ablest " blowers and strik- 



ers " at the polls had grown so wear}' and ex- 
hausted, at Freeman's expense, that they could 
not walk straight. This and some other unfavor- 
able symptoms so discouraged Freeman that he 
went home before the polls closed, convinced 
that he was defeated. He had, in slang par- 
lance, " thrown up the sponge." He lived two 
or three miles out of Ewington. 

To the surprise of ever\' one, when the polls 
were closed. Freeman was elected by two votes. 
A few of his friends mounted their horses and 
rode to his house to inform and surprise him 
with this good fortune. He was in bed, sound 
asleep. They roused him, called him out and 
told him he was elected Justice of the Peace. 
At this he raved and swore, as did the army in 
Flanders, and bid his friends go back and tell 
the election that he was not, and iiad not been, 
a candidate for Justice of the Peace, and that 
he would either have squire or nothing; that 
was what he ran for, and he would not be fooled 
with by anybody. 

He changed his mind in time to qualify as 
Justice of the Peace, and made an efficient 
officer, discharging his duties not only honestly, 
but with abilit}-. 

Of the early comers here, the man first 
licensed and authorized to vend goods in our 
county was John Funkhouser. His line of 
work lay in a different avenue from that of 
Judge Hankins, but it was parallel and equally 
important to the j'oung commonwealth. He 
was a merchant, miller, farmer, trader in stock, 
and a buyer and seller in everything that the 
people wanted to bu}- and sell. When there 
was no trade or commerce, no stores nor money 
before for the convenience of the people, he or- 
ganized and made the wa}' for these. He 
opened the avenues for money to come and cir- 
culate among the people, as well as for indus- 
tries that furnished imployment to men that, 
without him, would have, of necessity, been idle, 
and perhaps dissolute. In this way his depend- 
ants outnumbered those of any man who has 



HISTOKV OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



53 



ever been in the counU-, and his strong, clear 
jiKlgmeut, quick foresight and nerve in those 
broad fields of commerce that brought him 
profits and the communit}- gains and the means 
of manj' comforts, are bright examples of how 
much better it is to give in that which encour- 
ages men to help themselves by their own ex- 
ertions than that old and mistalsen charity that 
doles out its stinted aids and fosters by it the 
idleness and want of tlu'ift that first produced 
it. His executive abilities must have been of 
no common order. He not only had to direct 
and plan his multiform business, but he had to 
create it where tliere was none before, as well 
as think and provide for his little arm}- of de- 
pendants, and so wise and just did he manage 
this that what made him a rich man, con- 
tributed to the wealth and comfort of the entire 
community. His liberality and generosity to- 
ward his dependants and neighbors is well told 
in a little anecdote. He advised one of his 
men to plant a little piece of ground in corn, 
and he would furnish seed, teams, etc., neces- 
sary for him to work it. It was a little out-of- 
the-wa}' patch of ground of three or four acres. 
This man did as advised, and the season proved 
not the best for corn. In the fall, he got Funk- 
houser's wagon and gathered it, and took it all. 
When asked about the one-third for rent, he re- 
plied : " Why, you see there was no third. 
There was only two loads in the field. That 
was my two-thirds, and I reckon as how you 
don't want your third, when it didn't grow." 

Funkhouser enjoyed this joke the balance of 
his life. 

John Funkhouser was born in Green Countj', 
Ky., in the year 1778. He died in this county, 
in 1857. He came to Illinois in 1814, and 
located in Gallatin County. He moved to 
Wayne County in 1819, and to Effingham in 
1833, and improved the farm now the property 
and possession of C. F. Lilly, in Jackson Town- 
ship; lierc he opened a store and built a horse-'^ 
mill, and commenced those extensive business 



operations that grew and multiplied until the 
da}- of his death. 

When his strong, generous and busy hands 
fell nerveless at his side in death, his life-work 
was taken up, where he had stopped, by his 
son, Presley Funkhouser, who proved a worthy 
son of a worthy sire. He not only carried ou 
successfully the extended operations inaugu- 
rated by his father, but increased and enlarged 
them in every way. A willing tribute that is 
paid to his memory by all who knew him in life, 
was, that he was the most generous and liberal 
of men. He helped all with a free and liberal 
hand. A man of strong head, warm heart, and 
a plethoric purse made him a citizen that was 
a boon to the people of the county, whose like 
we may never look upon again. 

The oldest living persons born in the county 
are two — a man and woman, born the same 
night, in the same house, and not twins. These 
two persons are Thomas Austin and Martha 
Tucker, nee Brockett, born 14th of November, 
1828. Stephen Austin and family arrived in 
this count}-, and that night, in the house of 
Thomas I. Brockett, with whom Austin stopped, 
was born Thomas Austin and Martha, the 
daughter of Thomas I. Brockett. Martha mar- 
ried Jonathan Tucker. So far as can be ascer- 
tained, these were the first births in the county. 
These two oldest children of the county were 
born in what is now Jackson Township, where 
they are both still residing. 

For a new border settlement, where the press- 
ing want was people, these two little squalling 
pioneers were a most encouraging beginning, 
and truly great must have been the sensation 
of the day to the half-dozen or so of families 
that then occupied all the territory that now 
constitutes Effingham County. Henry Turner 
was born December 28, 1830. 

Births and deaths follow each other in nat- 
ure's order. The first death that we have any 
account of was that of Isaac Fuller, who was 
killed in the year 1829 or 1830. He had found 



54 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



a bee-tree, and the hive was in a limb of the 
tree, to where he climbed, in order to cut off the 
limb. As he stood by the body of the tree and 
cut the large limb, it commenced to fall, and, 
instead of brealiing directly, split, and that part 
uncut held it to the main tree, while the other 
part caught the body of Fulfer against the main 
bodj' of the tree and pushed it up a consider- 
able distance, with such force that he was 
crushed to death almost instantly. When the 
outer part of the limb had come to the roots of 
the tree, the body of poor Fulfer was released, 
and life wholly extinct, it fell and lodged upon 
the limb, and the friends of the dead man had 
some difficulty in getting his body down to the 
ground. 

In 1830, a negro who had been a laborer at 
work on the National road, during the winter, 
started to go to Vandalia on foot, and was 
frozen to death on the way, a " Dacotah bliz- 
zard" meeting him in a short time after he left 
the cabin on the Little Waliash. His name is 
not mentioned. It is a curious accident that 
the first two births should have happened as 
they did, and as is related above, as well as it is 
remarkable that the first two deaths known 
were violent ones. 

In September, 1835. the Commissioners' 
Court was called upon to provide homes for 
the two infant children of Phillip Bucker, who 
had suffered death from exposure, caused by 
an attack of mental aberation. This sad 
duty was the first of the kind the court was 
called upon to perform, as well as was the 
death that left these poor orphans the first of 
the kind in the county. 

In 1832, the Black Hawk war was in prog- 
ress, and this young county sent out its first 
warriors. The little battalion was not very 
strong in numbers, j'et it was a large propor- 
tion of the able-bodied men to go to war. Four- 
teen names are all that can now be recalled 



of these Indian fighters, to wit: Alexander 
McWhorter, John Griffy, Henry P. Bailey, 
John Trapp, Mike Brockett, John Allen, James 
Porter, Eli. Parkhurst, John Beasley, Isaac 
Fancher, Alexander Fancher, James Patton, 
Gideon Louder, and John Meeks. 

Of this little army of our county's first he- 
roes that started to the front, keeping step to 
the spirited fife and drum, all are now sleeping 
in their graves except Alexander McWhorter, 
to whose green old age are we indebted for 
the brief story that tells of all the county's 
heroes in a very important war. Not a great 
war, great in its manj- battles and innumerable 
slain, but great in its fruits, and its good to all 
the millions of people in the Mississippi Val- 
ley and their descendants. It was not in a 
war tainted with invasion or conquest, those 
unholj' purposes that stain mankind and make 
their battles so shocking in brutalism and bar- 
barism; it was to protect their homes, and their 
wives, and little ones from the tomahawk, the 
scalping knife, and the fire and faggot of the 
monster red devils in their cruel and bloodj' 
course, that the noble little band went forth. 
The countr3- has not verj- graciousl}' remem- 
bered these, its true heroes and benefactors. 
The politiciaus have had no occasion to spill 
over the living or the dead of these heroes 
anj^ of their ocean of crockadile tears in order 
to catch votes. It has not been fashionable to 
do so, and there are no fashion-followers that 
can equal the politicians. 

There are but few of the soldiers of the Black 
Hawk war now left among us. In a very few 
short years there will be none. Ma}' their 
names and their fames be intrusted to the gen- 
tle and just hands of that future historian, who 
will, with tears in his eyes and divine auger in 
his heart, exterminate false gods and idols, and 
resurrect from unmerited forgetfulness and 
oblivion, the world's true and modest heroes. 



HISTOHY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY, 



55 



CHAPTER IV. 



CllAKACTER OF THE PIONEERS— GREAT MEN— CUMBERLAND ROAD— TOLL BRIDGE— THE FIHST 
CENSUS— HARD LIFE— HOW BROCKETT I'LAYED BULL CALF — PIONEER WOMEN- 
WILD HONEY— COFFEE AS BEAN SOUP- DR. BISHOP'S MILLS— THE KILLING 
OF HILL— ROD JENKINS AND WHISKY— BOLEYJACK. ETC., ETC. 



"How sweet the memory of those early days." 

IN the preceding chapters we have attempted 
to give some account of the coming of the 
earliest settlers here, vvho they were, and in 
what order they came, with some sifetches that 
were intended to serve as illustrations that 
would give the reader the best idea that we 
possessed of what manner of men they were. 
These pen sketches are all that can be given of 
a people that have passed away, and of whom 
the artist and painter had preserved no re- 
corded signs. Of necessity, such sketches are 
drawn bj' those who never saw the originals, 
and who can know of them only bj- much 
talking and communications with those who 
did knovv them long and well, while they were 
here and playing their part in life. To pick 
out the representative people of all the differ- 
ent classes of a community, and draw a true 
representation of them — so true that any reader 
can gather an actual, personal acquaintance 
with those who were perhaps dead before he 
was born — is no easy task, yet one, if done well 
and truly, will give him a just and correct idea 
of those about whom he is studying history 
for the purpose of learning. For a certain 
quality of society will produce a certain kind 
of men, or a certain kind of character — a lead- 
ing ciiaracter with strong marks and signs that 
arrests attention, and fixes upon him the duty 
of furnishing posteritj* the key to the whole 
mass of his fellow-men, who were his neigh- 
bors and contemporaries. 

We have said that such sketches are, of ne- 



cessity, not drawn by those who personally knew 
the originals. It is best this should be so, for, 
then, there is most apt to be no prejudices, 
either for or against the subjects that constitute 
the picture, and false colors are not so liable to 
slip in. There is less incentive (there should 
be none) to suppress here and overdraw there; 
in short, less of prejudice, and consequently 
more of truth. But men who write arc affocteil 
by much the same prejudices or color of vision 
in viewing transactions of which thej' formed 
a part as other men, and for this reason history 
is written bj' strangers, or rather the sons and 
daugliters of strangers, who live in the long 
j'ears and ages after the actors and their imme- 
diate descendants have passed awaj\ 

It requires a remarkable state of society to 
produce a remarkable individual. The individ- 
ual thus becomes the index to the surroundings 
that created him. For, mark you, the great 
man, the extraordinar}- — the marked man — is 
not a special providence for a special providen- 
tial purpose, an}- more than is an extraordinary 
prize pumpkin. One is as much the result of 
surroundings that preceded his or its coming 
as the other. You look upon the huge pump- 
kin in huge amazement, and while you may 
not openlj' confess it, you in 3'our heart believe 
that the god of pumpkin-pie has here made a 
strong, a long, and a pull altogether. And so 
when you look upon that crowned monarch of 
all mankind — Shakespeare. The one is no 
more a miracle than the other. The}- are both 
the results of those laws that never change — 



56 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



where like causes produce like results always. 
If the statistics of a people, together with 
these character sketches that are the statistics 
of that iuuer life of men, that is a part and 
parcel of the first named, are both truly given, 
they constitute the true history of that people. 
Because a historj- of a people is onlj- a just 
account of so much of the human mind, its in- 
fluence upon itself — the influence upon it of the 
surroundings. 

In the preceding chapters we have, as nearly 
as we could, followed events, and even the in- 
dividuals, in their chronological order. We 
found that on the 15th of February, 1831, here 
was formed a new county, with a pioneer pop- 
ulation of about three hundred people, and 
nearh' as man}' more people here who consti- 
tuted the forces at work upon the National 
road, that was then in process of construction 
through this county. 

This road was originally called the Cumber- 
land road, after the old stage road from Wash- 
ington City to Cumberland, Md., where had 
been the resting place for Claj-, Jackson, 
Harrison, Randolph, and man}' other notables, 
as they journeyed to and fro from the seat of 
government. This road was a national work. 
It had been provided for in the I'eservation of 
five per cent of the sale of public lands in Illi- 
nois and other States, and biennial appropria- 
tions were its dependence for a continuation to 
completion. When Congress made any appro- 
priations for this road, it required that " said 
sums of monej' shall be replaced out of any 
funds reserved for laying out and making 
roads, under the directions of Congress, by the 
several acts passed for the admission of the 
States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri 
into the Union, on an equal footing with the 
original States." 

The heaviest force of these workmen was at 
the crossing of the Little Wabash, and here 
was erected shanties and a little supplj' store 
in 1830. 



The county lines now are identical with those 
designated by the Lsgislature in the act of 
February, 1831, although in 18-15 the Legisla- 
ture, in order probabl}' to better fit the county 
seats of Shelby and Effingham Counties to 
their geographical centers, passed an act to 
take from Shelby County the north half of 
Towns 9, i, 5 and 6, and mike them a part of 
Effingham County; provided, the people of 
those half townships mentioned should, by a 
majority vote, so elect. This proposition was 
voted down, and the act becama null and void. 

The bridge over the Little Wabash at 
Ewington was a toll bridge. By act of the 
Legislature of lSi7, it was made a free bridge 
after a specified time. 

In 1835, Col. Sam Huston was designated 
by the Count}' Commissioners' Court to take a 
census of the county. There then had gath- 
ered here aljout one thousand people, two 
stores, about two hundred improvements called 
farms, but little clearings, that would not aver- 
age over two or three acres each, and stump 
mills, for pounding corn into meal, were about 
as numerous as the cabins in the county. 
Every family was their own miller, practically, 
until a man named Witherspoon started a mill 
in Shelby ^County, about twelve miles north of 
Ewington. This was a horse mill, and here 
the people would gather, await their turn to 
put their horses in the mill, and grind out 
their grist. Like all new settlers, they labored 
under not only the disadvantage of being poor 
in all the comforts of life — the plainest neces- 
sities even — .as well as a complete absence of 
those things, such as mechanics, blacksmiths, 
wheelwrights, carpenters, etc., that are essen- 
tial, in the procuring every aid the}- were com- 
pelled to have. There was little or nothing to 
be bought, and they had even less to purchase 
with had it been there. In 1829, there were 
only two or three farms in the count}' where 
land enough was tilled to use an old " Carey 
plow," and one of these pioneer farmers tells 



msTUHY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



J7 



how lie footed it from the south Hue of this 
county to Shelbyville, carrjing his plow to 
have, it sharpened. Man}- started their '-dead- 
nin " in the timber, and dug holes here and 
there, planted corn and potatoes and perhaps 
a few beans, and thus raised their little truck- 
patches, that gave them food or bread at least; 
their meat the}' could procure in great abun- 
dance b}' their rilles. Frequently there would 
bo but one wagon to a whole neighborhood, 
and then for ordinary uses the old '■ lizzard " 
sled was the universal substitute. This was 
made bv cutting the forks of a tree, the two 
limbs making the runners, and the short end 
above the forljs with a hole in it to hitch to. 
A. yoke of scrawny bull calves, a big bo}- and 
all the family of little ones and a dog or two 
were the forces that "snaked up " water some- 
times, and wood sometimes, and other things 
were thus transported short distances. The 
calves had to be put to work j'oung ; they were 
naturally- of a big horned, sharp rumped breed, 
and not the best cared for in the world at that. 
In fact, John I. Brockett vows and declares 
that when he was a good sized lout of a boy, 
their extremity in the line of bull calves was 
so great that he conceived the happj- expedi- 
ent of yoking himself up with the only one 
his famil}- possessed. The idea was no sooner 
conceived than it was executed, with a j-oungcr 
brother to drive. But John made such a sor- 
ry-looking calf that his mate refused to pull, 
and wheeled his rump around and turned the 
yoke, and thus they stood with their heads in 
opposite directions. This would not do. John 
had heard of tying oxen's tails together to 
keep them from turning the yoke. So he got 
a cob and gathered it up in the scat of his 
leather breeches, and tied the rope fost below 
the knot formed by the cob, and this was se- 
curely tied to the calf's tail, and the difficulty 
was overcome and the team re-hitched to the 
" lizzard." The calf again tried to twist him- 
self around and turn the yoke. He pulled till 



John's suspenders " popped," and his leather 
breeches stretched out until they were as long 
and slim as the calf's tail, when John ordered 
his brother to give them the gad. The bull 
looked at John, its mate, and bellowed and 
plunged and pulled its tail nearlj- off, and 
tiually, in agony and fright, it ran off at full 
speed, John doing his best to keep up, or check 
the calf, or keep his neck from being broken. 
Over the brush, the briers, logs and everything 
pell-mell, the frightened calf bellowing, and 
the now worse frightened John roaring at his 
mother, as the runaways approached the house. 
" Here we come, d — n our fool souls ! stop us ! 
stop us ! we're running away ! " 

The single wagon to a neighborhood was 
generally kept busy; when not employed by 
the owner's work it was hired to the neighbors 
the established price for wagon, team and 
driver was five bushels of corn a day. This 
corn was worth from 8 to 12 cents a bushel. 

As a general thing, the evidences are that 
the women of the pioneers were more industri- 
ous than the men. The majority of them had 
to raise the flax, or assist at it, and then when 
it was " broke " and '• scutched " and " hackled,' 
it fell to their lot to spin and weave and make 
it into wearing apparel and household goods. 
They worked often in the truck patches; they 
carried the water at a distance often from 
springs, and here thej- would take their clothes 
on wash-day, often they picked up the fire- 
wood and carried it in their arms to the house. 
The}' dressed the skins frequentlj', and these 
were made into wearing apparel. They made 
their own soap and year in and year out in 
nearly ever}' cabin stood the " dye-kettle " and 
after " dyeing " pretty much all the time, it 
was no surprise when they went to church to 
be called " poor d3'ing sisters." The " dye- 
kettle " was always at the fire-side. A rough 
cover made it a convenient seat and many 
of our now old people can tell you about : 

" IIow sweet the memorj- of those early days," 



58 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



when the_y sat upon the dear old kettle and 
courted grandmother. This reminds us of a 
current story of one of tlie ver}- bashful young 
fellows, who called to " spark " his girl, and 
when he took his seat on the kettle to com- 
mence the long, delightful evening's work, and 
his girl, no other scat being handy, seated her- 
self in his lap. His delirious first joy passed 
away after some time, but the girl talked and 
giggled and laughed and continued to talk. He 
grew silent as she grew talkative; after awhile 
he blubbered out cr3-ing at a terrible rate. The 
poor girl inquired the matter — petted, and 
soothed him and clung the closer to him. 
Finall}-, the household was raised and when 
compelled to tell what was the matter, he 
whined and sobbed out " The — kittle — cuts me!" 
The edge of the kettle had stopped blood cir- 
culation in his limbs, and the dear girl on his 
lap had increased its circulation in his heart; 
the pain from the kettle was agon}'; holding 
the girl was a delightful ecstasy. He could not 
push her off, nor could he endure the suffering 
any longer. In his helplessness he cried. Who 
blames him? 

The first school reports of the doings of the 
County School Commissioners are preserved 
from being dry, monotonous and sleep-produc- 
ing by their brevity and wholesome originalitj-, 
as well as the regular Chinese puzzles that 
some words make bj' the waj- the}' are spelled. 
For instance the line : 

" Hieronomous Faithout Seagule $10." 
This would look to any ordinarj- stupid 
reader as something amounting to $10 had 
been paid to one " Seagule," but the eagle- 
eyed historian had posted himself about everj' 
man and woman in the county, all the children, 
many of the dogs, stump mills, Indians, green- 
heads, pioneer pills, and other luxuries of those 
good old honest times — times when a counter- 
feit half-dollar commanded a premium, because 
it was not onlj' the best but the onlj- monej' 
within reach — we say the historian knew in a 



moment that Mr. " Seagule " had neither taught 
school nor done anything else to earn and get 
the enormous amount of $10. He rubbed 
his sleepy eyes and took another look when 
lo, and behold! the line was plain : 

" H. Faithout. schedule $10." 

Honest Hieronomous Faithout had taught 
school for $10 a month and had returned 
his " Seagule " in first-class style. 

^ ■* * * if * 

In 1830, the first bushel of wheat ever planted 
in the count}' was by Judge Broom. It made 
a generous yield, and from here came the seed 
that in the after years made much of the wheat 
bread of our people. It was sown in what is 
now Mason Township. The same man planted 
the first orchard here in 1829. He had brought 
the young trees with him from Tennessee; were 
all grafted trees, and several have told us that, 
in the year 1839, they remember getting off 
this orchard some excellent fruit. When it is 
remembered that up to this year there were 
yet but eighteen families in Mason Township, 
it evidences that these people were by Brooms 
care and foresight, afforded a very early op- 
portunity of sitting down and enjoying their 
own vines and apple trees. Until this orchard 
came on, the people tasted no other fruit, except 
that which grew wild in the woods. These 
were crab-apples, plums, grapes and wild 
cherry and the variety of nuts found here. 

The first really profitable industry here was 
the gathering honey. The alternating of tim- 
ber and prairie — prairies jeweled with garden 
flowers — were favored places for the wild bees, 
and, therefore, nearly every tree was the hive 
where they lived and gathered their sweet 
treasures from the blossoms of the prairie. 
The honey was gathered and the wax strained 
and both became the really money-producing 
products of the country. Honey, beeswax, 
ginseug, venison, turkeys, pelts and furs were 
the only things possible to send to market to 
exchange for such articles as the people wanted. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGIIA.M COUNTY. 



59 



Ami of all these, honey and coon-skins were 
the leading ones. These early comers had to 
have powder, tobacco and whisky. For every- 
thing else they could kill game. The first sea- 
son usually they had to bu}- corn for bread, 
but the emei-gencies were frequent when this 
could not be got, then they used the lean of 
the meat for bread and the fat for meat. 

In raan^- families, coffee was unknown. One 
instance is related where a man was quite sick. 
In his j'oung da^-s, he had used coffee, and 
when he lay sick he imagined that would bring 
him health. Judge Broom went on foot to 
Shclbyville and got a pound. When he returned 
to the sick man's house he gave it to the 
daughters (grown girls) and told them to make 
some for their father. The}- took it out and 
examined it for some time, when they went to 
the old people and inquired if you made it 
" like other bean soup." 

All families did not live this way. There 
was then, as now, great difference in the fore- 
thought and thrift of the people. Manj-, even 
when here before the county was organized, 
lived in generous plenty of such as the land 
afforded then anywhere in the great West. 
Meat of a superior qualit}- and in varieties 
that we now cannot get were within the easy 
reach of all, but in everything else to eat or 
wear thej- were far behind us now, but so was 
the whole country. But what was possible for 
men to do then is well illustrated in the sketch 
that we give below that comprises the facts of 
what the subject did do. In this connection 
we may say that we prefer to give the facts 
than to tr}- to give the results and let them tell 
their own storj-. 

" Dr. Jacob Bishop was born in Hardy 
County, Ya., in 1812, and spent his j-ears to 
maturity on his father's farm. When of age, 
he emigrated to Licking County, Ohio, where 
he was soon after married to Sarah Hooks. 
His father died in 1836, when he was called to 
his old home, where he remained until he ad- 



ministered upon the estate, which duty lie per- 
formed to the utmost satisfaction of all inter- 
ested. He then returned to his home in 
Licking Count}', where he remained" a little 
more than a year, and then moved to Effing- 
ham County, arriving October 11, 1841, and 
fixed his home at Blue Point. This was 
simpl}- going into camp, as for some time his 
wagon was his bouse. With his own hand and 
alone he cut and carried, with the help of Met 
Kelly, the logs and poles and built his cabin. 
He commenced opening a farm. His ax and 
auger were about all the mechanical aids he 
possessed. Until his first crop matured, his 
table, made b}' his own hands from the first 
convenient tree, did not do any of that prover- 
bial groaning under the other proverbial loads 
of rich and delicate viands gathered from the 
four quarters of the wide and beautiful earth ; 
for even 6-cent corn, which had to be pur- 
chased and direct from the cob, manufactured 
at home from the old stump-mill, was earning 
bread by the sweat of the brow. True, there 
were then four old, ricket}- horse-mills in the 
count}-, but they were so little an improve- 
ment on the home stump and pestle that they 
were of doubtful advantage. 

'•The moment a little leisure from his primi- 
tive farming operations was found, he looked 
about him and determined to make such im- 
provements as his fertile brain suggested and 
his hard necessities demanded. He procured 
a couple of bowlders, ' nigger heads,' as they 
are commonly called, that are found so fre- 
quently all over the county, and from these he 
manufactured a couple of mill-stones, the bed- 
stone being fixed in a sycamore gum. This 
gum was a common article of utility in the 
early day. It was made by sawing off a hol- 
low tree any required length, and when set 
upright was a fine substitute for barrel or 
hogshead. This was firmly fixed in the 
ground, the upright lever attachment was at- 
tached to the upper stone, and the mill was 



60 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



complete. The motive power to this was his 
own strong arms, and in this wa}-, a big im- 
provement, remember, on the old way, he 
secured for a long time the bread for his fam- 
ily, consisting of a wife and six children. But 
his active nature did not permit him to stop 
content with this ; he sought out other schemes 
and quickly put them into practice. He had 
by this time become the happy possessor of a 
yoke of oxen and an old, patched-up wagon, 
and with these he inaugurated the business of 
going among the people and gathering their 
beeswax, pelts, venison or anything else they 
desired to send to market that was transporta- 
ble, and -with a load of these, going to St. 
Louis. These products the neighbors thus 
pooled and sent to market were sold to the 
best advantage by this trusty commission 
merchant, and with the proceeds he would 
purchase and bring back the quantitj- and 
kind of merchandise ordered by each, which 
would be carefully delivered to the widespread 
neighbors. To thus patiently gather up the load 
to take away, then return to each the articles 
ordered ; to be from three to Ave weeks on 
the road to the city and return, and that, too, 
when in wet weather the roads and bridges 
were simply horrible, and in dry weather it 
was, if an3'thing, even worse, as the cattle were 
in danger of perishing, and in still more dan- 
ger of running awa}-, overturning the wagon, 
plunging down a bluft", or hopelessly bogging 
wagon and all in the mud and water — a not 
uncommon occurrence when the suffering 
brutes would suddenly smell the water as they 
would pass near it along the road ; to all this 
add the exposure to wind, storms, snow and 
freezing, and to heat and dust ; to these in- 
clude the time and hard labor of .this slow, 
small kind of business ; to do all this, and tell 
it to the people of this day and age, is to ex- 
cite their incredulity and tax them with a load 
of doubts. But Bishop did all this, and, slow 
and small as it looks, he soon so prospered 



that he accumulated sufficient to commence a 
regular business of buying what the people 
had to sell and selling it on his own account. 
He bought their pelts, beeswax and produce, 
and purchased the goods wliich he sold to them 
for their products. 

In 1844 or 184.i, he moved into Freemanton, 
then but a mere hamlet on the National road, 
and commenced regulary to merchandise, but 
continuing to make his regular trips to St. 
Louis and exchanging products for goods and 
returning again and exchanging goods for prod- 
ucts. A part of his trade was to bring flour 
to the people. This trade at that time com- 
pared to the flour trade of to-daj- is a curious 
instance of the changes that occur. Now we 
ship out of the county flour by the car-load, and 
that often in daily shipments; at that time, it 
was brought hei'e and retailed out only in cases 
of sickness, in three and five-pound packages 
only, the five pounds being the maximum that 
a single family would purchase at a time. It 
was a very poor, black article at that — one that 
the well now would elevate their offended noses 
at, but it was food and medicine to the poor 
sick sufferers of that day. 

Bishop's business in Freemanton was so 
prosperous that he soon felt able to commence 
the erection of a wool carding machine. For 
those da3-s, this was a daring enterprise. The 
motive power was a tread-wheel moved by 
three oxen, and here was furnished the people 
a new industry, as well as a home market for 
their wool. It must have been a great boon to 
the poor women of the country, as it tended 
much to lighten their work in preparing the 
clothes for their families. He soon found that 
his machine was a complete success, and that 
his motive power was capable of doing addi- 
tional work, and so he added regular mill- 
stones that would make corn-meal and even 
grind wheat which could be and was bolted '■ bj- 
hand." And thus Bishop's carding- machine 
and grist-mill soon became the center of much 
business and traffic. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



61 



In 1850, the coiintrj^ had outgrown the ca- 
pacities and its tread-wlieel power, and so he 
responded to the public wants and purcliased an 
engine and boiler. With this great improve- 
ment and added power, he purchased a circular 
saw, and made this an addition to his establish- 
ment. He was tiien ready and enabled to card 
the wool, grind the meal and flour and saw the 
lumber as the public need required. This was 
the first saw and grist steam mill ever started 
in the county. For many miles around the 
people came in crowds to look upon and admire 
this wonderful thing. On Saturday's, particu- 
larly, they would gather in numbers and spend 
the day in athletic and other sports about the 
mill, and in many waj's manifest their wonder 
and joy over the grand improvement. 

We could not give the history of the rise and 
progress of the mill in our county without at 
the same time giving much of the earl}- history 
of Dr. Bishop, so closeh' are the two identified. 
It is but just to the memor}' of a good man, a 
valuable citizen and a kind-hearted, true gen- 
tleman, to briefly conclude this paragraph with 
a few further words of the Doctor : 

In early life he had secured a small but select 
medical library; not with a view of ever prac- 
ticing medicine, but to improve himself — to 
educate himself — to secure knowledge; he mas- 
tered these books, and to this information his 
strong, closely observing mind had gathered 
knowledge from every available opportunity or 
experiment that presented itself He found 
himself often and often surrounded by sick 
neighbors, when there was no physician to be 
had ; in such emergencies he was the Good 
Samaritan. And so valuable did he prove as 
nurse and adviser that he soon was wanted 
both far and near, and almost from compulsion 
he was thus drifted into the practice of med- 
icine. From the ver}- first he had shown him- 
self to be so skillful in the handling of that 
dreadful disease, typhoid fever, that his repu- 
tation and practice extended, not onl}- over his 



own but all adjoining counties. To this large, 
but not lucrative practice — not lucrative be- 
cause the people were poor and his charit}- was 
wide— he gave his time almost exclusivelj' to 
the time of his last sickness. For some j'ears 
before his death he suffered from rheumatism, 
of which he died on the 8th of November, 
1870, in the fifty-ninth year of his age. 

His widow, Sarah Bishop, died March 11, 
1872. Three sons and three daughters were 
left surviving; of these, one son and one daugh- 
ter have since died. 

Dr. Bishop's life is a fair illustration of the 
fiict that a man who is a born gentleman will 
alwa3-s be one despite surroundings. It is a 
common saying of some men that if so-and-so 
had only had different training and surround- 
ings in his youth, instead of being a mere vul- 
gar lout, he would be a gentleman. There is 
little truth in such moralizings. It is doubtful 
if there is anj'. There is infinitely more truth 
in the opposite aphorism that "blood will tell." 
There is such a thing as pure and gentle blood, 
and surroundings can no more change or hide 
it in the possessor than they can the muley's 
ears or the leopard's spots. 

It is the testimonj- of all who knew Dr. Bish- 
op, that his presence in the sick room was like 
a genial, bright raj' of sunshine. Under no 
circumstances did he forget to be a true and 
perfect gentleman. All testifj- to this, and the 
memory of his strong integrity and strict hon- 
esty, when added to what he has done for the 
improvement of the people of the county, are 
his imperishable and fit monument. 

In conclusion, upon the subject of mills, it 
may be here stated that for a long time the 
only mode of getting sawed lumber was bj- the 
"whip-saw." This was run b\- two men, with 
saw made for this purpose, one man standing 
on the log and the other under it, and in this 
hard and tedious waj- much lumber was got out 
before tiie horse-mill of T. J. Gillenwater's was 
put up, and a circular saw put to work. This 



62 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



was propelled bj- seven horses, and often cut 
eight to nine hundred feet of lumber a day. 

In the early day some ingenious pioneer put 
up a curious water-caill on the Wabash. It was 
so contrived, being two large troughs hung up- 
on a pivoted cross-beam, with a heav}' stone at 
one end of the beam and the trough at the 
other, so rigged that when the trough filled 
with water, it would raise the stone and the 
water would then spill out of the trough and 
let the stone drop heavily in the other trough 
where the grain was. It was automatic and 
worked continuallj', needing oul3- an atteudent 
to take out the meal and put in fresh grain. 

The population of Effingham County in 1840 
was 1,675. The census for the year reports 
451 engaged in agriculture; in manufactures 
and trade, 16; in commerce, 9; learned profes- 
sions, 4. The county had two insane persons. 
They were a private charge. There is no record 
of the number of persons that could not read 
and write. Under the head of universities, col- 
leges, students, grammar schools and mining 
all are blanks. 

The Killing of Hill. — At high noon, on the 
15th day of April, 1842, in the town of Free- 
manton, Dick Hill, as he sat upon his horse, 
conversing with Jesse Newman, was shot dead. 
Hill was in the road and the man he was con- 
versing with stood inside the yard, and near a 
blacksmith shop. The report of the gun was 
probably heard by all in the little village, 3-et 
to this da}' it has never been proven who fired 
the shot. His head, shoulder and body were 
riddled with buck-shot, and his death must 
have been instantaneous, as he rolled oS his 
horse and fell limp and dead in the road, whore 
he la}' just as he had fallen. Some of the scat- 
tering shot had slightly wounded the horse's 
shoulder, and the frightened, riderless animal 
running past the few village houses at full 
speed, toward his home and along the road his 
master had ridden a short time before. This 
added to the report of the gun told the tragic 



story unmistakably to all. When the horse 
dashed up to his master's door, the empty sad- 
dle and the j'et warm blood told the frightful 
story to Mrs. Hill. It was a short half-mile 
from the scene of the tragedy to Hill's house. 
The screams of the woman could be plainlj' 
heard, as she rushed out of her door, caught 
the horse, bounded into the saddle and at full 
speed started to the village. With mingled 
screams, sobs and execrations upon the mur- 
derers, and waving her hands and arms above 
her head, she came to where her dead husband 
laj'. The^horse stopped when she flung herself 
to the ground, fell upon the corpse, pushed one 
hand under the head, and in doing so covered 
the hand and part of her arm in the dark mud 
made by the blood, as it mingled with the dust 
of the road; she raised the head until the face 
of the living and the dead were nearly along 
side each other, when the maniac wife and dead 
husband presented a picture that will never 
fade from the memorj' of the few who looked 
upon it. 

A brief half-hour before the tragedy, Richard 
John Hill, in the prime of lusty life, splendid 
ph3-sical organization, and above the average 
of much of his surroundings in intellect and 
culture, had left his wife as she stood in the 
door admiringlj- watching him as he rode away 
upon his spirited and gaily caparisoned horse, 
toward the village. He rode up to the village 
post office, kept by Mrs. Flack, now Mrs. Joshua 
Bradlev, had called for his mail, which was car- 
ried out to him by Mr. Brown, and after chat- 
ting gail}- a moment, he turned his horse and 
rode toward the blacksmith shop and to his 
terrible death. 

The excitement over this daylight, yat vnya- 
terious traged}-, was great, indeed, among all 
people. The consequences flowing therefrom, 
lasting as the}' did for nearly a generation 
were unparalleled in the historj- of the State. 
Nearl}- all questions of social life and the poli- 
tics of the county were pivoted upon this sub- 





/ C-yiTT^-^-J^ 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



65 



ject. And to this daj-, if you talk to one 3-et 
left of the few men of that time, who were 
prominent in the aft'airs of the count3', j'ou may 
easily detect that the subject might re-kindle 
the fires that raged within them more than 
forty years ago. 

Richard John Hill had lived for some years 
in the county; had been County Superintendent 
of Schools, and was County Collector when he 
was killed. But with many of the best people 
he had earned a bad reputation. Apparently 
he wished to be considered a reckless, desperate 
and dangerous man. He openh* defied public 
moral sentiments. It was said that he was a 
gambler. Man^- believed he was not only a 
counterfeiter, but worse, and stories were told 
of him, which, if true, made him amenable to 
punishment for the violation of nearly ever3- 
crime in the decalogue. His delight was to be 
regarded as a terror generally, and his practices 
and followers, and henchmen were such that 
he could and did over-ride and cow man^-, and 
secure the dread or hate of nearl}' all. 

Not long after Hill's death, the dead body of 
a man was found at or near Deadman's Grove 
(the place gets its name from the circumstance). 
All indications were that the body had lain 
for a long time in the water. No one at the 
inquest recognized the unfortunate. The facts 
were published and Mrs. Svveene}-, of Spring- 
field, came here; and from the clothes, tiie false 
teeth and the peculiar blue color of one of his 
partially decayed teeth, identified the body as 
being that of W. S. Sweeney, her husband. 
Hill's enemies asserted and believed that he and 
his brother FA had killed and robbed Sweeney 
and thrown his body into the creek. They 
told all the circumstantial details — the fact 
that Hill was in debt to Sweeney and had 
written to him to meet him in Shelby ville, that 
they did meet there, gambled and carouaed for 
two or three days, and then Sweeney and Dick 
and Ed Hill started for Freemanton, Sweeney 
in a buggy and the other two on horseback. 



In this waj- they were seen at points along the 
road to near Deadman's Grove. One or two 
parties in this countv met them north of the 
Grove and these were the last traces of Sweeney 
alive. Dick and Ed Hill were seen continuing 
their way south of the Grove, but without 
Sweeney, and it was said that Ed was in a 
buggy, leading a horse behind and Dick in 
company on horseback. Near Freemanton, at 
the north side of Mrs. Flack's farm, they were 
seen to separate, Dick going toward his home 
and Ed going west on the National road. He 
is reported to have been seen at Vandalia still 
driviuo; the buscsiv and leading a horse. This 
was the last ever seen or heard of Ed Hill. 

In the foregoing mention of the social and 
political divisions among the people, it must 
not be supposed that it was divided upon the 
line of the friends of the man on one side and 
his enemies on the other. This was not the 
line of contention at all. There were probablj- 
verj- few who regretted the taking off of Hill. 
It was the manner in which it was done and a 
desire to ferret out the murderers, and at least 
attempt to punish them and vindicate the maj- 
esty of the law that constituted the one side, 
while the others were so rejoiced at his death 
that the3' not only justified the manner of it, 
but they were ready to go any length to shield 
and protect the perpetrators. 

It was due to this state of affairs that it was 
impossible to ever produce in a court the truth 
that some absolutely knew, and all had well 
grounded suspicions. Ever3' witness who saw 
the most material parts of the tragedy, were 
those who hated Hill and were warm friends of 
the suspected, and they discreetl3' closed their 
mouths upon the subject and kept them so until 
long after the principal actors were all dead 
and the count3- feud had passed awa3- b3- the 
election of John Trapp as Count3- Clerk in 
1860. 

The people of the county had ranged them- 
selves on the two sides, and for twenty years 



66 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



elections were won and lost, the question not 
being are you a Democrat or Whig, but are 3'ou 
a Trapp-man or an anti-Trapp. Or as one side 
sometimes taunted the other as " horse thieves," 
and in return the}' were designated as " mur- 
derers." These terrible epithets were not com- 
mon, but during the long feud they could at 
times be heard. It is much to say of the 
people of those days, that during the twenty 
years of bickering and bitterness, other and 
better lives than Dick Hill's were not yielded 
up as sacrifices upon the alters of hot passion 
and bitter prejudices. 

The evils arising in this unfortunate turn 
in the public and private affiiirs of the people 
were great and manifold. Their effects are not 
yet wholly obliterated. Important questions 
in social life, education and finance were 
dwarfed and forgotten, while detraction and 
hate ruled the hour. This unfortunate state 
of aflfairs would probabl}' never have existed 
had any other man than John Trapp been sus- 
pected of being the chief actor in the bloody 
story. There were few people who doubted 
very strongly at any time as to who it was that 
killed Hill. Trapp himself, it is said, never 
denied it point blank. 

Trapp and Mike Brockett were seen, just 
after Hill was shot, to emerge from the emptj- 
building that stood near the blacksmith shop 
in front of which the killing occurred. They 
each carried a gun; the}' quieth' walked up 
and after looking a few minutes at the dead, 
Trapp remarked to some one standing by, 
'' He is dead, isn't he?" and the two men turned 
and walked ofiF. 

In some respects, John Trapp was an ex- 
traordinary man. He was quiet, unobtrusive, 
kind and gentle of disposition — big-souled and 
warmly generous to all; of natural sound, 
strong sense and liberal views; he sedulously 
avoided difficulties and all troubles. He was 
affectionate and warm-hearted, and he loved 
his friends and never abused or threatened 



even his worst enemies. He believed he had been 
deepl}' wronged by Hill. Those who knew the 
circumstances expected he would kill him. 
Hence, when the sharp report of the gun rang out 
in the quiet village of Freemanton, it is said the 
same exclamation came from all who heard 
the gun, " There, I expect Hill is shot!" But 
if Trapp had deep griefs — wrongs that impelled 
him to avenge them in blood, he gave no sign 
or outward token; he confided them to no hu- 
man being that ever betrayed his confidence 
or gave up his secret. He was as the still 
waters that are deep. Not hasty to act, not 
swift to revenge. He made no threats — no 
warning, but he deliberatel}' executed his de- 
liberate purposes even to the death. His 
friends never deserted him — his enemies had 
ceased to persecute him, and there is no ques- 
tion but that he died in the sincere and honest 
conviction that he had only done his dutj'. 

The following is the substance of an act of 
the Illinois Legislature, and is the final chapter 
in the official life of Richard John Hill, of date 
February 3, 1845 : 

" Whereas, Richard J. Hill was appointed 
Collector of the Count}' of Effingham for the 
taxes for the year 1841, and was charged with 
the collection of the taxes of that year, amount- 
ing to the sum of S227.16, and died without 
having completed the collection of the same 
and it appearing by the books of said Hill, as, 
returned to the County Commissioners' Court 
of said county, by William J. Hankins, ad- 
ministrator of said Hill, and that there re- 
mains uncollected the sum of $182.47. There- 
fore 

Section 1. Be it enacted, etc. That Samuel 
B. Parks, Charles Gilky and Presley Funk- 
houser be released from a judgment obtained 
in the Sangamon Circuit Court against them 
as securities of said Richard J. Hill, as collec- 
tor as aforesaid, on payment of the sum of 
$44.69 with interests, costs of suit, that being 
the amount that appears to have been collected 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



67 



by the said Hill as collector at the time of his 
death. 

A tj-pe of a class of men developed by the 
times were the fighting, roystering, drinking, 
devil-may-care fellows of whom "chief among 
ten tiiousand and the one altogether lovely" 
was Rod Jeniiins. He had boon companions, 
many imitators, but no equals. He stood 
alone " like some grand ancient tower " except 
when he had to steady himself by leaning on 
some one not so tired as he was. There was 
nothing small about Rod; he " longed" for the 
spiritual in this life, and, like the old woman 
when telling how she liked corn bread, he 
" honed " for liquid joj's. In the language of 
the liard-shell funeral sermon, " he had bosses 
and he run 'em — had dogs and he " fit " 'em — 
had cocks and always bet his bottom dollar 
on the high-combed cock. 

To hunt a little, frolic much, go to town often 
and never miss a general election day, and get 
" glorious " earlj- and fight all day for fun, was 
the pleasure and deliglit of his life. 

We mean no oflfense to the readers of the prize- 
ring literature of to-daj- b}' informing them that 
even in the early times there were men here 
nearlj' as big fools as thej" aie. Their intelli- 
gence, like these, had a strong admixture of the 
bulldog and hyena. Their real worship was an 
image of the bullet-head and thick-necked tribe 
of bruisers. It is this base-born admiration of 
the thug that makes such characters possible 
among civilized men. The bully is the com- 
panion piece of the religio- militant dogmatic 
preacher. They are admirably mated in igno- 
rance, but in all else the blood-tub is the best of 
the two. It has been said that of all disgust- 
ing sights for gods or men, the worst is that of 
a prize-ring with two human brutes turned 
loose, like Spanish bulls, to batter and bruise 
each other to the point of death. But, in truth, 
a j'ct worse sight is an ignorant dogmatic ass 
in the pulpit, sacrilegiously proclaiming his 
Godlj- authority to damn mankind, and rudely 



invading the sacred confines of that border land 
of the finite and infinite, where each one is unto 
hiin.self a secret and a covenant witii iiis God 
alone; where no earthlj- power should ever at- 
tempt or does attempt to go, but where the 
long-eared dogmatist would forever " bray " you 
in the gnashing teeth, the sobs and wails of a 
superheated hell and brimstone. 

There were redeeming traits often about the 
fighting bull}' in those olden times. He was the 
foundation upon which the present thugs may 
pljice their first start in the world, and from the 
good that was in him his successors have whollj- 
departed, until thej- now present an instance 
of perpetual degeneration and total depra\'ity. 

Rod had many redeeming qualities. At 
home he was sober, industrious and honest. 
His fault was he wanted to go to town too often. 
He only wanted to quarrel with those who had, 
like himself, a passion for such discussions, and 
here was a small class of men who found their 
fun and enjoyment in thus expending the pent- 
up vital forces that were in their large and 
splendidly developed ph3-sical organizations. 

Among barbarous people, to drink and get 
drunk are not grievous cj-imes, and generally 
from the highest to the lowest the rule is to in- 
dulge to excess upon ever}- opportunity. There 
was a time when anywhere in Illinois whisky 
was to be found in everj- house; it was a com- 
mon beverage for men, women and children, 
and common hospitality commanded it to 
be offered to every guest upon nearly all 
occasions. It was cheap, in common use, 
fresh from the still and fiery, but neither adul- 
terated nor poisoned. It made men drunk and 
foolish and beasth', but probabh' did not so 
fearfull}' craze them then as now. 

Rod was not wholly vile nor evil-looking, 
morally or physically. In fact, a kindly-faced, 
good old grandmother who knew Rod when she 
was a fair-haired lass, has often described him 
to the writer as she saw him with her j'oung 
eyes in his early manhood. She insists he was 



68 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



not her sweetheart, yet she pronounces him, at 
cue time, " the prettiest man in the county." 
But he was never vain of his beauty, however 
much he may have been of his prowess. Even 
if he had been proud of his manly beauty of 
face, he met with an accident that changed all 
this just as effectaally as did the mule cure the 
boy that attempted to climb his tail. This ac- 
cident gave him the name of " Old Snip Nose," 
and came about as follows; 

On one occasion, in a nice, friendly fight, 
he bit off a portion of his friend's nose. 
When he sobered up, he no doubt regretted 
the accident so much that he would have 
replaced the missing link if he could. But 
seeing he could not do this, he gave him- 
self no further concern. His victim did not 
relish the very practical joke, but nursed his 
wrath to keep it warm, and as patiently as he 
could, bided his time. It was not a great while 
before he saw Kod start home from Ewington 
so ver3- drunk that before he had gone very far 
beyond the city limits he fell off his wagon, the 
fall not disturbing his sound sleep. His enemy 
improved the opportunity, rushed upon him, 
and cut off his nose. Whisky had been the 
Delilah that caressed Rod in her lap until he 
was shorn thus cruelly. ' From that day he had 
about the poorest excuse for a nose in the 
whole county. At all events he missed it so 
sadly that he eventually took an old shoe-vamp, 
soaked it well, and made a leather nose, which 
was fastened to its place by a string around his 
head above the ears. 

One morning he rode into Ewington to spend 
the day, as usual, and as he came into the 
crowd, Dan Williams (Blue Dan) saluted him 
cheerfully with, " How are yoa, old Snip Nose? " 

He paid little or no attention at the time to 
this salutation, but during the day Rod and Dan 
got into a fight, when Rod bit off Dan's nose, 
and then pushed him away, saying with a leer, 
" How are ynu, Brother Snip? '' The whole 
county enjoyed the joke finely, at least as well 



nearly as did Blue Dan, and from this time 
forth the two were better friends than ever. 
They often met in the village and spent the day 
in admirable harmonj- together, never after 
meeting with more serious mishaps than some- 
times loosing their leather noses, and then they 
would go arm in arm roaring through the vil- 
lage, sending the women and children, and some 
of the men too, flying in terror to their homes 
and hiding places. 

Rod and Dan were admirable types of a class 
that were here from the first, and that will be here 
yet for mayhap a long time. It is not insisted on 
that their abnormal!}' developed bumps for 
figlits aud whisky were either essential to the 
early pioneer or models to be hung up in the 
schoolroom. But there is little doubt but that 
they had other essential traits, such as reckless 
braver}', strong resolution and endurance for 
the sore trials of their times that made them 
valuable factors in the straggles of the fathers. 

Boleyjack. — Another and a different character 
entirely from any we have attempted to por- 
tray in the preceding chapters was Boleyjack, 
sometimes styled the parched corn, summer 
preacher. He was a magnificent specimen of 
the coou skin pioneer exhorter in many re- 
spects. He lived hard, preached brimstone 
sermons and was paid his ministerial salary in 
old clothes, and at rare intervals, a full feed on 
•' hog and hominy " at a brother's or neighbor's. 
From his early days — the years intervening 
between his childhood gambols and his back- 
woods preaching — little or nothing is known. 
He was here — as to how. whence or why he 
came no one asked, perhaps no one cared. He 
was naturally pious and dirty, in fact, the 
prince of dirt if not a paragon of piety. His 
laziness was only equaled by his tatters and 
rags. He despised all manual labor, and dread- 
ed soap and water with an intensity that kept 
him preserved always in his ancient sweetness 
and purity. He was the great unwashed sal- 
vation shrieker, yet there was within him the 



HISTORY OF EFFINfJHAM COUNTY. 



69 



smoldering fires of a rough eloquence that 
when once in his pulpit and warmed to his 
work, were soon fanned into fierce flames as 
he drew frightful pictures of an angry God, or 
the horrors of a hell of literal fire and brim- 
stone. He preached the Gospel pure and sim- 
ple, as he understood it; not for pelf, but sole- 
ly for the good of mankind, and because he 
was too lazy to do anything else. Manj*, who 
have seen him hundreds of times, have at- 
tempted over and over again to describe him — 
to draw in words a picture so strong and clear 
that his true likeness would stand out upon 
the canvas strong and distinct. It is feared 
they failed to that extent that it will be im- 
possible for us to place him in his deserved 
niche of immortality. In appearance he is de- 
scribed as a man of medium size, angular, un- 
couth and very ungainly ; swarthy complexion, 
large mouth, heavy lips, long black, coarse un- 
kempt hair, stooped shouldered, sluggish of 
movement, and listless, careless air. His whole 
features were heav3' and stolid ; a large under 
jaw and a thickness of neck that indicated the 
preponderance of the animal, the e3-e being the 
only feature that bespoke talent of any kind. 
He was a summer preacher mostly, and 'his 
dress was not of ro3-al ermine or purple silk 
and fine linen. It was coarse, home-made tow 
linen, and consisted of shirt and " breeches, " 
the breeches foxed with buckskin in front and 
rear, and a coon-skin cap, and as a rule bare- 
foot, but on great occasions he wore a shock- 
ing pair of shoes — no socks. His shoes never 
fit, and he stuck his toes into the vamp while 
his heels braved the wind and weather. The shoe 
and foot were kept together by hickory bark 
strings. There was a mile of shin between the 
" breeches " and shoes exposed to the elements. 
This exposure had given them much the ap- 
pearance of a young shell-burk hickory. To 
make up for the shortness at the bottom ot his 
" breeches," they were drawn up nearly to the 
neck by a single hickory bark " gallus " which 



was fastened by goodly sized wooden pegs in 
lieu of buttons. 

Such was Bolej-jack, and, such as he was, he 
never seemed to tire of proclaiming to the 
world that he was not " ashamed to own his 
Lord and Master." Whether this compliment 
was returned or not is not material to this in- 
quir}'. Bole^-jack was no sunshine, band-box 
dandy. He was not a Beecher, a Talmage, a 
mountebank nor a monkey. He was a humble, 
sincere, great pioneer preacher, with fists like 
a maul and a voice like the fabled bull of Ban- 
she, and thus arra}'ed and equipped he went 
meeklj' forth upon his mission, and waked the 
echoes of the primeval forests, made reprobates 
tremble, women to cry and shout aloud, and 
man}- a tough old sinner to fall upon his kness 
and plead with Heaven in agonizing groans 
and sobs. In squalor and poverty in his floor- 
less log cabin he dreamed out his indolent ex- 
istence, tasting in a vague waj-, perhaps, some 
of the pangs of endless punishment. Yet there 
is no doubt he found surcease of sorrows in 
his vivid imaginings, which brought him sweet 
foretaste of the eternal Sundays in that city 
not built with hands, and whose streets are 
paved with gold, and whose rivers flow peren- 
nially with milk and honej-. Bole3-jack's wife 
and helpmeet was an instance of remarkable 
adaptation to a remarkable husband. Siie was 
not too much civilized ; was coarse, rough, of 
great physical strength and endurance. Her 
unadorned beauties had been material!}- aggra- 
vated b3- a savage hook in one nyo, b3- a furious 
cow, which, while it had not " put out " the eye, 
had sadh' " rucked " it up, and for the balance 
of its life it dissolved partnership with its 
mate and seemed to set up business on its own 
hook. A circumstance or two will tell much 
of her histor}-. Not a great while before her 
dpath, a railroad train killed hercow. The old 
lad3- witnessed it all from her cabin door. She 
rushed out, took her position on the track and 
demanded pa}- for her cow before the train 



70 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



could move. It was onl^- after much trouble 
and some force that she could be gotten out of 
the wa}- and the train allowed to pursue its 
vo3'age. It is said that she regularlj- soaped 
the track until an agent was sent down, and a 
good round price paid the old lady forhfercow. 
Not a great while after this, she was walking 
along the track of the railroad when a train 
came along. The engineer whistled and whis- 
tled, and slowed up and whistled and barked 
and coughed but all in vain. She gave it no 
heed, never once turned her head. Finally, 
when almost upon her, it was stopped, the con- 
ductor and brakeman rushed forward, believing 
they had barely saved the life of a poor deaf 
mute, and seized her by the arms and forced 
her to one side. " Oh !" says she, " you ma3' 
hoot and toot, and keep a hooten and a tooten. 



but you can't skeer me, if you did kill my 
cow !" When the good woman died there were 
strange whispers went abroad, some of them, 
in short, charging absolutelj' that Boleyjack 
had starved her to death. He was eventuallj- 
taken to task upon tliis charge, and asked to 
explain it. He repelled the vile slander, and 
confused his accusers by the crushing reply : 
'' It is false, for there was at least a half-pint 
of parched corn at her bedside when she died." 
Bolejjack soon followed his companion to that 
happy laud, it is to be hoped, where soap and 
water are an unknown necessity, and where 
parched corn and hickory bark " galluses " are 
not the essential stays of life. In their hum- 
ble wa3' and in their hard lives they found 
their places and filled thera to the best of their 
ability. Let them sleep in peace. 



CHAPTER T. 



LEGAL LIFE OF THE COUNTY— LIST OF OFFICERS— BOARDS OF SUPERVISORS— THEIR OFFICIAL 
DUTIES— FARMING AND STOCK RAISING— AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES, THEIR MEET- 
INGS AND OFFICERS— THE GOOD ACCOMPLISHED, ETC., ETC. 



SOMETHING of the history of the legal life 
of the county, that is, its officials in their 
regular order, is the following : 

1833— T. W. Short, Isaac Fancher and Will- 
iam J. Hankins were the first elected County 
Commissioners' Court ; Joseph H. Gillespie, 
County Clerk ; John C. Sprigg, Circuit Clerk ; 
Henry P. Bailey, Sheriff" ; John Loy, County 
Treasurer ; William J. Hankins, County Sur- 
veyor ; William J. Hankins, Probate Judge. 
Isaac Fancher oul3- served as Commissioner a 
few months, and was succeeded in office by 
James Turner. 

1834 — Commissioners' Court was John Mar- 
tin, William Freeman and Eli Cook. 

1835 — June term, William J. Hankins ap- 
pointed County Clerk ; Sam Huston, Treas- 
urer ; John Trapp, Sheriff'. 

1836— William S. Clark, Presley Funkhous- 



er and Isaac Slover were the Count}- Commis- 
sioners' Court ; Silas Barnes, jrro tcm., County 
Clerk. 

1837 — John C. Gillenwaters, Treasurer; 
William Freeman, Sheriff"; William J. Han- 
kins, Circuit Clerk ; John Funkhauser, School 
Superintendent. 

1838— Thomas M. Loy, Probate Judge; 
John Loy, Treasurer ; T. J. Gillenwaters, 
Presle\' Funkhouser and Isaac Slover elected 
County Judges. They drew lots, when Gillen- 
waters drew the three-year term, Funkhouser 
two years, and Slover one year. December, 
1838, a vacancy occurred in the Count}- Clerk's 
office. To fill the vacancy, W. H. Blakeley, 
John C. Gillenwaters, and Newton E. Tarrant 
were applicants. The court by vote appointed 
Newton E. Tarrant. 

1839 — Law provided for Commissioners to 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



71 



appoint two Assessors and a Collector for the 
county. Joseph C. Wheeler and Harrison 
Higgs were appointed Assessors, Joseph C 
Wheeler, Collector. 

1839 — Thomas M. Loy, County Clerk; 
Thomas J. Renfro, Sheriff; Presley Funkhous- 
er. T. J. Grillenwaters and Daniel Parkhurst, 
Commissioners. 

1840^Martin, Parkhurst and Gillen waters, 
Commissioners. 

1841— J. Martin, S. B. Parks, N. E. Tarrant, 
Commissioners. 

1842 — John 0. Scott, School Superintend- 
ent, and James Devore succeeded Tarrant as 
Commissioner. At August term of this year, 
Thomas JI. Lo}- resigned Count}' Clerkship 
and William J. Hankins appointed to his place. 

1843— A. B. Kagay elected County Clerk; 
James Cartwright, Treasurer; John 0. Scott, 
Count}- School Superintendent. 

1844— Elisha W. Parkhurst, Probate Judge; 
Daniel Rinehart, County Treasurer; James De- 
vore, Isaac Slover and William Dunham, Coun- 
ty Commissioners. Brick court house in Ew- 
ington built this j-ear. 

1845— Charles F. Falley, County School 
Superintendent ; Isaac Slover, W. E. Tarrant 
and Charles Kellim; Count}' Commissioners. 

1846— S. B. Parks, Sheriff; A. B. Kagay 
County Clerk ; W. E. Tarrant, Thomas Doute 
and Isaac Slover, Commissioners. 

1S47 — Daniel Rinehart, County Clerk; 
Charles Kellim, School Superintendent ; James 
Levitt, Treasui-er , Thomas M. Loy, Surveyor. 

1849 — Thomas Doute, Isaac Slover, Gideon 
Lowder, Commissioners ; W. J. Hankins, Pro- 
bate Judge ; John Broom and W. E. Tarrant, i 
Associate Judges ; Richard McCraner, Treas- 
urer ; John 0. Scott, School Superintendent ; 
John S. Kelly, Circuit Clerk ; S. B. Parks, 
Sheriff. 

1851— T. J. Rentfro, Sheriff. 

1846 — John M. Brown, Superintendent of 
Schools. 



1850 — John B. Carpenter, Superintendent of 
Schools. 

1852— S. B. Parks, Sheriff 

1853— John S. Kelly, Circuit Clerk ; W. E. 
Tarrant, County Judge; Samuel H. Pullin, 
James Devore, Associates ; T. M. Loy, Coun- 
ty Clerk ; R. A. Howard, County Surveyor. 

1854— John G. Gamble, Sheriff; John M 
Brown, School Superintendent. 

1856— Orville L. Kelly, Sheriff; John B. 
Carpenter, School Superintendent ; A. B. Ka- 
gay, Treasurer. 

1858— W. E. Tarrant, County Judge ; T. J. 
Gillenwaters and H. H. Huels, Associates ; D. 
Rinehart, County Clerk. 

1859— Samuel Winters, Sheriff. 

1861— John Trapp, Circuit Clerk; O. L. 
Kelly, Sheriff 

1861 — Robinson McCann, School Superin- 
tendent. Never served out his term. Went 
to the war, and court declared bond insufficient 
and appointed Calvin Kitchell to fill the vacancy. 

1863— William Gillmore, Sheriff. 

1865— S. B. Parks, County Judge; D. Rine- 
hart, County Clerk ; J. C. Brady, Circuit Clerk; 
Jesse Surrells, Treasurer ; W. I. N. Fisher, 
School Superintendent ; A. S. Jloffit, Surveyor; 
William Gillmore. Sheriff; T. G. Vandever. 
Coroner. 

1869 — Jonathan Hooks, County Judge; J. 
W. Filler, County Clerk; Jesse R. Surrells, 
Treasurer; S. F. Gilmore, School Superintend- 
ent; Calvin Mitchell, Surveyor; L. J. Willien, 
Coroner. 

1871— J. Surrells, Treasurer; C. Mitchell, 
Surveyor. 

1872— W. C. Lecroue, Circuit Clerk; W. C. 
Baty. Sheriff; W. H. Gillmore, States Attorney; 
J. H. Kroeger, Coroner. 

1873— J. B. Jones, County Judge; J. W. 
Filler, County Clerk; H. G. Habing, Treasurer; 
Owen Scott, School Superintendent. 

1874— W. C. Baty, Sheriff; Levi Rentfro, 
Coroner. 



72 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



• 1876— W. C. Lecrone, Circuit Clerk; W. H. 
Gillmore, Couuty Attorney; Thomas H. Dobbs, 
Slieriff; W. L. Goodell, Coroner. 

1879 — Barney Wernsing, Treasurer; C. A. 
Van Allen, County Survej-or. 

1880— K. C. Harrah, County Attorney; W. 
W. Simpson, Circuit Clerk; A. H. Kelly, Slieriff; 
J. N. Groves, Coroner. 

If to these names he added the various ones 
of the numerous boards of Supervisors of the 
county that have assembled from time to time 
to guard the people's interests and carry on 
the business of the count}', then j'ou will have 
a complete list of the names which bear the 
honors, whatever the}' may be, of the legal life 
and doings of the county, as well as the names 
of those on whose shoulders must perpetually 
rest the foolish, unwise, and positivel}' injurious 
public acts, if there have been anj', in the coun- 
tj''s historj' to date. 

To the day of the adoption of township or- 
ganization in the county, there is but little, if 
any, doubt that many errors slipped into the 
administration of county affairs, but, at worst, 
they were venial and the inflictions that fol- 
lowed them were temporary, and the county's 
financial affairs never verged upon the borders 
of criminal extravagance. In many things they 
would now be termed old fogyish probably, and 
thej' would deserve the mild reproach, but they 
were always rigidly conservative and econom- 
ical in handling the people's monej', and but 
precious little of the public " blood money " 
(not a bad name for all taxes) found its way, 
under any pretext, into any official's pocket. 

Let justice be rendered these plain, unpre- 
tentious men in this respect. Their sterling 
official honesty is now beautiful to behold, and 
it is well to constantly revive its cherished 
memory. True, temptations were not scat- 
tered along their pathwa}', but it should be 
borne in mind that those officials who handle 
and manage the public funds, usually have the 
making and creating of their own temptations, 



and it is not, and should not be, an answer to 
say, " he was sorely tempted." 

A few hundred dollars was all the county 
gathered from the people annually prior to 
1860. 

It is the misfortune of the Board of Super- 
visors that it came into existence in the county 
when all the countr}' was in ' the first throes of 
the civil war. Communities had gone daft, and 
madness and folly ruled everj'where, and prettj' 
much all the few remnants of sanit}' left in the 
few individuals were either ostracized or hung 
by mobs. The bloody carnival had commenced, 
the end of the-evils of which will not come in 
our day or generation, or in the daj' and gen- 
eration of our immediate children's children. 
When a great people have been completely de- 
moralized, it is not yet a fact demonstrated by 
either ancient or modern history, that the 
plague can ever be cleansed from the blood, 
and real health restored. National demoraliza- 
tion, when it honeycombs the body politic and 
penetrates every hamlet and home in the land 
is leprosy — incurable and loathsome. 

For the j'ear 1882, the Board of Supervisors 
calls for the sum of 117,000 for county revenue 
only. 

This is not so high as it has been in some 
j'ears, and it is higher than it has been in some 
years. 

In 1881, it was $14,623.74; in 1869, $14,758; 
in 1878, ^20,561.99; in 1877, $24,379.50. 

To explain these extraordinary levj's, it 
should be borne in mind that they were caused 
by the large defaults made by many tax payers. 

The call for $17,000 this year will all be col- 
lected, so that this may be put down as the 
true expense for the year 1882 of the county. 
This is the county's money, for county pur- 
poses, county expenses. 

Schools, roads and bridges, townships, rail- 
roads, State and about every other of the in- 
numerable taxes piled on our people, are ex- 
cluded from this $17,000 the county wants and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



73 



will get. Tlie Poor Farm and the pa\- of the 
county officers are, so far as the public may 
see, the only places where this money is des- 
tined to go. A part of this money may be 
used necessarilj- iu the matter of the county's 
tax sale lately, where the county bid off" the 
land, and holds the certificates of purchase. 
Other portions, judging by the past, may be 
appropriated by the board to aid in the build- 
ing of certain much needed bridges in the 
county, and thus all this sum of money may 
be both justly and judiciously expended, and 
the people have, not only no cause to complain, 
but much to commend most heartily. 

In the way the county's book-keeping is done 
it is verj- difficult, next to impossible, for a 
tax payer to go there and tell how much of 
the money has been used for count}' purposes, 
and how much for county expenses in the dis- 
charge of the county's business. In this the 
board gives the people just ground for some of 
the complaints against it. 

The county has, at one time or another, 
employed experts to investigate nearly every 
officer in the count}-, except the Board of Su- 
pervisors. There is a fine vein of irony run- 
ning through all this employment of experts 
(the qualification necessar}' being the ability to 
keep a set of books) to come in on every emer- 
gency and explain to the board its own busi- 
ness. It is on a par with the appointment of 
Postmasters that cannot read and write. 

A generation ago the County Commissioners 
built bridges that were very regularly washed 
away, and this heroic work is patiently going 
on in the same way to-daj'. It was once said 
that somebodj' never learned and never forgot 
anything. That probable somebodv has come 
to Effingham to superintend the public works 
across the streams of the county. 

It is said that one direct, and, which ought 
to be fatal, evil flowing out of this township law 
as it has heretofore worked, has been this: 
Whenever a man was elected Supervisor, he at 



once became a candidate for some county office, 
and commenced to form his ring in the board 
to help him carry out his purpose. If this was 
ever done, th.at instant the man and his asso- 
ciates in the infamy were fullblown scoundrels; 
and it is using mild terms to call him a scoun- 
drel. 

If the Legislature would only pass a law 
that no Supervisor could for at least two years 
after going out of office, be elected to a county 
office, it would not harm the people; it would 
not deprive them of the only chance the}- might 
have of getting good, competent and honest men. 

All democratic governments are menaced 
by things that are equally dangerous, and 
equally certain to be an indiginous and spon- 
taneous production, to wit, demagogues and 
over-legislation. 

The fool in his heart has said that much vot- 
ing is much liberty and greatness. The cun- 
ning demagogue has educated his long-eared 
constituents into the knowledge that many 
laws make much freedom. 

And when the school convention meets it 
has never yet whispered a word of war upon 
this wide-spread and criminal ignorance upon 
which the public is fattening and battening 
from year to year. 

Nay, nay, dear simple Simon, we are born to 
war upon men's pockets, not their ignorance. 

The legislative acts of the county and its 
self-government are no more the creation of the 
public idea that prevails as to what is a good 
Government, than are the schools the founders 
and progenitors of the enlightment and civili- 
zation we have. 

The public officials, the good or bad we have 
evolved from our self-government are the reflex 
picture, as are the schools, public morals, 
and about everything else we have, the result 
of that public that breathes the breath of life 
into them all. They are all the effects of 
causes, of which they have had no lot or par- 
cel in forming or directing. 



74 



HISTORY OF EFFI:NGHAM COUNTY. 



Agricidhiral Societies. — Following naturally 
upon the official life of the county, comes the 
acts and official doings of the different and suc- 
cessive agricultural societies, that had their rise 
in Ewington Ma}' 5, 1865, in a public meeting of 
the leading men of the county, called together 
for the purpose of organizing a count}- agricult- 
ural society. The book is thus formally dedi- 
cated on the title page. 

■' This book is to contain the constitution 
and by-laws of this society; the names of mem- 
bers belonging thereto, also a true and faithful 
record of all the official business and proceed- 
ings of the same." 

Then follows a constitution and by-laws 
elaborate and ponderous enough for the ship 
of State to ride upon in safety. This constitu- 
tion and by-laws are better explained b}' the 
very full minutes of a meeting that is given in 
full on the next page, " held by the citizens of 
Effingham Count}-, at Ewington, on 5th day of 
May, 1856." Meeting organized by electing 
Dr. J. H. Robinson, Chairman, and Greenbury 
Wright, Secretary. Constitution and by-laws 
read and unanimously adopted on motion of P. 
Funkhouser. 

J. H. Piobiuson was elected President of the 
Agricultural Society, Presley Funkhauser, 
Vice President, Greenbury Wright, Secretary, 
and J. M. Long, Treasurer. 

On motion, P. Funkhauser, the Secretary, 
was "ordered to furnish each officer of the 
society with a certificate of his election, accom- 
panied by a synopsis of his duty." 

I. L. Leith moved that the " Treasurer pur- 
chase a book for each officer to record all the 
business of the society." 

George Wright, S. F. Hankins and J. J. 
Funkhouser were elected Executive Committee 
in Town 8, Range 5 ; Elijah Henry, I. L. Leith 
and Morgan Wright, Town 6, Range 5 ; J. B. 
Carpenter, J. W. Parkhurst and A. H. Wood, 
Town 7, Range 5 ; John F. Waschfort, Town 
8, Range 6 ; John Billingsly, Town 7, Range 



4 ; A. W. Callard and C. B. Kitchel, Town 9, 
Range 5 ; G. W. Merry, Town 6, Range 7 ; J. 
S. Wilson, Town 6, Range 6 ; John Marble and 
Robert Phillipps, Town 8, Range 7. 

At the next meeting in July following, John 

F. Kroeger and H. H. Huels, John Hipsher, 
James Woodruff, Addison Webb, George W. 
Barkley, L. J. Field, M. K. Robinson, A. Mc- 

CuUough, Newbanks, Luke R. McMurry, 

Thomas Patterson, E. Howard, T. D. Tennery, 

G. W. Holmes, S. D. Lorton, Jackson Gillmore, 
Isaac Mahou, G. W. Nelson, H. Cronk, R. Mc- 
Cann, M. B. Reed, J. F. Meyer, A. Johnston 
and R. Dust were added to the Executive Com- 
mittee. 

On the 21st of October, 1857, the Effingham 
County Agricultural Society met again at 
Ewington, where Isaac L. Leith was elected 
President, Daniel Rinehart, Vice President, 
John 8. Kelly, Secretary, Presley Funkhouser, 
Treasurer. 

A full list of awarding committees were 
appointed at this meeting. 

It was resolved that each member desiring 
to continue his membership should pay 50 
cents to the Treasurer. Fifty-seven names 
were then enrolled as the membership of the 
society. 

At the county fair, October, 1857, premiums 
were offered to the amount of $40. Including 
best stallion, $3 ; best bulls, $2.50 ; best yoke 
of oxen, $2 ; best span of mules, $1.50 ; best 
brood mare, $2 ; best butter, 25 cents ; best 
cheese, $1. 

The next meeting was in June, 1859, when 
it was resolved to hold the fair in October next. 

The new Executive Committee elected was 
David Leith, W. H. Blakely, Hamilton Boggs, 
John W. Parkhurst, I. B. Humes, G. C. Van 
Allen, J. B. Carpenter, John Frazey, Robert 
McCann, D. Rinehart, A. B. Kagay and John 
J. Funkhouser. This meeting, by motion, 
ordered its proceedings published in the Effing- 
ham Pioneer. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



75 



Dr. William Mathews then delivered an 
address to the meeting (supposed to have been 
on the subject of agriculture). On the 21st 
and 22d of October. 1859, the second county 
fair was held at Ewington. The societ}' had 
enlarged and fenced its grounds, and from the 
long list of premiums awarded and paid it is 
evident this meeting was a great success in 
every respect. Ninet^^-three dollars and fifty 
cents were paid in premiums, including S2 paid 
Miss Elizabeth Fleming, best lady equestrian, 
and $1 paid Mary Fleming, 2d best ditto. 

In October, 1860, the Secretary records a 
new list of the members, and this shows the 
membership had increased to fifty-eight. 

Another successful meeting of the county 
fair occurred October 18 and 19, 1800. 

In March, 1861, new officers of the society 
were elected as follows : R. H. McCann, Presi- 
dent ; D. Rinehart, Vice President ; Sam Mof- 
fitt, Secretary ; J.J. Funkhouser, Treasurer. 

Nine persons were elected as E.Kecutive Com- 
mittee as follows : William Gillmorc, W. D. 
Moore, A. Tipsword, Lorenza Turner, J. B. 
Carpenter, W. H. Blakely, M. K. Robinson, A. 
J. Parks, John H. Kroger, G. H. Scoles and 
Dan Merry. A levy of 50 cents on each 
member and a new list enrolled shows only 
twenty-eight names now remained as members. 

At the annual fiiir, 10th, 11th and 12th of 
October, 1861, $84 were distributed in pre- 
miums. March, 1862, new oflBeers were elected 
as follows : W. H. Blakely, President ; R. H. 
McCann, Vice President ; Sam Moffltt, Secre- 
tary, and D. Rinehart, Treasurer. 

In 1862, a new list of members is recorded, 
and it gives 115 names. This was the largest 
list the society had ever obtained, and, one 
would think it betokened prosperity and long 
life. But, in fact, it was the vigor of dying 
spasms. The energy and judgment of the men 
at the head of the movement had been com- 
mendably seconded bj- the people, and some 
most encouraging fairs had been held, but, in 



1862, Ewington began the song of the dying 
swan; and the roar of the battle throughout the 
land, and the " smell of the draft " from afar 
put other thoughts in the heads of the war-like 
men of the county than that of the peaceful 
pumpkin. The admirable Secretary, Sam Mof- 
fitt, wrote out the new list of membership, 
folded the records and put up his pen to rust, 
when, with about every other able-bodied young 
man on the list, he went to the front, where 
baj'onets, not pens, were writing in blood the 
country's historj'. It was well for the mild-eyed, 
fair-faced society- of agriculture to hide away 
and sleep in peace, while war and his wrinkled 
front held sway. In fact, the first Effingham 
Count}' Agricultural Societj' ceased to exist 
after its annual fair in 1801. 

After the lapse of eleven years, and on the 
24th day of August, 1872, there was a meeting 
in the city of Effingham for the purpose of 
organizing the Effingham County Agricultural, 
Horticultural and Mechanical Society'. 

This starts out with regular articles of asso- 
ciation, preamble and constitution and by-laws, 
and is incorporated under the general incorpo- 
ration laws of the State, and J. J. Worman, 
Circuit Clerk, certifies the instrument was filed 
and recorded in his office on the 28th day of 
August, 1872. 

These articles of association are signed bj- 
102 names, including nearly every leading 
farmer and business man in the county, each 
subscriber taking shares of stock, and paying 
in cash a certain proportion thereof at the time 
of subscribing. 

The organization was completed by the 
election of William Gillmore, President ; T. L. 
Sexton, Vice President ; E. H. Bishop, Secre- 
tarj-, and the following Board of Directors ; M. 
V. Parks. Eli Kelly, William C. Wright, I. L. 
Leith and W. H. Blakely. 

The societ}- purchased the northwest quarter 
of the southwest quarter of Section 29, Town- 
ship 8, Range 6 east. This corners with the 



76 



HISTORY OF EFriNGHAM COUNTY. 



southeast corner of the city corporation of the 
citj' of Effingham. 

Lumber was purchased, the grounds elegant- 
ly inclosed, an amphitheater and numerous 
halls, sheds, and stock pens put up and the 
preparations for a great county fair rapidly 
pushed forward. 

December 10, 1872, in order to comply with 
the act of the General Assembly of the State of 
Illinois, the name of the society was changed 
to the " Effingham County Agricultural Board." 

A fixir was ordered to be held commencing 
September 30 and October 1, 2 and 3, 1873, 
and Thomas H. Dobbs was put in charge of 
the fair grounds. 

June 18th, an assessment of an additional 
twenty per cent was ordered on all stock. John 
H. Duffy was appointed Marshal. 

The Secretary's books only incidentally^ men- 
tion the fact that any fair was held at all. It 
appears there was one in 1872 and in 1873, 
and the following entries. tell better what suc- 
cess attended each than anything we can say : 

Received for the fair 1872 $1,110 1.5. 

For the horse fair 2.5 00. 

State appropriation 100 00. 

Received for the fair 1873 1,384 05. 

The books show that the land cost $2,160. 
Including this item, the society paid out for the 
two years of 1872 and 1873, the sum of 
$6,379.20, leaving a balance unpaid of $2,- 
262.23. 

For the year 1873, $1,000 were paid for 
premiums and assistance on the grounds 
for the Secretary. 

In 1873, the officers were S. Hardin, Presi- 
dent; Eli Kelly, Jake Rhodes, E. Avery and 
Samuel Campbell, Directors. A fair was 
ordered to be held October 6, 7, 8 and 9, 1874. 

The records now show a determination to 
draw or " bust," as there is a recorded resolu- 
tion authorizing the President to close the 
bargain for a walking exhibition by E. P. 
Weston (he didn't walk), but the fair must have 



been quite a fair success as the following ac- 
counts indicate. 

Stall rent $ 32 50. 

Permits during fair 419 25. 

Tickets, first day 23 05, 

Tickets, second day 165 30. 

Tickets, third day 551 25. 

Tickets, fourth day 309 75, 

Tickets, fifth day 33 00. 

Season tickets 71 00. 

Rent amphitheater j 5 00. 

Discount on orders 116 00. 

Entree fees, speed ring 88 00. 



Total $1,699 26. 

The association paid out this year altogether 
$4,916.28, leaving a balance unpaid of $2,875.76. 

November 17, 1874, there was a meeting for 
the purpose of electing officers, with following 
result. 

J. L. Gillmore, President. 

Samuel Campbell, Vice President. 

Henry G. Habing, Treasurer. 

James C. Brady, Secretary. 

Directors, M. O'Donnell, Frank Kreke, John 
G. James, Thomas H. Dobbs and I. B. Humes. 

This was the heyday and acme of the glory 
of our county fairs. It began to decline after 
1874, and although most energetic efforts were 
made by the officers — all good and competent 
men, too, yet there was and has been to date 
a continuous diminution of interest in the 
county fairs. The new board of 1S74 ap- 
pointed Albert Gravenhorst Superintendent of 
Grounds. 

In 1875, a fair was held on the 5th, oth, 7th 
and 8th of October. This board commenced the 
struggle to pay off the debts of the society, and 
by this time the whole countr}' was suffering 
from the general stagnation and depression of 
the panic of 1873-78. 

Total receipts 1875, including $100 received 
from State, $779.90. Paid out for this year 
$577.60. Balance in treasury $202.30. This 
was deposited in Habing's bank, and when the 
bank suspended this was all lost. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



77 



Tlie association had purchased the ground 
and given a mortgage upon the same for the 
balance due thereon. This mortgage was fore- 
closed in 187-i, and the ground sold to pay the 
the debt, and this was the final act in the 
second failure to have an agricultural society 
in Effingham. 

It slept the sleep of the just for another 
term of years. 

Finally in 18S0, another meeting of the citi- 
zens resulted in a new County Agricultural 
society. They leased the ground the society 
had once owned, for five years, at a rental of 
$G0 per year. And a fair was held that season, 
E. H. Bishop, President; G. M. Lecrone, Secre- 
tary, J. J. Funkhouser, Superintendent and A. 
Gravenhorst, Treasurer; T. H. Dobbs, Marshal. 
About $500 was the receipts for this year's ex- 



hibition, including the iSlOO from the State. 
There had bceu about S500 subscribed by citi- 
zens, and this was expended in repairs upon 
the grounds and new accommodations for stock. 
In 1881, another fair, and a moderate success 
attended it This year (1882) much effort and 
elaborate preparations were made, and SI, 000 
were expended, and .'JOIG receipts were taken 
in at the gate and for other privileges. The 
attendance was ver3- flattering — there being 
over $500 received as gate monej". This year 
W. C. Wright was President. 

The friends of this county institution now 
feel assured that it is placed permanently upon 
its feet and that it may continue with us for 
many years to benefit and improve the county 
as it will do if properly carried on, is the prayer 
and wish of all our people. 



CHAPTER VI. 



POPUL.\TION, FARM PRODUCTS AND OTHER STATISTICS — FOREIGNERS — OUR OWN PEOPLE AND 

THEIR POLITICS— HUSH MONEY— HOW KEPT AND HOW INVESTED— REMOVAL OF 

COUNTY-SEAT— TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION— RICH MINES — " GOLD, YEA, 

MUCH FINE GOLD"— THE "WAY-BILL," AND WHERE IT LED— 

SALT CREEK SILVER— THE DESERTED CABIN, ETC. 

a few thousand only in the matter of popula, 
TN the order of States when Effingham County tion. While in many things Illinois is the first 



'De omnibus rebus et guibusdam aliis." 
"S the order of States when Effingham County 
was brought into existence, Illinois ranked 
as the twentieth State in the Union, with a 
population of 157,445. In 1840, the State was 
number fourteen, with a population of 470,183. 
In 1850, it numbered eleven, with a population 
of 851,470. In 1860, it ranked as fourth, popu- 
lation 1,711,951. In 1870, it was still the 
fourth State, with 2,539,819 of people. In the 
census of 1880, it was still the fourth State, but 
pressed so closely upon Ohio that it was not 
until every precinct was counted that it could 
be told whether Illinois or Ohio was going to 
be the third State in the Union. Ohio won by 



State in the Union. In farm products, cattle 
and wheat she stands pre-eminent and alone ; 
in producing regularly the largest wheat crops 
of anj" State in the Union; in the matter of 
miles of railroad she is without a rival, and the 
past year more miles of new railroad, and more 
"roads have been projected and in the process of 
building than any other State. 

The population of Effingham County in 1840 
had grown to be 1,675. In 1850, 3,799. In 
1860, to 7,81G. In 1870, to 15,653. In 1840, 
with only 1,675 people in the county, it was a 
dreary desert waste yet, and but few who looked 



78 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



over the wide prairies ever supposed they 
would become inhabitable for man or brought 
under the control of the farmer and to the pres- 
ent progressive state of improvement. 

In 1850, the number here was .3,799, and in 
I860 it had more than doubled, and was 7,816, 
and, in 1870, 15,653, and in 1880 it was 18,- 
858, an increase of only 3,205 in the last ten 
3'ears to 1880. This census shows the curious 
fact that there was a decrease in population in 
three townships, to wit : Mason, 70; Watson, 
54; Teutopolis, 91. 

This decrease of the numbers in these town- 
ships may and probably is fully accounted for 
by the fact that, in 1 870, the work was being 
rapidly pushed to completion on the " Van ' 
Railroad. 

In 1870, the chief productions of the county 
were — wheat, 195,793 bushels ; rye, 19,759 ; 
corn, 620,247 ; oats, 386,073 ; potatoes, 54,671; 
hay, 11,361 tons; butter, 210,155 pounds; 
wool, 35,650. There were 4,907 horses, 4,316 
milch cows, and other cattle 5,833; sheep, 13,- 
228; swine, 17,259; flour-mills, 8; saw-mills, 
12, and "Ave manufactories of saddlery, and two 
of woolen goods. 

In 1880, Joseph Rhodes, of Mound Township, 
is reported one hundred years old. Richard 
and Elizabeth Greotke, of Bishop, are reported 
the oldest married couple in the count}' — aged 
eightj'-seven years. C3'ntha Rentfro is reported 
ninety-three years old. David Davis and Aug. 
Grobenheiser same age, and Dedrick Stumbach 
and Adam Hany each eighty-nine years old. 

In 1882, by official reports, the county pos- 
sessed horses, 5.039; cattle, 9,435; mules, 810; 
sheep, 6,580; hogs, 10,325; steam engines, 38; 
fire and burglar safes, 38; billiard and bagatelle 
tables, 18; carriages and wagons, 2,625; watches 
and clocks, 2,496; sewing-machines, 1,403; 
pianos, 75; melodeons and organs, 147; patent 
rights, 1; household and office furniture, $51,- 
965; merchandise on hand, §66,913 ; manu- 
factured articles, $2,140 ; agricultural imple- 



ments, $32,747. A total personal property, 
$499,638. Total property assessed, $2,401,395. 
Total improved land, 191,710 acres; unim- 
proved, 90,479. Acreage of wheat, 38,699 ; of 
corn, 43,525 ; oats, 27,438 ; meadow, 24,785 ; 
pastures, 33,686; orchards, 2.185; wood land, 
53,482 acres. 

The vote in 1880 was— 

Hancock (Democrat.) 3,4.52 

Garfield (Republican) 1,35.5 

Weaver (Greenback) ] 00 

Total 3,907 

In 1860, there were in the county 982 foreign 
born inhabitants; in 1870, there were 2,795. 
There were comparatively few foreigners in the 
county except Germans, and the majority of 
these came here between 1840 and 1860. 

The nativity in the count}- in 1870 is re- 
ported as follows; Born in the State, 7,323; in 
Ohio, 1,783 ; New York, 455 ; Pennsylvania, 
376; Indiana, 1,377; Kentucky, 391; British 
America, 77; England and Wales, 117; Ire- 
land, 228; Scotland, 21; Germany, 2,121; France, 
58; Sweden and Norway, 63; Switzerland, 46; 
Bohemia, 1; Holland, 4; Denmark, 23. The 
Tennesseans are not reported. This is to be 
regretted, because all the first settlers here 
were from that State, and for a long time there 
were here comparatively none except Tennes- 
seans and Ohioans. And, as singular as it 
maj' now seem, at first the people of these two 
States were much inclined to hold aloof from 
each other. The truth was, the Ohioans 
brought here about the first Whig votes that 
were ever cast to disturb the peace and quiet of 
the solid Hickory Democrats, and sometimes on 
general election days there were mutterings, 
and a few fist fights flowed out of this ripple in 
the political affairs of the county. One or two 
of the remaining remnants of those earl}' day 
Whigs can j'et tell jou how they shouldered 
their gun and marched up to the polls and 
voted their viva voce vote against Gen. Jack- 
son, and how they had to march up between a 



HISTORY OF EFFLNGHAM COUNTY. 



79 



row of " by the eternals " that were strung out 
on either side and looking black thunder at 
them all the way up to the ballot box. But no 
attack was ever made upon a voter as he ap- 
proached the polls or returned. It was only 
after the brave Whig had triumphantly voted 
and returned to the convenient doggery to treat 
his victory, that a row or a fight ever was 
precipitated. But these Ohioans were young, 
stout, fearless fellows, and their pluck and hard 
fists soon conquered a truce, a peace and amity, 
and so much was this so, indeed, that scarcely 
any of them, that lived to survive the dissolu- 
tion of the Whig party, but that in the end be- 
came as strong Democrats as ever had been the 
originals. 

The two things that were marked eras in the 
history of the county were the constructing of 
the Cumberland Road and the Central Road. 
The work on the Cumberland practically 
brougiit the first settlers here, and it left here 
some of the most marked characters that the 
early county ever had. 

The work was commenced in 1829 in this 
county, and the cutting out of the timber on 
the line of road was completed in the winter of 
1830-31. The work was pushed to practical 
completion a short distance west of Ewington, 
and then with scattering work at the streams as 
far west as Vandalia, such as a levee across the 
Okaw Bottom, and three bridges at that place, 
had exhausted the appropriations of Congress, 
and the people of Illinois, becoming crazed over 
the foolish State policy, were divided in senti- 
ment to the extent (some wanted it to go to 
Alton and others to St. Louis) tliat no further 
approptiations were procured, and the great 
work was stopped. To this count}- it was a 
most important public work. It gave the people 
access to the outside world, where before they 
had been pent up by almost impossible obsta- 
cles. People could go to Terre Haute and St. 
Louis, and thus reach markets and sell the little 
portable stuff they had, and buy sucli things as 



their necessities demanded and haul them home. 
But the growth of county improvements was 
slow indeed. The county, like the people gen- 
erally, was poor, and while they made com- 
mendable efforts, yet often the money was 
wasted through being expended by inexperi- 
enced or ignorant men. 

Hush Money. — February 17, 1837, the State 
had gone daft on the subject of internal im- 
provements, and it had passed a law that it 
supposed would fill up the State with railroads 
and canals, and in order to " infloonce " the vote 
of counties that were not provided for with any 
such improvement, it voted a fund of $200,000 
to be given pro rata to such counties as a bonus. 
Thus, all were made happy. '• Take a railroad, 
a canal or the money," and go thy way rejoic- 
ing. 

This county got neither a road nor canal, and 
hence at the November (1837) terra of the 
County Commissioners' Court the following pro- 
ceedings were had: 

Whereas, On February 17, 1837, the State of Il- 
linois appropriated $200,000 of the first money tliat 
shall be obtained under this act, to be drawn by the 
several counties in a ratable proportion to the cen- 
sus last made through which no railroad or "Can- 
nell" is provided, to be made at tlie expense and 
cost of the State of lUinois, which said money shall 
be expended in the improvement of roads, construct- 
ing bridges and other public works; and, 

^Vhereas, The county of Effingham has none of 
the aforementioned railroads or "Cannells," and 
thereby is entitled to its proportionate share of the 
aforesaid appropriation for the better securing of 
the county in its equitable rights. 

John Funkhouser was appointed a Special 
County Commissioner to proceed at once and 
secure, " b}- all lawful means," the money, and 
deliver the same to the county. 

Funkhouser did the best he could, but failed 
to get the mone}-. In about a year afterward, 
Lo}' was appointed in Funkhouser's place, and 
got from the State $2,037.50 as Ettingham's 
share of the public money. 

The Commissioners' Court, consisting of Gil- 



80 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



lenwaters, Funkhouser and Parkhurst, together 
with the Count}- Treasurer, were in the greatest 
distress over having the money which they had 
struggled so hard to get. Where could they 
put it? Would it be stolen? The County 
Treasurer declared he could not sit up all the 
time to guard it, and to go to sleep threatened 
a total loss. A council was called, when one 
of the Judges, after an oath of secrecy from the 
others, took it in charge, carried it home, and 
while all the world slept, he took down his 
wife's big reticule, made to hold bean seed, and 
hung b}' a string from a cross-beam above the 
bed, and took out the old lady's treasure and 
put that of the county's in its place, and re- 
turned it, and there it hung, looking as inno- 
cent as any old woman's seed-bag in the countj'. 
There was much talk and excitement among all 
the people when this large amount of monej^ 
came to the count}'. Some would have liked to 
have seen it, but most were content to hear, 
from morn till night, the story of its really be- 
ing here, and spread their eyes at the marvel- 
ous rehearsal. 

What will we do with it? was the prevailing 
question. J udge Gillenwater's idea was to loan 
it out to " squatters " to enter their improve- 
ments with, and then take the land for security; 
give a low interest, and thus create a perpetual 
county improvement fund. Evidently this was 
a good idea. Tlie court overruled it, however, 
and the money was devoted to building bridges 
for the county. As soon as the bridges could 
be located, they were built, and the next spring 
the freshets washed them all away. 

This was the end of the great hush money 
scheme, and while it is certainly ridiculous 
enough, it is no more so than was the experi- 
ence of many other counties which took rail- 
roads in their share of the booty. 

In 1859 the question of the removal of the 
county seat from Ewington to Effingham, which 
had been agitated for a short time, came before 
the people in the form of a general election, 



the Legislature having passed an act authoriz- 
ing the election and the removal, in case a ma- 
jority so voted. 

The campaign was short and warm. Effing- 
ham was nothing but a hamlet, while Ewington 
had about 200 people in it; but the former had 
the advantage of being on the railroad, and 
Ewington was over three miles away. The 
friends of the latter contended that it would be 
on a railroad as soon as the. " Brough " road 
was built; but the complete reply to this was 
that when the " Brough" was built Effingham 
would have two roads — be at a crossing, and, 
better than all, at a crossing of two of the best 
railroads in the State. By a small majority, 
Effingham carried the day, and great was the 
rejoicing here of the few people who were then 
its inhabitants. 

At the April term (1860) of the County Court, 
the following proceedings were had: 

Whereas, By act of the Legislature, April 18, 
1859, " an act to re-locate the county seat of Effing- 
ham," an election was held in the county on the first 
Monday of September, 1859, and a majority voted to 
remove the county seat from Ewington to Effing- 
ham; and, 

"WTiereas, Samuel W. Little and David B. Alex- 
ander are the owners of the block known as the Old 
Square in the town of Broughton (now Effingham), 
and have ofEered to deed the same free of expense 
to the county; and, 

" Whereas, S. W. Little, John M. Mette, George 
Wright, George H. Scoles, John J. Funkhouser and 
W. B. Cooper have entered into a bond to erect 
thereon a court-house, as specified in said bond, free 
of expense to the county, in case said block shall be 
selected by the County Court." 

It was ordered by the court to accept said 
block, and approve the bond offered, and to 
permit said S. W. Little and others to proceed 
at once to the erection of said court house. 

Thus was officially sealed the fate of the 
once ambitious and high-minded little town of 
Ewington. As matters turned out it was trul}' 
saying to it "over the hills, to the poor-house." 

At the general election of 1860 the question 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUXTY. 



83 



of township organization was submitted to the 
people, and was carried in favor of such ar- 
rangement. Men voted for and against the 
project, icnowing very little about it, and it is 
now onl}' after twentj- 3-ears of trial are they 
able to impartially judge whether it is a good 
or a bad thing. There is no certaintj' that it 
will ever be voted down, yet there is no ques- 
tion in the minds of manj- — man}-, too, of the 
best informed men in the count}-, that it is a 
public calamity. To this it is easy to reply. 
If so, why is it not voted down ? This objec- 
tion is not unanswerable. The American peo- 
ple have a general itch for ottice, and as this 
township organization creates innumerable 
pettj- offices all over the count}' — so multiplies 
and divides them up, as to open a promise to 
nearly every voter, that the average voter 
will not vote away from himself even tiie dim- 
mest hope and prospect for a place, and, there- 
fore, it is immaterial to him whether he is vot- 
ing for the good or bad, he will vote for him- 
self anyhow and at all hazards. The history 
of the county, since under the care and man- 
agement of a Board of Supervisors, in many 
transactions would not invite a rigid scrutiny. 
It is unnatural to expect sixteen men, each 
representing a little imaginary subdivision of 
the county, with each of these heated up with 
a still more imaginary interest, in direct oppo- 
sition to all the remainder of the county, to 
get together and exercise either much judg- 
ment or discretion on any important question. 
The foundation idea of such government is a 
broad and radical mistake, and now that we 
have this deeply disguised blessing, it is idle 
and vain for the people to mutter and grumble. 
In thoughtless ignorance they have made the 
bed that they must lie upon. 

On the 22d day of April, 1861, the first 
County Board of Supervisors met and organ- 
ized, by the election of David Leith as chair- 
man for the year. The following are the town- 
ships and their Supervisors : 



• West, William Gillmore ; Moccasin, Ashby 
Tipsword ; Liberty, Thomas D. Tennery ; Ma- 
son, David Leith; Jackson,' Jethro Herald; 
Summit, U. C. Webb ; Union, Calvin Zimmer- 
man ; Watson, John Mundy ;^ Mound, William 
D. Doore ; Douglas, John F. Kroeger ; Lucas, 
William D. Lake ; Bishop, James Beard ; St. 
Francis, John J. Worman ; City of Effingham, 
John J. Funkhou.ser. 

Golcondas. — From the earliest settlements 
there has been a widespread belief in the ex- 
istence in the county of all kinds of mines of 
the precious ores, especially silver. These 
stories doubtless came from the idlest Indian 
stories and traditions. To start with, it is 
most probable that in fact the first men here 
in their dreams of wealth and luxury would 
meet the Indians, about whom they all held a 
silly superstition that the red men were Incas 
in hidden wealth — that they prowled around in 
wind and storms, starved, all this week and 
gorged one day next week — that they loved to 
do this because they were Indians, and because 
they loved to keep sacred the secret of their 
immeasurable wealth in gold and silver mines, 
that they kept hid and covered away from the 
white man as the religion of their lives. Filled 
to the hat baud with these foolish traditions 
and stories, the pioneer followed often the 
promptings of this dream, when he plunged 
into the deep woods, seeking the association 
and companionship of the savage, in the hope 
of winning his good graces, and at the same 
time his secrets of hidden, precious mines. 
Thus prepared beforehand, he was ready to lis- 
ten most eagerly to any silly story he could 
extort, and the cunning savage, perceiving here 
was an opportunity to gull his white victim, 
poured into his ear, in good Indian style, that 
is, in very cunning and remarkable parables 
that were so distinguishing of the race who 
were 

"Born in the wildwood — rocked on the wave," 
and the more incomprehensible they were, the 



84 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



more extravagant the figures, the wilder and 
more dimly the language in which the great 
secret was couched, the more convincing was 
the story to the credulous hunter. 

This singular and incurable faith in a quasi- 
superhuman species of power and knowledge is 
one of the most unaccountable phases of the white 
man's ignorant credulity. In the quack adver- 
tised " Indian doctors " and the yet baser stories 
of some wonderful cure-all that a certain mission 
ary who had spent his life among the savages, 
and had wormed the great secret from them, 
and then, feeling the fate and perennially re- 
newed life of all mankind had fallen upon him 
like a mantle, had stolen away from his red 
children, with his purloined secret, and been 
followed, pursued and tracked by the relentless 
barbarian, wiio would rather die than give up 
his secret. But the Christian hero and thief 
fled on and on and on, turning gray every time 
he looked back at the pursuing villains, and 
turning white every time he saw the sharp, 
gleaming scalping knife ; yet on he sped like 
the wind. And how he jumped on the back of 
the flying buffalo, and stood there like ada- 
mant, shooting down millions of howling, pur- 
suing savages, and then from sheer hunger de- 
vouring the frightened buffalo belore he had 
time to stop and lie down and die like a com- 
mon bufl"alo — how he scaled mountains, swam 
rivers, fought wild cats, killed panthers and 
fled on and on, bearing his great secret, and 
finally how he ran exhausted into the arms of 
a Samaritan, and gasped out his great secret 
and died ; and hence, Dr. Pillgarlic advertises, 
solely out of charity, for all to buy his great 
Indian remedy, and live forever without ache 
or pain. The hundreds that flock to the Indian 
doctor, and the thousands who .gulp down the 
great Indian remedy are the evidences that 
these ignorant superstitions still course in the 
veins of the descendants of not only the pio- 
neers, but of nearly all men. How pitifully 
ignorant these poor dupes must be not to know 



that a wild Indian not onl}' knew nothing 
about medicine, but was so ignorant of all dis- 
eases and their cures that some tribes were 
almost annihilated by the small-pox from 
jumping into the river to cool off the hot fever 
of that terrible disease. 

These stories of wealth floated around among 
the earlj' settlers, and the}' are floating yet, 
Some of the most implicit believers deny now 
that thej- ever believed, 3'et could j'ou unwind 
their secret confidence, 3'ou would there find a 
faith, like an Eastern devotee — that if they only 
had a ball made of all precious metals, it would 
point out to them where the secrets are hidden. 
The writer has talked to more than one of these 
men, and kept his face duly sober while they 
related to him the glories and Virtues of this 
precious " ball " — the key that infallibly un- 
locks the earth's treasures. When asked how 
the ball was made, who made it and what was 
it.s secret of knowledge, they could give no ex- 
planation, except that it was composed in some 
curious, occult way, by some man magician 
unknown ; it possessed parts of all the precious 
metals in tlie world, and, therefore, it had a 
sympathy and love for its kind, and upon the 
presumption it was gregarious, like a cow, so 
that when carried over the surface, where the 
riches lay beneath, in some way, they could 
not explain how, it told its secret to the bearer, 
and then he dug down and found the precious 
fellow metals. When one of these " ball " faith 
fellows was asked huw many kinds of precious 
metals there were in the world, he replied, 
with much contempt for the ignorance that the 
question implied : " Why, gold, silver, diamonds 
and lead, of course ! " 

In the south part of our county, there are 
j'et many living who can tell you all about the 
story of the '■ way-bill," which is so unique that 
it should not be allowed to be forgotten. 

A great many years ago, two Frenchmen, 
impelled, perhaps, by inspiration, followed some 
sign in the heavens and their noses, and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



85 



through flood and field, and begirt by dangers, 
and kept alive b}" constant miracles, they pur- 
sued their jounie^v, detennincd to llnd the rich- 
est and greatest silver mines in tlic world, and 
finally the}- landed on the classic bluffs (jf 
Salt Creek, or on the Wabash, and cointnenced 
the work of digging as directed. The belief 
was that they only went down a few inches, or 
feet, at most, when they began to uncover their 
treasure. They were as secret as death in all 
their movements, yet the Indian found them 
out, and warned them upon peril of their lives 
to leave. The}' set about hiding their tracks, 
and when this was thoroughlj- done thej- stole 
out in the darkness and started for New Or- 
leans. On the way to the Mississippi River, 
the}- cautiously blazed or marked their route 
and kept a clear and correct record that would 
enable them to find their way back some time 
or other. They eventually found their wa}' to 
New Orleans. The description of the route as 
they traveled was the " way-bill." 

All our people had heard of this way-bill, 
and one of Effingham's most ambitious men 
went to New Orleans on the hunt of the.se 
Frenchmen, or at least to get the inestimable 
wa3--bill. Three long, toilsome, (,lisappointing 
years were spent in this hunt, and no traces 
were found of either the men or the precious 
document. 

Finally, when hope had fled and despair had 
come, and the baffled seeker was about to re- 
trace his sad and disappointed steps back to 
Effingham, chance, strange chance, the jade that 
pla5's so many pranks in this world, found our 
hero at a cheap Irish boarding-house in New 
Orleans, preparatory to a start, as deck passen- 
ger, on a cheap stern- wheel boat the next morn- 
ing for St. Louis and home. With a heavy 
heart and a light pocket-book, he went to bed, 
purchance to sleep, if the fleas and the other 
regular boarders that never missed a meal nor 
paid a cent, happened to be out. But there 
was none of the chance above spoken of here, 



and the " solitar}' might have been," but wasn't, 
by a heavy plurality, sleeping, but he tossed 
like a pup in high r3-e, and scr.atched like a 
civil service reformer. He might liave thus 
perished alive, but a French groan from a lowly 
cot about ten leet from his regal bunk aroused 
his attention. The groan was repeated in 
broken English, and our hero understood this 
so well th.at he passed over, like a gazelle in 
deshabille, or — or like a deshabille in agazelleor, 
or somehow, he found himself at the sickman's 
disconsolate bedside, when he kicked up his 
heels, and with an expiring ha ! ha ! handed 
our hero a brown crumpled paper that had a 
Salt Creek- Wabash-Effingham look about it. 

The Way-bill ! the Way bill ! cried the 
Efflnghammer, aud the dead man said nothing. 
Thus man proposes and Heaven disposes; our 
hero was rich enough next morning to take his 
breakfast at his boarding-house, and two 
bracers for his appetite, and this enabled him 
to work his passage to St. Louis. 

He leisurel}- walked out home from St. Louis 
after night, and early the next morning, with 
three or four trusted friends, commenced to fol- 
low the signs pointed out by the wav-bill. They 
were led bj^ it down into tlie deepest woods, and 
most rugged hills of the Wabash, where the}- 
discovered a cabin. Attempting to approach 
this, a man met them, and with cocked rifle to 
his shoulder, warned them not to trespass on 
his demesne or he would shoot. They heroic- 
ally retreated, and the news spread like wild- 
fire all over the county that the silver was 
found, and it was in the possession of an armed 
Gorgon. Never was a county so shaken with 
excitement. A place of rendezvous was ap- 
pointed a short distance below Ewington, and 
the earliest dawn of the appointed day wit- 
nessed tiie squad and the lone horseman, re- 
pairing to the appointed place, each supplied 
with the family meal-sack to carry home his 
anticipated silver. The army of invasion was 
duly organized, and commanders appointed, 



86 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



and tramp, tramp, tramp the squadrons with 
meal sack and grubbing-hoes and flint-locks 
advanced. 

The serried columns and serious cohorts 
moved across the virgin prairie, rousing up the 
sleeping " greenheads " and disturbing the 
matins of the prairie frogs. Not a drum was 
heard, not a funeral nor a bank note disturbed 
their happy hearts until they had reached the 
fated woods, when, by common consent, they 
breathed softer and softer. When very near 
the delicious spot a short halt was called, and 
three of the best and bravest set forward to re- 
connoiter and parle}' with the shooting possessor. 
Forward went these brave fellows, when thej' 
soon came within sight of the cabin. They 
rode slower and slower, peering in every direc- 
tion for the man they wanted and dreaded to 
see; when suddenly, just as they had settled 
in the glorious hope he had vanished and gone, 
like a phantom he stood before them, looking 
along his gun and ordering, " Halt ! The man 
that crosses that line," pointing to a log, " is a 
dead man." These three leaders were Samuel 
Fortne}', Sam Fleming and Brockett. 

The horse of one of the three had just put 
his fore feet over the log, and the now fright- 
ened animal wanted to get over, and the worse 
frightened rider wanted to get back, because, 
as he afterward said, he was looking into the 
mouth of the fellow's gun, and it " looked big 



enough to crawl into," and he knew if the 
horse's hind feet passed over the log, he would 
be, in the words of man in front of him, '• a 
dead man." 

The three retreated, and reported with chat- 
tering teeth to their reserve army what they 
had met. A council was held, and a pell-mell 
retreat was in full order instantl}'. 

" Pallida mors fquo pede pulsat.''^ 

In after 3'ears, some boys who had grown up 
in ignorance of this dangerous spot, wandering 
through the woods, came upon a deserted cabin, 
and they rumaged the premises, finding man}^ 
curious things, furnace, melting pots, etc., etc. 

The}' reported what they had found and 
people repaired to the place, and it was finally 
developed that here had been the home of a 
man who followed the enterprising business of 
making counterfeit monej-. The little improve- 
ments had been made, it is believed, b}' a man 
named Wallace, and he did not intend his 
privacy to be imposed upon by too many curi- 
ous and prying eyes. This visiting army had 
probably warned him to pack up and quietly 
leave the country, which, it seems, he did. 
How long he had been gone, before it was 
known that the mines were open to the pub- 
lic, is not known. But one thing all admit, no 
member of the invading army has ever yet 
ventured to the spot that he, years ago, left iu 
such precipitate disgust. 




HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



87 



CHAPTER VII, 



WAR HISTORY— OUR STRUGGLE WITH MEXICO— 

KFFINGHAMS PART m IT— T'ilE PRESS— • 

—OTHER NEWSPAPERS AND THEIR 

" Is the Pea mightier tlian the Sword?" 

THE spirit of war, the adiniratiou for the 
"loud alarums," the martial music of fife 
and drum, the love of battle's maguiflccut stern 
array have marked all the historj- of the people 
of this count}-. In another place we have no- 
ticed the fact, that a full representation were in 
the Black Hawk war, in 1832, even before the 
young county had a completed organized exist- 
ence. 

On the 14th day of May, 1847, under the 
second call for Illinois volunteers to go to 
Mexico, the following soldiers left Effingham 
for the rendezvous at Alton, namely : 

W. J. Hankins, Samuel Hankins, Dennis 
Kelly, George Zears, Jonathan Tucker, James 
Tucker, James Porter, Andrew J. Parks, Will- 
iam Parks, Samuel Parks, T. D. Reynolds, D. 
C. Loy, Emanuel Cronk, David Perkins, Stephen 
Co}', William Ashle}', Samuel Fortnej^^ames 
Martin, James Green, Joseph Harris, Huram 

Maxfield, Dr. Shindle, Mat. H. Gillespie, 

Duncan, T. J. Gillenwaters, James Gillenwaters, 
Dennis Elder, Tillman Clark, William Bryant, 
Reed Funk, Mathias Lecrone, John L. Baker, 
J Henry Phillipps, Browning, J. W. Lee. 

These thirty-six men were added to Capt. 
Harvey Lee's Company, of Payette County, H. 
W. Goodc, First Lieutenant, and William J. 
Hankins, Second Lieutenant. This company 
formed a part of the Ninth Regiment, under 
command of Col. Collins. On the 3d day of 
April, 1848, they started for Mexico, and went 
via New Orleans to Tampico, from there to 



SOLDIERS FURNISHED— THE GREAT REBELLION— 
•EFFI.NGHAM PIONEER"— THE ••REGISTER" 
SUCCESS AND INFLUENCE. ETC., ETC. 

Vera Cruz, and from thence to the City of Mex- 
ico. They were, unfortunately, attached to 
that part of the army under Gen. Scott that 
was restricted to camp dutj- almost entirelj', 
not being in a single battle, and were practically 
deprived of partaking in an}' field operations. 
To this, probably, was due the great amount of 
sickness that afflicted the men during their en- 
tire service. Andrew J. Parks and Samuel 
Parks died of sickness at Puebla. When we 
asked the old Sergeant of the company, Sam 
Fortney, to again, as he had in the long j-ears 
ago, call the morning roll; out of the thirty -six, 
except Samuel Hankins, Jonathan Tucker, 
James Tucker, D. C. Loy, E. Kronk, David 
Perkins, Stephen Coy, William Ashley, Samuel 
Fortney, James Martin, M. H. Gillispie, T. J. 
Gillenwaters, Reed Funk, Mathias Lecrone and 
J. W. Lee, are all that are living. The others 
have passed life's fitful fever, and gone to an- 
swer roll-call at the high court of God. 

The command returned to their homes, the 
war being over in Jul}', 1849. 

The Civil War. — Twelve years after the close 
of the Mexican, the clouds of battle again gath- 
ered over the unhappy country; unhappy, in- 
deed, in this war, because it was a civil war, 
called civil, probably, because such wars are 
always marked with unusual fierceness and 
atrocity. A family quarrel is, as a rule, the 
most unreasonable and vindictive, the feud 
more difficult to forget, and the bone of conten- 
tion more trifling than any other species of 
difficulties. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



In 1861, the great rebellion had assumed its 
portentous shape. Fort Sumter was fired 
upon, and a flying trip from Mobile or New 
Orleans, to St. Paul or any other Northern city, 
was accompanied along the entire route night 
and daj", with one continuous strain of marshal 
music. In the South in every breeze, from 
every house-top, flag pole or steeple, fluttered 
the confederate flags. In the North, the same 
shrill fife and beating drum was heard, but the 
flag of the Union floated everywhere; the peo- 
ple had, with apparently one impulse, left their 
houses and wandered upon the streets and 
highways. The children laughed and shouted 
their pleasure in uncontrolled delight ; strong 
men buckled on their armor and cheered the 
flag, and exultant shouts of patriotism rang out 
upon the air. In a night the spirit of slaughter 
had been turned loose. The country called 
to arms, and there were hasty partings of dis- 
tress, and tears, and sighs, and aching hearts, 
and war, fatricidal war was upon us. Twenty- 
one j'ears have passed away since then; nearly 
a life time, with healing wings, has come with 
its ministerings to the scars of war — the great 
red gaps of battle. A new generation has 
arisen, and " rebel " and " yank " are mostly 
sleeping«peacefully in their windowless tombs, 
side by side often, and j-et the evils of that 
hour of bad passions awakened are not all 
gone, and who can tell when the happ}- ending 
will come. It is no purpose of this chapter to 
write the history of that blood}' and cruel war, 
or of the whj* and wherefore of its horrid vis- 
itation, but, upon the contrary, to say a few 
words of what the people of the county did do 
in the trying ordeal that came without any vo- 
lition from them. 

During the war, Illinois furnished the army 
225,300 men, of itself a great army. There are 
102 counties in the State, and this would be an 
average to the county of a fraction less than 
2,000 men. Although Effingham was among 
the smallest of the counties, j-et there is no 



doubt she furnished fully 2,000 soldiers, from 
first to last, and yet her people did not escape 
the draft. The county furnished twelve regu- 
larly organized full companies, besides several 
squads of men, and quite a large number that 
were taken in small squads to different camps 
in this State and Missouri, and there were scat- 
tered among regiments from nearly all the 
States. The largest of any one bodj' of these, 
which may be determined descriptively as 
stragglers, were about 400, taken to Missouri 
by Charley Kinsey and Sam Winters. 

The news that actual war had commenced 
and the Government published its call for 75,- 
000 soldiers, had reached Effingham on a cer- 
tain Friday in April, 1861. Col. J. W. Filler 
and John L. Wilson talked the matter over, 
and Filler closed his printing office, and he 
and Wilson commenced to raise a company. 
Saturday morning they had two men and then 
telegraphad Gov. Yates that their company was 
ready and awaiting orders. On the following 
Tuesday the company, 102 strong, started for 
Springfield. Filler, Captain, J. H. Lacy, First 
and George W. Parks, Second Lieutenants. In 
the language of Col. Filler, " every one of them 
a Democrat." The company was literall}' re- 
cruited in a daj-, and was the finest looking lot 
of soldiers that ever left the countj'. A meet- 
ing of the citizens was held at the court house 
on Monday before the company was to start, 
the house was packed with people, speeches, 
songs, drums and fifes added to the sudden 
outburst of enthusiasm of all the people. Dur- 
ing the meeting a suggestion was made to pass 
the hat and raise money to subsist the coun- 
try's defenders on their way to Springfield. It 
was carried around and 62^ cents was the gross 
proceeds thereof, whereupon Filler spoke just a 
minute, the substance being that if there was 
a man in his company that he knew would be 
as bashful in facing the enemy as that crowd 
was in facing the " saucer" he would then and 
there shoot him dead. This brought out Lowry 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



Leith with the response, " Filler, that is worth 
$10!" and in five minutes $00 or $70 was raised, 
and happilj' and with plenty to eat on the road, 
the companj- went to Springfield and went into 
camp in a brick-j-ard. These were ninety-day 
men and among the first that were on the 
ground. From Springfield they were sent to 
Bird's Point, Mo., where they served out their 
term. Capt. Lucius M. Rose succeeded Filler 
as Captain upon his promotion to Lieutenant 
Colonel. 

After this, in the next call for troops, three 
companies were raised, as follows: Col. Funk- 
houser, Capt. 0. L. Kelly and Capt. McCracken, 
each a company that went in the Ninetj-'Cighth 
Illinois Regiment of Infantr}-. This might be 
called the EtHingham Regiment. The field 
and staff were John J. Funkhouser, Colonel; 
W. B. Cooper, Major; J. H. J. Lacy, Adjutant. 
William McCracken, Company C, with Stephen 
I. Williams, First, and John P. Powell, Second 
Lieutenants. Williams resigned in 1862, De- 
cember 19, when Powell was promoted to First 
and Henrj' S. Watson made Seconil Lieutenant. 
In Company B, David D. Marquis was Captain, 
A. W. Lecrone, Captain Company F. Capt. 
0. L. Kelly was killed September 8, 1862, and 
A. S. Moffitt became Captain, and William 
Tarrant First Lieutenant. Capt. Dobbs raised 
a full company and joined the Thirtj'-fifth 
Illinois Infantry, Col. G. A. Smith. His Lieu- 
tenants were Jesse D. Jennings and Nelson 
Staats. Capt. Dobbs was severely- wounded 
and resigned October 14, 1862, when Jennings 
became Captain and Joseph Moore First Lieu- 
tenant. In 1862, Capt. Presley B. O'Dear, 
Merritt Redden, First, and John F. Barkley, 
Second, Lieutenants, recruited a companj- and 
joined the Fifty-fourth Regiment, Illinois In- 
fantry. Capt. J. P. M. Howard, D. P. IMurphy, 
First, and John Loy, Second, and Capt. D. L. 
Horn and Capt. David Young each entered the 
service with a company of men for the 100 
days' service. 



Col. Funkhousor's Companj- had S. A. New- 
comb First Lieutenant and D. P. Murphy Sec- 
ond. This company was a part of the Twent\'- 
sixth Illinois Infantry, Col, Loomis. The regi- 
ment were at Camp Yates, and were sent to 
Palmyra, Mo., which place they guarded two 
weeks before they got guns, and in this time 
they used clubs as a substitute. From this 
service Funkhouser returned and raised the 
Ninet3--eighth Regiment. 

Capt. H. D. Caldwell raised the first and 
only cavalry company in the county. It was 
made a part of the Fifth Illinois Cavalry. This 
company was mustered into the service in 
September, 1861. The compan}- went to Ben- 
ton Barracks, Pilot Knob, Greenville, Reeves 
Station, Pocahontas and Smithville, Ark. At 
Davison thej- were in the field skirmish, and in 
the next brush, at Strawberry River, Ark., 
Marion Welker was killed and Sylvester Nye 
wounded. Next at Greenville, and Cherokee 
Bay, Mo., they were in two brisk little fights. 
This company were at the siege of Vicksburg, 
and then had a long and dangerous march, 
with skirmishing all the way to Champion Hill 
and return. 

When Capt. Dobbs had sufficiently recovered 
from his wound, he raised a compau}- of 100- 
day men, and this company served in the One 
Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regiment, when the 
Captain returned home and raised a companj- 
for the One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiment. 
Thus this one man put in the service over 300 
soldiers, and although badly wounded at Pea 
Ridge battle, he served in the ranks during 
nearly the entire war. 

Our county was almost depopulated of its 
young and able-bodied men, the people who 
remained at home earnestlj- and literally 
aided and encouraged those who were in the 
field. The Board of Supervisors made liberal 
and generous donations from the County Treas- 
ury- for bounty money to be paid those who 
volunteered. And the State laws show that, 



90 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



while the board in several cases acted without 
authority, 5'et the Legislature promptly' ratified 
and legalized ever^'thing that looked toward 
promoting the war. The people and count}' 
were true to those strong characteristics that 
have marked them from the foundation of the 
county, namelj', to vote the Democratic ticket 
straight, and fight upon the slightest pretext. 

When the cruel war was over, this great 
body of men that were left alive, returned to 
their homes, and the better occupations of 
peace, and resumed their places among the 
leading and best citizens of the count}'. And 
this may well be said to their great credit. 
Our county suffered less, although it had fur- 
nished so proprotionatelj' large a number of men 
from the war, demoralization £vnd dissipation, 
and venality than probably an}- other county in 
the State. It has been said that the invention 
of gunpowder was one of the strong forces in 
the march of the human mind toward 
civilization. This is true; and it may be 
said for the people of EtBngham County the 
late unfortunate war was a great school for 
many of our people. It taught them something 
of the geography and greatness of their own ' 
country; it placed them in direct contact with | 
men from every section of the Union — from 
nearly every State and county. To the time 
of the breaking-out of the war the ignorant 
Yankee looked upon the people of Southern 
Illinois as but little above the brute, and the 
people returned the compliment in full, not for 
a moment dreaming that a stupid Yankee was 
a human being in any respect. They very well 
averaged in their mutual respect and ignorance 
of each other. 

It is now nearly eighteen years since the 
war closed. We are told by those who have 
revisited some of the terrible, bloody battle- 
fields, that kind nature has there been busy cov- 
ering over, and hiding away from sight the 
signs and marks of the fell strife and slaugh- 
ter. Even the long, slim trenches, where were 



buried the killed, as they were put away sim- 
ply wrapped in their blankets, are now hard to 
trace. Let the white robed angel of peace 
drop a tear upon all memories of the unfortu- 
nate civil war, and blot them out forever. 

The Press. — The record of the newspaper 
press of a county, if it has happened to fall 
into the hands of men competent to make it 
fully discharge its duty, ought to be the one 
most important page in the county's history. 
One of the first and greatest things that al- 
ways could be said of our nation, was it has a 
free press. No man has to be licensed or se- 
lected by a paternal Government, either to 
print a book or publish a paper. It has been 
circumscribed by no law except natural selec- 
tion. Any one who wishes could start a paper, 
anywhere and at any time, and say anything 
on earth he desired to say, barring only an occa- 
sional heavy boot-toe and the law of libel. If 
he chose not to bo suppressed, there was no 
power to suppress him. If he was persecuted 
or thrashed by some outraged citizen, it is 
not certain but that he always got the best of 
the difficulty, especially when he would begin 
to prate about the ''palladium of American lib- 
erties.'* The wisest act of our Government in 
all its history was the unbridling the press. 
It was the seed planted in good soil for its own 
perpetuity, and the happiness and welfare of its 
people. To make the press absolutely free, 
especially after the centuries of vile censorship 
over it, was an act of wisdom transcending iu 
importance the original invention of movable 
types. A free press makes, without so much 
as the saying of it. free speech, free schools, 
free intelligence and freedom, and when the 
storms of State come, and the mad waves of 
popular ignorance and passion beat the ship of 
State, then, indeed, is a free press the beacon, 
light shining out upon the troubled waters. 

The coming of the Bohemian — that sphynx 
of the black letter, the •' stick," the ink-pot, 
" pi " and the " devil," in other words the prin- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



91 



ter, is an era alwaj-s. anj-wliere and among any 
people; in young and fast-growing communi- 
ties, it is an event of great portent to its future, 
for here, above any and all other institutions, 
are incalculable possibilities for good, and some- 
times well grounded fears for evil. A free press 
in the hands of a man aware of the great re- 
sponsibilities resting upon him, is a blessing, 
like the discoveries and inventions of genius 
that are immortal. In the dingy printing 
office is the epitome of the world of action and 
of thought — the best school in Christendom— 
the best church. Here is where genius perches 
and pauses before those loft}' flights that awe 
and attract mankind — here are kindled the fires 
of genius that blaze and dazzle like the central 
sun, and that penetrate, and warm and ripen 
the rich fruitage of benign civilization. The 
press is the drudge and the pack-horse, as well 
as crowned king of all mankind. The gentle 
click of its tj-pe is heard around all the world; 
they go sounding down the tide of time, bear- 
ing upon their gentle waves the destinies of 
civilization, and the immortal smiles of the pale 
children of thought as the\- troop across the 
fair face of the earth in their entrances, and ex- 
ists from the unknown to the unknown, scat- 
tering here and there, immortal blessings that 
the dull, blind tjpes patiently gather, and place 
them where they will ever live. It is the earth's 
symphony which endures; which transcends that 
of the " morning when the stars sang together." 
And when its chords are swept by the fingers 
of the immortals, it is the echoes of those an- 
thems that float up forever to the throne of 
God. Of all that man can have in this world 
it is the one blessing, whose rose has no thorn, 
whose sweet has no bitter. It is fraught with 
man's good, his joy, his happiness, and the 
blessings of civilization. By means of the press 
the humblest cabin in the land may bid enter 
and become a part of the family circle, such as 
the immortal and sweet singing bard of Scot- 
land — Bobby Burns* the God like Shakespeare, 



or B^Ton, " who touched his harp, and nation's 
heard entranced." Here Lord Macaulcy will 
la^- aside his title and dignity, and with the 
timid children even hold sweet converse in those 
rich resounding sentences that flow on forever 
like a great and rapid river. Here Gray will 
sing his angelic pastoral as '• the lowing herd 
winds slowly o'er the lea, and leaves the world 
to solitude and me," and Charles Lamb, whose 
sweet, sad, witt}- life may mix the laugh with 
the sigh of sympathy, may set the children in 
a roar as he tells the stor}' of the " invention of 
the roast pig." And that human bear, John- 
son, his roughness and boorishness all gone 
now as in trenchant sentences he pours out his 
jeweled thoughts to eager ears; and the state- 
ly Milton, blind but sweet and sublime, and 
Pope telling the story of " man's inhumanitj* 
to man " in statelj' measure, and poor, poor, 
delightful, gifted Poe, with his bird of evil omen, 
" perched upon the pallid bust of Pallas," and 
Shelly and Keats, and Dickens, and Thackaray 
and Saxe, and Scott aud Hood and Elliott, and 
Demosthenes and Homer, and Webster and Clay, 
and all of earth's greatest, sweetest and best, 
are at the beck and call of mankind, where they 
will spread their bounties and beauties before 
the humblest outcast as munificently as at the 
feet of royal courts or kings. 

But, begging the reader's pardon, and hop- 
ing that he has skipped this mild and diffident 
invocation, we will proceed with the story of 
the press in Effingham County — the Country 
Press, whose editor, printer, compositor, job- 
man, foreman and force, proof-reader, poet 
and sweep, are the alpha and the omega 
of the wondrous establishment. Where the 
village editor vies with the lone schoolmas- 
ter in carrying that " little head " that '■ con- 
tained all he knew.' There is nothing in cre- 
ation the equal in modesty and diffidence to 
the very first pioneer paper — -the scream of the 
first locomotive in the wilderness, stampeding 
the buffaloes, wild cats and Indians, is tame 



92 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



and commonplace compared to the first paper 
— the Vol. I, Xo. 1 ; Jefferson Brick, proprie- 
tor ; the Hon. Jefferson Brick, chief editor ; 
J. Brick, local editor ; Mr. Brick, compositor ; 
the great name set in fat faced ten-line caps on 
every page. How grandly he talks about " WE 
oursel/;" about the Sanctum Sanctorum, where 
is edited those brilliant Sheriff sales and lying 
funeral notices, and those sonorous sentences 
about the Hon. Timothy Tugmutton, Esq., 
having with such public spirit erected a pala- 
tial pig pen, and thus the march of empire 
ho's westward like a stray cat in a strange 
back-j-ard when the boys and dog of the house 
get up for the da}''s business. 

In 1855, W. B. Cooper had been two years 
in Ewington practicing law, and conceiving 
that he could add other things to his large law 
practice, he went to Vandalia and purchased a 
printing office of Tevis Greathouse, and at 
once transferred it to Ewington and issued the 
first paper in the county — the Effingham Pion- 
eer. The old hand-press of this office was 
probably the first ever brought to Illinois. It 
had been brought from Kentucky by Col. E. 
C. Berry, the first State Auditor of Illinois, and 
it had followed the seat of government from 
Kaskaskia to Vandalia. It had been in two 
fires, but there was much iron and great soli- 
dity about it, and, while a cumbersome con- 
cern, it was always ready to do fair work in the 
hands of a stout pressman. Mr. Cooper, not 
being a printer, brought with his office a man 
named Burton, who set up and worked off the 
paper, and was Postmaster at the same time. 
Burton left the office, and the paper floundered 
as best it could upon chance printers, until 
McJIanis and Orrin Hodd}- were put to work, 
and the publication went forward regularly 
from that time. In October, 1857, Col. J. W. 
Filler entered the office as printer, and in a 
short time a joint-stock company was formed, 
when Cooper retired and he became sole pro- 
prietor. Filler's description of the office when 



he first entered it and looked around, is graphic 
and interesting. It was in a log caljin, and a 
pile of "p'i" lay in the center of the room. 
The patient printers often had to go to this 
pile and hunt out, by scratching, much after the 
fashion of the industrious old hen and chickens, 
to find a needed letter that could be found no- 
where else. The general appearance of things 
was in keeping with the " pi pile." The paper 
was a sis-column folio, sometimes a little 
dingy and the worse-for-wear appearance about 
it. It was running a serial story — a chapter a 
week — entitled " The Sea Lion," and when the 
outside had been worked off the printers would 
take out letters here and there from the Sea 
Lion, and chew paper wads to fill the holes. 
This gave the Lion, as well as the forms, a sin- 
gularly motley and spotted appearance. Filler 
most unceremoniouslj' killed off the Sea Lion, 
and to this day the readers of the Pioneer have 
never ceased to regret this untimelj' end of 
their hero. 

Filler continued the publication of the paper 
in Ewington until the fall of 1860, when it was 
transferred to the county seat, Effingham. It 
now began to put on considerable newspaper 
airs, and was paying the one man who, with the 
help of a roller boy a half day each week, did 
everything from chopping his own wood as well 
as all other work or business about the office. 
The paper moved along in quiet content until 
April, 1861, when Col. Filler laid down his 
stick and went soldiering, leaving the office in 
the hands of Dr. T. G. Vandever, who pur- 
chased the Gazette, a paper started by L. M. 
Rose in the spring of 1860, as a Republican 
organ, and was run by Rose until he, too, went 
to the war in April, 1861. Vandever purchased 
the Gazette, upon which there was a mortgage, 
and moved it into the Pioneer office, and when 
the two were consolidated the publication 
ceased. In October, 1861, Filler & Vandever, 
in the consolidated office, commenced the pub- 
lication of the Unionist. They issued three 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



93 



numbers only when Filler again went to the 
war and Vandever was again left alone. In 
the early part of 1862, the mortgagee of the old 
defunct Gazette, by virtue of his lien, took 
charge of the office, and sold the sallie to John 
Hoenj', who at once revived the publication of 
the Gazette, and, in a short time after this, 
Hoeny purchased the Pioneer office of Filler, 
and moved the entire concern into a new two- 
story frame building, on the east side of the 
public square, and this was burned to the 
ground in Jul}-, 1862. Here was not only a 
total loss of everything in the office, and no in- 
surance, but there was a goodl}' part of it not paid 
for. The County Treasurer, Barcus, advanced 
Hoeny $100 on the future tax list, and with this 
he went to Chicago and purchased a lot of old 
type of the Times and returned. He had the 
old Pioneer press, which fortunately' stood in 
the yard at the time of the fire, and had it re- 
paired, and moved into a building in the north- 
east corner of the public square and com- 
menced the publication of his paper. The office 
continued here until a new one-story office was 
erected on the old stand, and the office went 
there again. In 1866, L. Hommes was asso- 
ciated with Hoeny, and they made the paper 
one side German and the other English, and 
this continued for six months, when Hommes 
retired and went to Chicago. In 1865, Hoeny 
sold to Haj-s & Bowen, and retired. These 
men changed the name immediately to the 
Effingham County Democrat. They soon let 
the concern run down, and by this time, in the 
latter part of 1865, Col. Filler had returned 
from the war, and the securities of Bowen had 
to take the paper; they placed Filler in control. 
He continued the publication until September, 
1868, when H. C. Bradsby purchased the office. 
He eliminated the word " County " from the 
name, and it became the Effingham Democrat, 
as it has remained ever since. In April, 1870, 
Bradsby sold to J. C. Brady, who associated 
with himself John Hoenv, and on the 7th of 



June of the same year Brady sold his interest 
to Hoen}-, and thus he again became the sole 
proprietor. In August, 1878, Hoeny sold a 
one-half interest to George M. Le Crone. Oc- 
tober 1, 1880, Hoeny sold his remaining in- 
terest to Owen Scott, and the firm then became 
Le Crone & Scott. October 13, 1881, George 
M. Le Crone sold his interest to Scott, and the 
property became the possession of Owen Scott, 
and is so published at this time. 

Thus, full of changes beset with trials, per- 
ishing sometimes from famine and sometimes 
from flames, it has had always vigor and vital- 
it}'. A remarkable coincidence is that everj^ 
man, we believe, except Martin Hoeny. that 
has been connected with it as part proprietor 
is still living to watch the career of their hope- 
ful prodigy. It has always been Democratic 
in politics, and at times has lashed without 
mercy its political opponents, and it has been 
one of the secrets of the county always com- 
ing to the front with its overwhelming Demo- 
cratic majorities. We would be much pleased 
to go over its list of writers and contributors 
who have filled its columns for so many years, 
with a running review of each one. with an 
opinion of their different merits. But, as they 
are all alive, and modestj- is our besetting sin, 
we forbear, content with expressing the hope 
that it may live long and prosper. 

The Register. — Maj. William Haddock issued 
the first number of the Effingham Register 
November 14, 1864, and for eight years, with- 
out interruption, continued its publication. 
Maj. Haddock had just returned from the 
army to his home in Butler Center, Iowa, when 
he concluded to come South and open a fruit 
farm. He came to Effingham, and, being a 
strong Republican, he fell into the hands of 
Wood & Averj', attorneys of this place, and 
the}' persuaded him to start a Republican pa- 
per here. He was a lawyer, printer and expe- 
rienced journalist. In 1852, he commenced 
and published the Anamosa Neics in Jones 



94 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



County, Iowa, for three years. Here and at 
this time he was elected State's Attorney, 
which office he filled aljly and well for two 
years. He published the Iowa State Register 
in Waterloo, Iowa, a non-political paper, de- 
voted to the interests of Iowa. In 1859, he 
published the Jeffersonian, a vigorous Repub- 
lican paper, in the same place. Haddock was a 
man most admirably adapted to come here, 
and under the adverse and trying circum- 
stances successfully establish a Republican 
paper. He had ability, experience, untiring 
energy, and was a skilled workman in the 
printer's art. He published a paper that was 
500 per cent better than its best patronage 
ever justified. His economj- was astounding, 
his energy tireless, his ambition boundless. 
He warmed with life the Republican party in 
this county — made it much, if not all, that it 
was, and in return received the usual pay that 
pretty much all parties award their patient and 
humble organs. They are generally expected 
to do all the part}- work and take their pa}^ in 
sneers and kicks, while the hangers-on take 
the fat offices and chuckle over their own 
greatness, forgetting that the starving editor 
was their architect and builder. 

Maj. Haddock was a journalist who had 
learned his lessons from Horace Greeley. In 
1872, when his loved and venerated preceptor 
became a candidate for President of the Unit- 
ed States, he dared to support him. The pen- 
alty he paid for this manly independence was 
the suspension of his paper, which occurred 
on the 1st of October, 1872. A few weeks 
after the suspension of the Register, he moved 
his office to Champaign, 111., where he com- 
menced the publication of the Champaign 
Times, an able and vigorous Democratic paper. 
Here he struggled and toiled until the 27th of 
February, 1879, in the fifty-seventh j^ear of his 
age, when the busy, restless, heroic life went to 
sleep in death. 

The Effinghei.m RepuhJican came in August, 



1872, published by Martin Bros., of the Shel- 
by ville Uninii. The firm was composed of M. 
B. Martin and Elgin Martin. Some of the 
leading Republicans of this city withdrew their 
support from the Register in consequence of its 
leaning ^toward Horace Greeley, and put up 
their mone_y in private subscriptions to the 
amount of ^400 or $500, and induced Martin 
Bros, to purchase material and start a thor- 
oughgoing Republican organ. The Martin 
Bros, started a neat and lively little seven- 
column paper, but they found it difficult, if 
not impossible, to make the concern pay ex- 
penses. They kept it alive until October 1, 

1873, when they sold out to H. C. Painter, the 
present proprietor, a practical printer, and a 
man of first-class business and financial educa- 
tion. Its prosperit}' and complete success 
dates from the day Mr. Painter took the con- 
trol of its affiiirs. The proof of this is the 
fact that he has doubled the circulation and 
more than doubled the job work of the office> 
and it is now upon a secure and solid founda- 
tion. It has been editorially mild and con- 
servative, devoting much of its columns to 
local and society news. When the new, re- 
vised, enlarged and complete " History of 
Effingham County," bearing date of 1976 is 
made, maj' the RepuhJican be here to see, and 
tell the story from day to day of the progress 
of the work by those future historians and 
workers that are to be born after more than 
fift}' 3'ears from this day and date have elapsed. 

As a closing paragraph upon this subject, 
the writer of these lines, connected with no 
paper and not being a politician nor never an 
office-holder, may be permitted to lecture all 
pai-ties a little in their treatment of their pub- 
lishers and writers — that is, the neglect of 
these men when comfortable positions are to be 
given out. It is too common a fault of all 
parties to neglect them and bestow their smiles 
and favors upon ward bummers or compara- 
tive strangers to the partj- work. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



95 



The Effingham VoUcshJatt — a Gorman paper 
— bj- A. Gravenhorst — a ten-colmnn folio — was 
issued for the first time June 17, 1878. Until 
now (October, 1882) it lias been printed in Mil- 
waukee, but tj'pe and material with which to 
print one side of the paper here at home are 
now secured, and otBce room is secured in the 
Times Building, where the press-work will be 
done. It will now be made a six-column 
quarto. 

The Times. — When Mr. John Hoeny had 
sold his entire interest in the Democrat, he 
temporarily moved to Chicago. On Friday, 
January 27. 1882, he had returned, and issued 
the first number of the Effingham Times, pub- 
lished by John Hoeny & Son ; John Hoeny, 
Sr., editor, and John Hoeny, Jr., local editor, a 
sprightly and able Democratic, eight-column 
paper, that from the first issue took rank 
among the best papers ever issued in the 
count}'. It started with a large subscription 
list, and week by week this has steadily grown. 
Its job department, under the control of John 
Hoeny. Jr., has built up an extensive business. 

Mr. Hoeny's long residence in Effingham 
County and his extensive experience in the 
newspaper business here made the Times a 
successful enterprise from its first issue. It 
merits all the encouragement it has received, 
and even more, because of its ability, integrit}- 
and fearless advocacy of the right and bold 
denunciation of the wrong wherever found. 

This is the record of the press in the city of 
Effingham. While it has developed no very 
brilliant writers of genius to spread and ex- 
tend its name and fame, j'et it has been gener- 
ally in the care of men who have exercised 
good sense and sound discretion. The large 
majority of them have been practical printers. 
who received their training as journalists and 
writers itfter the}' had become proprietors. 
Some of them were law3-ers, some politicians, 
some farmer boys and some school teachers, 
who knew nothing of a printing office before 



they took charge. Haddock and Bradsby were 
the only professional journalists ever connected 
with the press of our city. 

We are indebted to C. F. Coleman, of the Al- 
tamont News, for the following brief history of 
the press in Altamont. " The first paper was 
started in May, 1873, by G. W. Grove, of Kin- 
mundy. It was the Altamont Courier. The 
office was over Hilleman's store. It was pub- 
lished in Altamont until the following November, 
when it was moved to Virginia. The town was 
then without a paper until March, 1876, when 
the firm Loofbarrow & Humble — the former 
from Alma and the latter from Fairfield — start- 
ed the Altamont Telegram. Their office was 
over C. M. Wright & Co.'s bank. This firm was 
soon changed by the retirement of Humble, 
and the accession of Hale Johnson. The new 
firm employed Mit. A. Bates, as printer and 
editor. This arrangement continued until 
June, 1877, when the concern passed, by pur- 
chase, to the sole control of C. M. King, of 
Lexington, 111., who at once sold out all the 
old material to A. M. Anderson, who took it to 
Stewardson and commenced the publication of 
a paper. King refurnished the Altamont office 
with a new and elegant outfit, among other 
things a Campbell power press, the first ever 
in the county, and he published the Telegram 
until August, 1881, when he stopped the pub- 
lication of his paper, and removed the entire 
office to Gardner, 111. 

On the 9th of December, 1881, C. F. Cole- 
man and G. M. Le Crone purchased a new office 
and commenced the publication of the Alta- 
mont News. That l)ids fair to live long and 
prosper. 

None of the Altamont papers had any poli- 
tics. 

The Loyalist. — This was the only paper ever 
published in the town of Mason, in this county. 
The interest that now attaches to this publica- 
tion arises chiefly from the fact that it is a 
relic of some of the wild craze that possessed 



9(J 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



many men during the late war. Those dark 
and terrible days when a modicum of humanity 
and a spark of common sense were apt to be 
ranked as disloyalty, if not rank treason Itself. 

Dr. J. N. Mathews of Mason, who was an 
office boy in the Lnyalist during its entire pub- 
lication, furnishes the following interesting ac- 
count of its brief existence : " In the month 
of April, 1863, the first number of the Loyalist, 
edited and published by George Brewster, 
made its appearance at Mason. It was a neat- 
ly printed, seven-column folio, and a rank ex- 
ponent of Abolitionism. Its motto was ' Union 
and Liberty, now and forever, one and insepa- 
rable.' The office was in Stephen Hardin's 
building. It was the scene of many an excit- 
ing caucus and political jamboree during the 
few fierce months of its existence. The paper 
was made up chiefly of war news, soldiers' let- 
ters, and rampant editorials. Every man in 
the neighborhood who could use a pen gave 
vent to his views through its columns, with 
unbridled boldness. 

" The editor was a man of great learning 



and talent, but of a phlegmatic temperament 
which led liim from one extreme to another. 
His leaders were pithy and to the point. His 
numerous tirades against deserters and others 
frequently brought him face to face with dan- 
gers from which a man of less courage would 
have cowered. His office was threatened with 
destruction, j-et he continued to pour forth his 
sentiments with unflinching force. The office 
force was supplied with arms and ordered to 
use them in case of an attack. But fortunate- 
\y no such occasion presented itself Those 
immediately connected with the office were his 
four sons — Frank, Da Shiel. Willis and Rich- 
mond — and J. N. Matthews. 

" After a turbulent career of nine months, 
the Loyalist failed financially and was moved 
to Salem, 111., where it was shortly afterward 
discontinued. 

" Mr. Brewster was the author of a worli en- 
titled ' The Philosophy of Matter.' As an ed- 
itor, he was too eccentric and impulsive. He 
died shortly after the close of the war, in Ma- 
son, at an advanced age." 



CHAPTER VIII. 



INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS— THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD— ITS GREAT IMPOaTANCE AS A 

HIGHWAY — HOLBROOK CHARTERS — THE PART TAKEN IN THE ROAD BY JUDGE 

BREESE AND JUDGE DOUGLAS— COMPLETION OF THE ROAD— BROUGH'S 

FAILURES— VANDALIA LINE— ITS CONSTRUCTION— OPENED FOR 

BUSINESS— OTHER RAILROADS, ETC., ETC. 



" Harness me down with J'our iron bands, 
Be sure of your curb and rein ; 
I scorn the strength of your puny arm, 
As the tempest scorns a chain." — Steam. 

IN another part of this work we remarked 
that there were two things in the history of 
the county, that were eras. The first one of 
these was the building of the Cumberland road 
through the county, the other was the building 
of the Illinois Central Railroad. 

We know of nothina; in the history of the 



county that at all compares with the last named 
in importance. All other things are merely 
events; some of them of great importance, and 
others of less importance, but all placed together 
are insignificant to this. 

In the histor3' of the State of Illinois even, 
this great and beneficent work stands most 
prominently, if not pre-eminently above all else. 

One of the State historians was justified in 
his remarks when he said its building " marks 
an era in the progress of the whole State." 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



97 



The grand scheme of connecting, by means 
of iron bands of commerce, Lake Michigan 
with the great water highway of the Missis- 
sippi Valle}' at the confluence of the Ohio, had 
long been a desideratum with our people. It 
had constituted a part of the State internal im- 
provement system of 1837, and some work on 
the line was actuall}- done, but was abandoned 
with the collapse of that system. The Central 
Railroad, from the southern terminus of the 
canal to Cairo, was subsequently revived by 
legislation, procured by scheming brains with 
an eye to the future, but the whole subject 
lacked vitality until the passage of the act of 
Congress of 1 850, granting to the State a mu- 
nificent donation of nearly 3,000,000 acres of land 
through the heart of Illinois in aid of its com- 
pletion. This noble tribute by the nation had 
its birth simultaneously with and amidst the 
throes of the great adjustment measures of 
1850, which, during that long and extraordi- 
nary session of Congress, shook the Union from 
center to circumference. Twice before had a 
similar bill passed the Senate, and twice had it 
failed in the House, but now it was a law, and 
the State possessed the means to complete the 
great work. The final passage of the measure 
was hailed with great demonstrations of joy by 
the people and press of the State; Senators 
Douglas and Shields, and Congressmen Mc- 
Clernand, Harris, Wentworth, Young. Richard- 
son, Bissell and Baker, the then delegation in 
Washington from Illinois, were tendered a pub- 
lic dinner and I'eccption upon their return in 
Chicago in honor of the event. 

The entire amount of railroad in the State at 
that time consisted of a section of the Northern 
Cross Railroad, from Meredosia and Naples, on 
the Illinois River, to Springfield; the Chicago 
& Galena, from the former city as far as Elgin, 
and a six mile track across the American bot- 
tom from opposite St. Louis to the mines in 
the bluffs. 

The act granted the right of way throimh 



the public lands of the width of 200 feet, from 
the southern terminus of the Illinois & Mich- 
igan Canal to a point at or near the junction of 
the Ohio& Mississippi Rivers, and for a branch 
U) Chicago and Galena ; also the privilege to 
take from them materials of earth, stone and 
timber for its construction. But the main 
gi'ant to the State was the alternate sections of 
land designated by even numbers for six sec- 
tions deep on each side of its track and 
branches ; for the lands sold or pre-empted 
within this 12-mile belt or area, enough might 
be selected from even numbered sections to the 
distance of fifteen miles on either side of the 
tracks equal in quantity to them. The con- 
struction of the road was to be simultaneously 
commenced at its northern and southern ter- 
mini, and when completed the branches were 
to be constructed. It was to be completed 
within ten years, in default of which the unsold 
lands were to revert to the United States, and 
for those sold the State was to pay the Govern- 
ment price. The minimum price of the alter- 
nate or odd sections of the Government land 
was raised from .SI. 25 to S2.50 per acre. While 
the public lands were thus b}' the prospect of 
building this road rendered more salable at 
double price, it followed that the General Gov- 
ernment not onlj- lost nothing in dollars and 
cents, but in point of fact was actually the 
gainer by this splendid gift. The land was 
taken out of the market for two years, and 
when restored in the fall of 1852, it, in fact, 
brought an average of $5 per acre. The gi-ant 
was subject to the disposal of the Legislature, 
for the purpose specified, and the road and 
branches were to be and remain a public high- 
way for the use of the Government of the 
United States, free from all tolls either for the 
transportation of any troops, munitions or other 
property of the General Government. This 
provision, had it applied to tiic rolling stock as 
well as the use of the rails, would doubtless 
have saved the General Government, during the 



i)8 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



rebellion, many hundreds of thousands of dol- 
lars ; but it has been construed adversely to 
the lights of the Government in this particular. 

Upon the passage of the bill, 3Ir. Douglas 
immediately prepared a petition signed bj' the 
Congressional delegation of all the States along 
the route of the road from Moliile north, de- 
scribing the probable location of the road and 
its branches through Illinois ; and requesting 
of the President the suspension of land sales 
along the lines designated, which was immedi- 
atelj- done. 

The act of Congress threw upon the Legislat- 
ure of Illinois the entire duty of making a pru- 
dent, wise and satisfactoiy dispositiou of the 
magnificent grant. The point of departure of 
the Chicago branch of the main track was not 
fixed by the act, and this delicate duty the Leg- 
islature, it was generally expected, would take 
in hand. Before the meeting of that body, in 
January, 1851, much contention pervaded the 
press of the State regarding the location of the 
main track, and particular!}' the routes of the 
branches. Many worthy and ambitious towns 
were arrayed against each other. The La Salle 
interests wanted the Chicago branch taken oflF 
at that point. Bloomington, looking to a con- 
tinuation of the Alton & Sangamon road (now 
the Chicago & Alton) to that place, wanted the 
Chicago branch to connect her with the lake. 
Shelbyville, which was a point on the old line 
of the Illinois Central, not dreaming but that 
she would have the main track, was grasping 
for the departure thence of the Chicago branch 
also, and lost both. Another route, which 
ought to have commanded great strength, was 
proposed on the most direct line from Cairo, 
making the point of connection in Pulaski 
County, taking off the Galena branch at Mount 
Vernon, thence through Carlyle, Greenville, 
Hillsboro, Springfield, Peoria, Galena and on 
to Dubuque. But, of course, it was to the in- 
terests of the company to make the location 
where there was the largest amount of vacant 



land that could be brought within the belt of 
fifteen miles on either side of the road. And 
this proved the controlling influence ultimateh', 
both in the location of the main track and its 
branches. 

Holhrooh Charters. — One of the phantoms 
which loomed into public recognition, casting 
its shadow across the path of bright promise 
for the State, was what was known as the 
" Holbrook Charters," whose incorporators, it 
was feared, would step in and swallow up the 
Congressional grant of land under the broad 
terms of their franchise. 

The interest of the people of Illinois is now 
deeply concerned in the history of these " Hol- 
brook Charters," owing to the extraordinary 
discussion that arose in the last 3-ears of the 
lives of those two men, Sidney Breese and 
Stephen A. Douglas, in regard to the paternitj' 
of the Illinois Central Kailroad. Letters ad- 
dressed to the public through the press of the 
countrj' were written by each of these men on 
the subject, and the people are yet undecided 
as to where the paternity of this enterprise be- 
longs. It is the widespread and profound 
interest among all our readers in anything that 
concerned these two eminent lUinoisans that is 
our apolog}' for giving the history of the " Hol- 
brook Charters " at length. 

" The Cairo City Canal Company was orig- 
inally incorporated for the purpose of con- 
structing dykes, levees or embankments, to 
secure and preserve Cairo City and adjacent 
lands against the freshets of the rivers. The 
cutting of the canal to unite the Mississippi 
with the Ohio through Cache River was also 
authorized. In the fall of 1835, the Hon. 
Sidney Breese, through a well-constructed 
published letter, had first called attention to 
the plan of a central railroad, connecting 
the southern terminus of the Illinois & 
Michigan Canal at Peru with the con- 
fluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers 
at Cairo. An effort was made, at the special 





L.ofC. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



101 



session of 1835-36, to unite this project 
with the canal, for which an ajjpropria- 
tion of $500,000 was granted. This fail- 
ing, a charter for the railroad was grant- 
ed, supplementing this project with the 
Cairo City Company, the corporators being 
Darius B. Holbrook (who was ahso President 
of the company) and others. Application 
was then first made to Congress for aid by 
pre-emption. One year later, the State en- 
tered upon the great internal improvement sys- 
tem, and, unwilling to brook a rival, applied 
to the Cairo Company to surrender the charter 
for the building of this railroad through the 
center of the State, which was complied with 
on condition that the State build the road on 
a route leading from Cairo through Yandalia, 
Shelbyville, Decatur, Bloomington, Peru, 
and via Dison to Galena. The State ex- 
pended more than a million dollars, it is 
said, on this route, before the "grand system" 
collapsed in 1840. Subsequently, by act of 
March 6, 1843, the road, in the condition that 
it was abandoned, was restored to the Caii"0 
Company, under the title of the Great West- 
ern Railway Company, with a power to con- 
struct the road from Cairo by the places 
named to a point at or near the southern ter- 
minus of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, in 
such manner as they might deem most expe- 
dient. The Cairo Company was vested with 
the title and effects of the old Central Rail- 
road. All the usual franchises were grant- 
ed to the Great Western Company as part of 
the Cairo Company, and in Section 18 it was 
added that ' all lands that may come in pos- 
session of said company, whether by dona- 
tion or purchase,' were pledged and mort- 
gaged in advance, as security for payments 
of bonds and obligations of the company, au- 
thorized to br^ issued and contracted under 
the provisions of the charter. By act of 
March 3, 1845, the charter of this Great 



Western Company was repealed; but, by act 
of February 10, 1849, it was received for bene- 
fit of Cairo City & Canal Company, with the 
addition of some thirty names as incorpora- 
tors, taken from all parts of the State, many 
of whom were well-known politicians. The 
company thus revived was authorized in the 
construction of the Central Railroad, to ex- 
tend it on from the southern terminus of the 
canal — La Salle — to Chicago, 'in strict con- 
formity to all obligations, restrictions, powers 
and privileges of the act of 1843.' The 
Governor was empowered to hold in trust, 
for the use and benefit of said company, 
whatever lands might be donated to the State 
by the General Government, to aid in the 
completion of the Central or Great Western 
Railway, subject to the conditions and pro- 
visions of the bill (then pending before Con- 
gress and exjjected to become a law) granting 
the subsidies of 3,000,000 acres of land. 
The company was fui'ther authorized to re- 
ceive, hold and dispose of any and all lands 
secured to it by donation, pre-emption or 
otherwise. There were other details of mi- 
nor importance, but these sufficiently indi- 
cate the scheme. " 

Here, substantially, is the outline of the 
final legislation that led to the building of 
the Central Railroad. And it was this idea 
of 1835 whereon Judge Breese based his 
claim to the paternity of the great work. 

Judge Douglas had charge of the bill for 
the road in the United States Senate. He 
was radically opposed to the whole Holbrook 
scheme, because, as he warmly contended, it 
was a private scheme of speculation, if not 
peculation, and he frankly informed the cor- 
porators of the Great Western Railway that, 
unless they wholly stepped down and out, 
surrendered everything that had been granted 
them by the State, he would not press his 
bill to a final passage in the Senate, but 

F 



102 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



would not even vote for it. Here the whole 
matter rested in uncertainty and doubt for 
Bome time, and the public press poured out 
charges and countercharges, and negotia- 
tions 'looking to an adjustment satisfactory 
to all parties were frequently instituted, and 
as often came to naught. Judge Douglas 
would accept no terms except an absolute and 
total surrender of everything that had been 
granted the Holbrook corporators, and he 
broadly based his action on the grounds that 
it was better for the country that the whole 
scheme should perish rather than go into 
the hands of irresponsible private schem- 
ers. His great mind must have fully realized 
that he was taking immeasurable responsi- 
bilities — that he was called upon to act, in 
the face, too, of the opposition of many and 
powerful political friends, in the most im- 
portant and vital matter to the country that 
concerned his whole political life. He must 
have realized that, while this was on its face 
local legislation to some extent, yet it was a 
part of the legislation unparalleled in its 
great and far-i'eaching consequences. Had 
Douglas been a mere demagogue, as has 
been charged by his enemies, he could have 
here, by a mere negative assent, had easy 
sailing in smooth waters, and at the same 
time given the country the great railroad, 
with all its advantages. But here was exact- 
ly where he rose to the emergency — where 
his mind forecast the long future, and would 
not be corrupted. He could easily have 
dropped into this first attempt (if his judg- 
ment was right aboiit it) to put on its feet a 
similar great scheme of national robbery and 
disgrace to that of the Union Pacific Rail- 
road. Had he been a dishonest man, he 
would have done so. There is one thing cer- 
tain — he had his own way in everything, 
without compromising one jot or tittle of his 
judgment or conviction, and he gave the 



country one of the wisest and greatest leg- 
islative enactments that can be found in the 
law books of our continent. Millions of 
people are to-day reaping the fruits of his 
■work that he gave them without robbing 
them of a cent or a drop of blood. Peace hath 
her victories as well as war. Indeed, war 
has none. Revolutions that strike off the 
heads of oppressors may have — often do. A 
free people that go into battles to repel in- 
vaders that come to enslave may be sacred 
men, treading upon sacred ground, but if it 
is an enslaved people, and the invaders prom- 
ise even a modicum of relief from their home 
oppressors, then it is pretty much like all 
war — a barbarous calamity, and a by-word of 
reproach to any one above a mere cannibal 
savage. 

The Holbrook party had the ear and confi- 
dence of the Illinois Legislature, but Doug- 
las was master of Illinois' interests in the 
United States Senate. At the special session 
of the Legislature of 1849, he delivered a 
speech to that body, in which he attempted 
to demonstrate to it that a fraud had been 
practiced upon it, and frankly t<jld them that 
the important bill had been delayed and post- 
poned in Congress on account of the action 
of the Illinois Legislature. He further told 
them that Congress had an insuperable ob- 
jection to making the grant for the benefit of 
a private corporation. 

To obviate the objection of Judge Doug- 
las, Holbrook, on December 15, 1849, execut- 
ed a promise of release to the Governor, a 
duplicate of which was transmitted to Doug- 
las at Washington. But he refused to ac- 
cept this as a valid and binding document 
upon the company, because, as he said, it 
was without the sanction or authority of the 
stockholders, or even the Board of Directors. 
While he did not impute such cunning de- 
signs to any one, yet he believed this release 



UISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



103 



left it in the coudition which would enable 
it to take all the lands granted, divide them 
among its stockholders, and retain its char- 
tered privileges without building the road. 
He would not give his approval to any scheme 
by which the State could possibly be deprived 
of any of the benefits resulting from the ex- 
pected grant. For the protection of the 
State, and as an assurance to Congress, the 
execution of a fall and complete release of 
all rights and privileges, and a surrender of 
the charters, and all acts or parcels of acts 
supplemental or amendatory thereof or relat- 
ing in anywise to the Central Railroad, 
so as to leave the State, through its Legis- 
lature, free to make such dispositions of the 
lands, and such arrangement for the con- 
struction of the road, as might be deemed 
best, was demanded. 

This absolute release was executed, and 
one copy furnished the Governor and the 
other to Judge Douglas at Washington. Judge 
Douglas was satisfied with this release, and 
he pressed the bill to an immediate passage. 

After the passage of the bill granting the 
land by Congress, there arose many doubts 
and misgiving in the minds of the people of 
Illinois as to the sufficiency of the release, 
and the matter was freely canvassed pending 
the election of the Legislature, which was to 
dispose of the splendid donation of the bewt 
interests of the State, regardless of local con- 
siderations or sectional desires. The claim 
was set up that the Cairo Company could and 
would repudiate the relinquishment of its 
charters, or use some expedient to induce the 
General Assembly to fail in accepting it ac- 
cording to its second stipulation, which would 
enable that concern to resume its former po- 
sition, and grasp the large grant of land un- 
der the provisions of its charter of 1S40. On 
September 25, 1850, D. B. Holbrook, from 
New York, wrote a curious and puzzling let- 



ter on the subject, which was published in 
an Illinois paper and floated through the 
press for some time. This letter gave color 
to the fears of the people, particularly the 
opening sentence of it. " I can truly say 
that I am under obligations to those who, 
with Gov. Casey, prevented the repeal of the 
charter of the Great Western Railway Com- 
pany. It was granted in good faith, and 
under no other that the State can now grant. 
* * * * We are now sure that the road 
from Cairo to Peru, Galena and Chicago will 
be built. I am now organizing the company, 
to commence the work this fall, and to put a 
large part of the road under contract as early 
as possible. We shall make the road on the 
old line of the Central route, through Vanda- 
lia, Shelbyville, Decatur and Bloomington. 
I rejoice with the people of Illinois that this 
important road to the whole State will now be 
made. " 

This singular letter was as a fire-bell at 
night to many a voter in the State. It was 
construed as a pretension on the part of the 
President of the old Holbrook charter that 
the State could not grant any other charter 
than that which this company already owned. 
Many read the letter as an open repudiation 
of the release, and believed it had been writ 
ten and published for the sole purpose of 
warning the people of their intentions. 
'Here, too, was a claim to a share in the glory 
of procuring the grant from Congress, and 
the assertion that his compan_y was ready to 
resume the work (mentioning the old route 
of the road), bordered closely upon the as- 
sertion that the Cairo Company deemed itself 
master of the situation. 

Another straw indicating the shiftino- 
winds was a vile and coarse attack upon 
Judge Douglas in a Chicago paper published 
in the Holbrook interest, as follows: 

" Judge Douglas has declared the first re- 



104 



HISTORY OF EFFIXGHAM COUNTY. 



lease of the Cairo Company illegal and de- 
fective, but that he obtained a second one 
that was legal before he would vote for the 
grant of land. That will likely be found 
equally so (that is, defective as the first). 
For, although he is an ex- Judge, it is doubt- 
ed if he knows enough law to either dictate 
or draw a legal release in such a case, and his 
whole concern in the matter may be looked 
upon as much a piece of political trickery as 
his bra!r£ring about it is bombastic, and that 
he had no more influence in procuring the 
grant than the barking oE a poodle dog. * * 
The Cairo Company has never asked any- 
thing of the State but the privilege to ex- 
pend their own money in it, which would 
never injure, but do much good, to the State. 
* * * If Breese and Casey and Holbrook 
can be killed off by the politicians of Illi- 
nois, look out for more plunder. " 

These pretensions plainly show that the 
apprehensions of the people were not ground- 
less, particularly when it is remembered that 
there is to this day no positive evidence that 
the release executed in New York had ever 
been signed or duly authorized by tlie Illi- 
nois corporators, and when the Legislature 
did meet, it was soon manifest that the 
Cairo Companies had secured friends in that 
body. But, when baffled at every turn by 
Douglas, a new and a yet bolder scheme was 
inaugurated and presented to the Legislature. 
When the Legislature met to pass the Cen- 
tral charter, one of :he first things that met 
the members was a voluminous printed bill 
for a charter, which was simply a proposition 
to place this grand enterprise into the hands 
of the State bondholdei-s with a wild-cat 
bank added to the scheme. It was known as 
the bondholder's plan. The provisions of this 
extraordinary bill contained about as hard a 
bargain as "creditor ever ofifered bondsman," 
or as Credit Mobilier ever ofiered the Govern- 



ment of the United States. It was coolly 
proposed, among the provisions, that the 
State appoint Commissioners to locate the 
road, survey the route for the main stem and 
branches, and select the lands granted by 
Congress, all at the expense of the State; 
agents were further to be appointed by the 
Governor to apply to land-holders along the 
routes who might be benefited by the road, 
for subscriptions, also at the expense of the 
State ; any person subscribing money .shall be 
entitled ro draw interest upon the amount at 
— per cent per annum from the day of said 
advance, and shall be entitled to designate 
and register an amount of "New Internal Im- 
provement Stock of this State" equal to four 
times the amount subscribed, or of stock of 
this State known as "Interest Bonds" equal to 
three times the money so advanced; and stock 
so subscribed may be registered at the agency 
of the State of Illinois, in the city of New 
York, by the party subscribing, or by any 
other person to whom they may assign the 
right, at any time after paying the subscrip- 
tion, in proportion to the amount jiaid; and 
said stock shall be indorsed, registered and 
signed by the agent appointed by the Gov- 
ernor for the purpose, and a copy of said 
register shall be filed in the office of Auditor 
of Public Accounts, as evidence to show the 
particular stock secured, or as herein pro- 
vided for. 

The lands were to be conveyed by the 
State to the managers of the road; to be by 
them offered for sale upon the completion of 
sections of sixty miles, expenses to be paid 
by the State; the money was to go to the 
managers, but the State was to receive cer- 
tificates of stock for the same. They ap- 
pointed their own managers, and the State 
was to pay two of them $2, 500 a year each, 
and all the others were to get $1,500 a year 
each. These were very big salaries for those 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



105 



days of democratic simplicity. Tho company, 
with the sanction of the Governor, was to 
purchase iron, etc., pledging tho road for 
payment; and the road stock and property to 
be exempt from all taxation. To this ad- 
mirable scheme of plunder were added pro- 
visions for a bank attachment to the concern, 
to be organized under the general banking 
law of the State, to be adopted at the session 
of the Legislature granting the charter. It 
wound up with the magnificent proviso, 
if the constitution was changed or amended, 
such as was pending (it failed, however, to 
carry), changing the 2 per cent mill tax to a 
sinking fund to be generally applied in re- 
demption of the State debt, that then the 
stock registered in this act should also par- 
ticipate in the proceeds thereof. 

Such were the salient points in the bond- 
holders' magnificent scheme of robbery. For 
boldness and unblushing impudence it has 
never been excelled, and it has only been 
equaled in this respect by its stupid frank- 
ness in admitting and proclaiming its own 
venality and rascality. It was a bold and 
daring attempt to fasten upon the State a 
horde of high-salaried officials to eat out the 
sustenance of the people, empowering the 
company to increase at pleasiire its officials, 
and fix their compensation; and to holders of 
interest bonds — then worth but little in the 
market — it offered the control of the road to 
four times their actual outlay; to mortgage 
it for iron, attach a wild-cat bank to the en- 
terprise and strangle it. It bore the brands 
of its own infamy upon its face, and to the 
eternal good fortune of the people of the 
West, BO plainly was this seen by all that it 
was unceremoniously scotched and killed. 

Perhaps, from all these things combined, 
and the further fact that, as the people dis- 
cussed the measure, the magnitude of tho 
gift by the Government was so overpowering 



to the minds of many that an opposition arose 
to turning over to any private corporation 
this golden fountain. There was that foolish 
chimera of the State policy also ready to step 
to the front upon the slightest pretext, al- 
though its career had already nearly stran- 
gled and maimed the young State of Illinois, 
and spread only bankruptcy and desolation 
along its entire path, and all over the State 
it had its unconvincible followers and prose- 
lytes. These, too, were besieging the Legis- 
lature with their Utopian schemes. They 
argued that the State should alone act, and, 
keeping evei-ything within itself, build the 
700 miles of railroad, pay off the public debt 
of many millions, and, by wise State man- 
agement, make all its own people rich. • Mr. 
John S. Wright, of Chicago, piiblished a 
pamphlet, insisting that the State would be 
everlastingly dishonored if tho Legislature 
did not devise laws to build the road, and 
disenthrall the State of its enormous debt out 
of the avails of the land grant. 

It was soon a developed fact in the Legis- 
lature that efforts on the part of the Holbrook 
influence for delay were being strenuously 
put forth, in the hope that this might revive 
the Cairo charter. To this end, a resolution 
was offered in the Senate instructing the 
Committee on Internal Improvements to pre- 
pare and bring in a bill providing for the ap. 
pointment of agents to locate the road, with 
the view to further construction, and to select 
the lands under the grant of Congress. 

These were some of the obstacles and as- 
saults that were made upon the enterprise 
when it was in its budding state, and which 
Judge Douglas was called upon to guard and 
defend it against, and to all those were added 
the jealousies and bickeringsthat were raised 
at every stage of the work, by genuine and 
by false claimants, to a part of the credit of 
the idea. It is to be regretted that Judge 



106 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



Breese and Judge Douglas were ever driven 
into any controversy in reference thereto. 
And it is only now that they have both gone, 
when they are silent forever, and their works 
alone may sj)eak for them, that men may dis- 
passionately look into the merits of that con- 
troversy of paternity. It is highly probable, 
from quotations and facts already given, that 
Judge Breese had formulated in his own 
mind — partly his own and probably partly 
other ideas — what resulted and was event- 
ually the Central Railroad. And when he was 
in the United States Senate, he did all he 
could to hasten the good work. There is 
but little doubt but that he and other men 
were not only di'eaming dreams that were to 
become a real road some day, but they were 
moving forward in the actual work. But it 
is doubtful that, without Judge Douglas, we 
would ever have had the Central road as we 
now have it — the richest jewel, to be un- 
tainted with corruption — that ever came from 
a national or Stai'.e legislation. The two 
great and invaluable ideas that are unques- 
tionably due to Judge Douglas are the idea 
of giving each alternate section of land and 
doubling the Government price of the re- 
mainder, and the watchful and rigid exclu- 
sion of all jobbery from the enterprise, 
These are his. Let the others be awarded to 
the memory of Judge Breese. Thus are di- 
vided and abundant honors for both. 

In the perpetually increasing grandeui- and 
glory of this master-work of modern time, 
there is so much, so rich a legacy of respect 
and gratitude, flowing like the ever -gather- 
ing river, bearing immeasm'able tributes of 
wealth, happiness and gratitvide to the mill- 
ions of people in the Mississippi Valley, that 
Illinois may well say to her two noble and 
ambitious sons, peace and amity, " for in thy 
Father's house there is enough and to spare." 

There was nothing in the lives of the two 



men — Douglas and Breese — that those who 
have in keeping their memories should ever 
permit to clash and jar the one against the 
other. Breese was a great and pure jurist, 
and it was here he toiled, and his genius 
built his enduring monument. Douglas was 
a statesman — the most difficult place in life 
for genius to properly assert itself and rear 
its tenement among the immortals. It has 
been said by a great philosopher that state- 
craft, in its whole nature and conditions, is 
an inferior plane of life, from whence it is 
next to impossible for true greatness to spring 
forth, that great measures of law are simply 
compromises — temporary expedients — and it 
is of necessity their nature to decay, and 
soon they have passed away; that their 
effects are short-lived, and at best they are 
merely the developed one-half, or part, at 
least, of the ideal of the statesman. The 
great Burke realized this in his young and 
better days, to the extent that it is said to 
have cast a gloom over his life. But in the 
face of the saying of the philosopher, it is a 
truth, and will so remain forever, that men 
are, after all, dispassionately judged at some 
time by their posterity, according to the real 
and true work of their lives. When this just 
judgment comes — and if it is not here now, 
it will come — Stephen A. Douglas will take 
his place, easily and naturally, as the pre- 
eminently great man that Illinois has yet 
produced. This is not prediction; it is the 
assertion of a simple, palpable truth. The 
mob, "with stinking breaths and gi'easy caps," 
may not have run after him shouting " Live 
forever!" But of this a just posterity will 
make no inquiry. They will inquire of him. 
as they will of all: lu life, what did you do 
for the permanent good of men ? And his- 
tory will point to the Central Eailroad, by 
which the greatness and glory of Illinois — 
more than could all the battle-fields in history 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



107 



— is proudly fixed, and the comfort and hap- 
piness of her millions of people secured be- 
yond peradventure. One other act of Doug- 
las' life should and will be placed by this as 
a companion piece, namely: When the Illi- 
nois Legislatiire, of which Douglas was then 
a member, had concluded to repudiate its 
State debt. When Douglas heard of it, on 
his sick bed, he had himself carried into the 
hall upon a stretcher. The matter was un- 
dergoing a closing discussion. He was not 
able to rise from his sick couch and speak, as 
he only would or could have spoken, upon 
such an occasion, so he wrote and sent to the 
Clerk the following: " Resolved, That Illi- 
nois will be honest if she never pays a cent." 

And repudiation was instantly killed for- 
ever in Illinois. Are not these two acts 
properly denomiuatod companion pieces? The 
one saved the honor and credit of the State; 
the other created her wealth, her greatness 
and her glory. 

When the General Assembly of 1851 met, 
there were wealthy capitalists represented 
there, who proffered, in the most equitable 
and generous terms, to build the railroad and 
its branches, as the following memorial will 
fully explain: 

To THE HONOR.'VBLE, THE SENATORS .\ND REPRE- 
SENTATIVES OP THE St.\te of Illinois, in the 
General Assembly convened: 
The memorial of Robert Schuyler, George Gris- 
wold, Gouverner Morri.s, Jonathan .Sturgis. George 
W. Ludlow and .Tohn F. A. Sandford. of the city 
of ISIew York, and David A. Xeal, Franklin Haven 
and Robert Kantoul. Jr., of Boston and vicinity, 
respectfully represent: 

Having examined and considered an act of Con- 
gress of the United States, whereby land is donated 
for the purpose of insuring the construction of a 
railroad from Cairo, at the mouth of tlie Ohio, to 
Galena and northwest angle of the State of Illinois, 
with a branch extending to Chicago, on Lake Mich- 
igan, on certain conditions therein expressed: and 
having also examined the resources of the tract of 
country through which it is proposed that said rail- 



road shall pass, and the amount of cost and space 
of time necessary to construct the same, the sub- 
scribers propose to form a company, with such 
stockholders as they may associate with them, in- 
cluding among their number persons of large expe- 
rience in the construction of several of the principal 
railroads in the United Stales, and of means and 
credit sufficient to place beyond doubt their ability 
to perform what they hereinafter propo.se, make the 
following offer to the State of Illinois for their con- 
sideration: 

The company so formed by the subscribers will, 
under the authority and direction of the State of 
Illinois, fully and faithfully perform the several 
conditions, and execute the trust in the said iict of 
Congress contained. And will build a railroad, 
with branches between the termini set forth in said 
act, with a single track, and compk^te the same, 
ready for merchandise and passengers, on or before 
the 4th day of July, which will be in the year of our 
Lord 1854. 

And said railroad shall be, in all respects, as well 
and thoroughl_v built as the railroad running from 
Boston to Albany, with such improvements thereon 
as e.vperience has shown to be desirable and expe- 
dient, and shall be equipped in a manner suitable 
to the business to be accommodated thereby. 

And the said company, from and after the com- 
pletion of said road, will pay to the State of Illinois, 
annuallj', — per cent of the gross earnings of said 
road, without deduction or charge of expenses, or 
for any other matter or cause: Provided, That the 
State of Illinois will grant to the subscribers a char- 
ter of incorporation, with terms mutually advantage- 
ous, with powers and limitations as they, in their 
wisdom, may think fit, as shall be accepted by said 
compan}', and as will sufficiently remunerate the 
subscribers for their care, labor and expenditure in 
that behalf incurred, and will enable them to avail 
themselves of lands donated by said act, to raise 
the funds, or portion of the funds, necessary for the 
construction and equipment of said road. 

Mr. Eantoul, one of the memorialists, was 
the accredited agent of the others, with full 
power to act. He attended jiersonally at 
Springfield duriug the sitting of the Legisla- 
ture, and the above proposition, coming from 
gentlemen of such high financial standing, 
was very favorably received from his hands, 
particularly as it offered a completion of the 
road and its branches in a much shorter space 



108 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



of time flian was by any one anticipated. 
He was willing to adjust the conditions of 
the contract so as to render the completion of 
the road certain, and without a possibility of 
the misapplication of the lands, or the be- 
stowal of a monopoly upon the company, 
which was ready to give any guarantee that 
might reasonably be asked to guard the State 
against loss from defalcation, both as respect- 
ed the prosecution of the work and the ap- 
plication of the proceeds of the sales of the 
lands. 

These terms were made the basis, ulti- 
mately, of the Central Kailroad charter. 

This bill, wise and just as it was, lingered 
in the Legislature. Many amendments were 
offered and rejected, such as requiring pay- 
ment for the right of way to pre-emptionisls 
or settlers upon the Government land, the 
same as to actual owners, though their bene- 
fits and the enhanced value of the land would 
be many hundred per cent. The point of di- 
vergence for the Chicago Branch was stren- 
uously attempted to be fixed, but was finally 
left with the company anywhere " north of 
the parallel of 39= 30' of north latitude. 
Much discussion was had upon the location 
of the main line, what towns it should touch 
between the termini designated in the Con- 
gressional grant, but all intermediate points 
failed of being fixed in the act except a sin- 
gle one — the northeast corner of Township 
21 west, Eange 2 east. Third Principal Mer- 
idian, from which the road, in its course, 
should not vary more than five miles, which 
was effected by Gen. Gridley, of the Senate, 
and by which the towns of Decatm-, Clinton 
and Bloomington were assured the road. 
It will be remembered that the memorialists, 
in their proposition to the Legislatiu-e to ob- 
tain the charter, offered, among other things, 
to pay the State of Illinois annually a cer- 
tain per centum of the gross earnings of the 



road, without deduction for expense or other 
cause. The amount was left blank, to fix 
which, however, became subsequently a mat- 
ter of no little trouble and scheming. In 
the first gush of desire to obtain the splen- 
did grant of land from the State, it is said 
the corporators would have readily consented 
to fill this blank at 10 per centum of the 
gross earnings. But unfortunately for the 
people and the treasury, the railroad, it is 
said, employed W. H. Bissell, then a mem- 
ber of Congress, as their attorney, ami that 
he left his place in Washington and attended 
at Springfield in the capacity of a lobbyist 
for the company, and the result was the 
State conceded a reduction of 3 per cent from 
that figure, the amount being fixed at 7 per 
centum, and that in lieu of all taxes. State or 
local, this 7 per cent tax yields the State 
about half a million dollars annually. From 
time to time, efforts have been made by the 
road to get rid of paying into the State 
Treasury this 7 per cent tax, and against 
which the people clamored so much that the 
last State Constitutional Convention fixed the 
matter irrevocably in the organic law of the 
State, \vhich places the subject beyond the 
control or meddling of the Leg'slatiu-e. 

In the Legislature, after procrastinating 
action until the heel of the session, Mr. J. L. 
D. MoiTison, of the Senate, brought in a 
substitute for the pending bill, which, after 
being amended in several particulars, was 
finally passed with but two dissenting votes, 
and at once the House took up the Senate bill 
and passed it without amendment, also by 
two dissenting votes, and it became a law 
February 10, 1851. 

In the following spring, surveys were com- 
menced, and the good people of Chicago were 
at once alarmed, fearing that the branch road 
would be carried to the Indiana line to form 
a junction with the Michigan Central, and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



109 



thus practically become an extension of the 
latter road to Cairo, leaving Chicago north- 
ward of this thoroughfare about twenty or 
thirty miles. 

Mr. Douglas was appealed to; he replied 
at length, denying the power of the company 
to do so, citing the language of the charter 
that the Chicago Brauch should diverge 
" from the main trunk at a point north of the 
parallel 39' 30' and running by the most eli- 
gible route into the city of Chicago. " That 
one object of the grant of land by Congress 
was to render salable the piiblic lands in Il- 
linois, which had been twenty or thirty jears 
in the market, etc. 

There was some delay in the commence- 
ment of the work, occasioned by the Com- 
missioner of the General Land office at 
Washington, Justin Butterlield. The com- 
pany had negotiated a loan of $400,000, but 
before it could be consummated it was neces- 
sary that there should be a conveyance of 
land from the Government. The Commis- 
sioner, who was from Chicago, construed the 
grant as entitling the company to lands for 
the branch on a straight line to Chicago, 
which would avoid the junction with the 
Michigan Central. But this decision was 
reversed by the President and Secretary of 
he Interior. 

In March, 1852, the necessary documents 
of conveyance were finally secured, contracts 
were let and the work commenced and carried 
forward with little or no interruption to com- 
pletion. 

It will be remembered that the memorial- 
ists offered to complete the road within three 
years from the time of commencement. They 
kept their word, not only in this, but in every 
respect. 

In the latter part of 1852, John F. Ber- 
nard, who had a contract extending from near 
Mattoon to Centralia. a distance of seventy- 



five miles, commenced the work, and, as early 
as 1854, a construction train roused up the 
long sleeping silence of the wilderness with 
its echoes, as it carried men and materials 
from point to point, where the workmen were 
engaged in large numbers. Barnard and his 
immediate employes made their temporary 
home at Ewington, and their advent and 
presence there was a marked change in .he 
face of affairs. His large force of workmen 
were of coiu'se in tents, huts and cabins along 
the line of the road. He opened a supply 
store at Ewington, and here great crowds of 
laborers assembled on pay day, and numerous 
extravagant frolics were sometimes indulged 
in by the men. The police force and regu- 
lations of the county were so meager that, in 
the face of these sometimes boisterous gather- 
ings, they could offer little or no obstacle to 
any extravagancies the crowd saw j)roper to 
engage in. But considering the large force 
of Barnard's men — men who felt they were 
only transient inhabitants, who realized that 
there was little or nothing to restrain any 
outbreak they might make, there was in fact 
little or no serious lawlessness among them. 
For nearly three years the force of men in this 
county was from three to six hundred; these 
were scattered in squads through the entire 
county, the heaviest force being at what was 
called the "Patch," at the Little Wabash 
Crossing, in the southern part of the county. 
When Effingham had grown to be sufficiently 
large to furnish a doggery occasionally, a 
squad from the " Patch " would come up and 
a few miscellaneous street rows was the result, 
but just here the early education of the yoiing 
pioneers was of signal use and value as it 
made short and rough work of the gentlemen 
from the " Patch," and this probably had the 
happy effect of putting a check ni)on these 
visitations, and those men would only after- 
ward appear as mere stragglers, who. when 



110 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUXTY. 



drank enough, would, without complaint, go 
to the lock-up and sleep off ttieir debauch, 
and then pay their fine and costs and quietly 
go home. A goodly number boarded here, 
and they were as peaceable, quiet and indus- 
trious citizens as we had. 

A man by the name of McXutt was a sub- 
contractor from Green Creek, north, nearly 
opposite this city. But a little south 
for a distance of two miles, J. F. Schwer- 
man was the sub-contractor. And the re- 
markable fact of a man and his family lit- 
erally building that length of road almost 
alone and unaided, was an instance of toil 
and labor never excelled in the county, if 
anywhere. It is said that they literally 
worked day and night, and tliat the wife 
would go home, cook the food and return 
with it. and the husband did much o* his 
sleeping by sticking his spade in the ground 
and sitting, leaning against it, slept. South 
of Schwerman's contract, a man named Whip- 
ple was the contractor. Freeman and Will- 
iam Williamson, assisted by E. C. Van Horn, 
had charge of the carpenter work pretty much 
along Barnard's entire line. 

In the latter part of 1855 the road was fin- 
ished and freight trains commenced running. 
The first regular passenger train, on schedule 
time, passed over the road from Chicago to 
Cairo. January 1, 1856. 

After the great work had been crowned 
with a successful completion of the road, and 
all could begin to realize its importance and 
value to the whole country, different parties 
came forward eager to claim the paternity 
of the original idea that had borne such a rich 
fruition. Of all these there are none worthy 
of notice here except Douglas and Breese. The 
real facts are that, like the engine, the spin- 
ning-jenny and nearly all the the great and 
benign inventions that have been given to the 
world, it was an idea or discovery that had 



: grown from gradual accretions received from 
many different busy minds. In the inception, 
too much credit cannot be awarded to Judge 
Breese and his co-laborers, and yet the mas- 
ter work of putting it in its present living 
shape is due almost exclusively to Judge 
Douglas. As already intimated in this chap- 
ter, it was in some respects a misfortune that 
any jealousies should have arisen between 
those two eminent sons of Illinois. In their 
young political lives, they had to some extent 
crossed each other's paths, and this no doubt 
helped to pave the way to some of the spirit 

'■ of gentle carping that marked the newspaper 
squibs that passed between them on this sub- 
ject, and we known of no more fitting conclu- 
sion to this subject than the following sub- 
joined synopsis of what passed between these 
two men upon the question of the road's pa- 
ternity. 

Judge Breese had been a Senator in Con- 
gress to March 4, 1S49, when he was suc- 
ceeded by James Shields. In 1850, he was 
a member of the Illinois Legislature. Under 
date December 23, 1850, among other things 
iu reply to the Illinois State Eegister, re- 
garding his favoring the " Holbrook Char - 
ters," he says: 

" The Central Railroad has been a control- 
ling object with me for more than fifteen 
years, and I would sacrifice all my personal 
advantages to see it made. These fellows 
who are making such an ado about it now 
have been whipped into its support. They 
are not for it now, and do not desire to have 
it made because I get the credit of it This 
is inevitable. I must have the credit of it, 
for I originated it in 1835, and, when in the 
Senate, passed three different bills through 
that body to aid in its construction. My 
successor had an easy task, as I had opened 
the way for him. It was the argument con- 
tained in my reports that silenced all oppo- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUXTY. 



in 



its 



passage easy, 
one can take 



I claim 
it from 



sition and made 
the credit and 
me. 

This came to the notice of Senator Doug- 
las, at Washington, who took occasion to re- 
ply on January 5, 1851, at length, giving a 
detailed history of all the efforts made in 
Congress to procure pre-emption rights for 
the benefit of a private conipany (the Hol- 
brook) and " I was the advocate of alternate 
sections to the State." This letter is long 
and very interesting and E^ay be found in 
the Illinois State Register of that date. 

Judge Breese rejoined under date of Janu- 
ary 25, 1851, through the columns of the 
same paper, at great length, claiming that 
besides seeking to obtain pre-emption aid, he 
also was first to introduce " a bill for an ab- 
solute grant of the alternate sections for the 
Central and Northern Cross Railroads, " but 
finding no favorable time to call it up, it 
failed. " It was known from my first en- 
trance into Congress that I would accomplish 
the measure, in some shape, if possible," 
but the Illinois members of the House, he 
asserts, took no interest in the passage of any 
law for the benefit of the Central road, either 
by gi'ant or pre-emption. He claims no 
share in the passage of the law of 1850. 

" Your (Douglas) claim shall not, with my 
consent, be disparaged, nor those of your as- 
sociates. I will myself weave your chaplet 
and place it, with no envious hands, upon 
your brow. At the same time you shall do me 
justice. I claim to have first projected this 
great road, in my letter of 1835, and in the 
judgment of impartial and disintoi-estod men, 
my claim will be avowed. I have said and 
written more in favor of it than any other. 
It has been the highest object to accomplish 
it, and when my last resting-place shall bo 
marked with the cold marble which gratitude 
or affection may erect, I desire for it no other 



inscription than this, that " He who sleeps 
beneath it projected the Central Railroad." 

In the same communication he cited his 
letter of October 16, 1835, to John Y. Saw- 
yer, in which the plan of the Central Rail- 
raod was first ever shadowed, which letter 
opens as follows: "Having some leisure from 
the labor of my circuit, I am induced to de- 
vote portion of it in giving to the public a 
plan, the outline of which was suggested to 
me by an intelligent friend in Bond County, 
a few days since." It is supposed that this 
was Hon. W. S. Wait. 

To this Douglas, under date of Washing- 
ton, February 22, 1851, surrejoins at con- 
siderable length, and in reference to this 
opening sentence in the Sawyer letter, he ex- 
claims: "How is this! The father of the 
Central Railroad, with a Christian meekness 
worthy of all praise, kindly consents to be 
the reputed parent of a hopeful son begotten 
for him by an intelligent friend in a neigh- 
boring county. I forbear pushing this in- 
quiry further. It involves a question of mor- 
als too nice, of domestic relations too delicate 
for me to expose to the public gaze. Inas- 
much, however, as you have furnished me 
with becoming gi-avity, the epitaph you de- 
sire engrossed .upon your tomb, when called 
upon to pay the last debt of nature, you will 
allow me to suggest that as such an inscrip- 
tion is a solemn and a sacred thing, and 
truth its essential ingredient, would it not 
be well to make a slight modification, so as 
to correspond with the facts as stated in your 
letter to Sawyer, which would make it read 
thus, in yoiu- letter to me: 

" ' It has been the highest object of my am- 
bition to accomplish the Central Railroad, 
and when my last resting-place shall be 
marked by the cold marble which gratitude 
or aflfection may erect, I desire for it no 
other inscription than this: " He who sleeps 



112 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



beneath this stone voluntarily consented to 
become the putative father of a lovely child, 
called the Central Railroad, and begotten for 
him by an intelligent friend in the county of 
Bond."" 

Here all correspondence seems to have 
stopped. 

The Vandalia Line. — One of Bond Coun- 
ty's oldest and most respected citizens, Hon. 
W. S. Wait, in a letter to B. Gratz Brown, 
June, 1863, makes the best introduction to 
the history of the rise and progress of the 
St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad. 
He says: " The railroad projected so early as 
1835, to run from St. Louis to Terre Haute, 
was intended as a direct line of railway to 
the Atlantic cities, and its first survey was 
taken over the exact line of the great Cum- 
berland road. We applied to Illinois Legis- 
lature for a charter in 1846, but were op- 
posed by rival interests, that finally succeed- 
ed in establishing two lines of railroad con- 
necting St. Louis with the Wabash — one by 
a line running north, and the other by a line 
running south of oiu- survey, thus demon- 
strating by the unfailing test of physical ge- 
ography that oar line is the central and true 
one. The two rival lines alluded to, viz., 
Terre Haute & Alton and Ohio & Mississippi. 
We organized om- company with the name of 
the Mississippi & Atlantic Company, in 1850, 
by virtue of a general railroad law passed 
the year previous, and immediately accom- 
plished a survey. An adverse decision of 
our Supreme Court led us to accept the offer 
of Eastern capitalists to help us through, 
who immediately took nine-tenths of our 
stock, and gave us John Brough for Presi- 
dent. Our right to contract was finally con- 
firmed, in February, 1854, the road put un- 
der contract and the work commenced. The 
shock given to all railroad enterprises by the 
" Schuyler fraud " suspended operations, and 



before confidence was restored, the controlling 
power, which was enthroned in Wall street, 
had arrived at the conclusion, as afterward 
discovered, to proceed no farther ia the con- 
struction of the Mississippi & Atlantic Rail- 
road. For purposes best understood by 
themselves, the Eastern manager amused us 
for several years with the hope that they 
were still determined to prosecute the work. 
When we were finally convinced of the in- 
tentional deception, we abandoned the old 
charter and instituted a new company, under 
the name of the Highland & St. Louis Rail- 
road Company, with power to build and 
complete by sections the entire road from St. 
Louis to Terre Haute. The charter was ob- 
tained in February, 1859, with the determi- 
nation on the part of the Highland corpora- 
tors to make no delay in constructing the 
section connecting them with St. Louis, but 
were prevented at the outset by difficulties 
since overcome, and afterward by the exist- 
ins: rebellion." 

This public letter portrays some of the 
chief difficulties with which the fi'iends of 
this road had to contend. " State policy," 
the stupidest folly rational men ever engaged 
in, was openly urged by many of the leading 
men north and south of the "Brough road," 
as it was generally called. Hou. Sidney 
Breese, a long resident of Carlisle, on the 
line of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, pub- 
licly declared for that doctrine " that it was 
to the interest of the State to encourage that 
policy that would build the most roads 
through the State; that the north and south 
roads (alluded to in Wait's letter) should 
first be allowed to get into successful opera- 
tion, when the Central line should then be 
chartered, as the merits of that line would 
insure the building of the road, on that line 
at once, giving to Middle Illinois three roads 
instead of one, as the chartering of the Cen- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



113 



ti'al line first would be a death blow to the 
other two, at least for many long years to 
come." Mr. Wait replied immediately, say- 
ing it was the first instance he had ever 
known where the merits of a raih-oad line had 
been urged as a reason why it should not 
meet with merited encoui'agement. and after 
more than §100,000 had been expended on 
the " Brough road." Further work was there- 
fore suspended- 

In February, 1865, the rebellion nearing its 
close, the people along the " Central Line," 
or " Brough " survey, again renewed their 
petition to the Illinois Legislature for nego- 
tiation of their right to build their railroad 
on their own long- cherished route. 

Mr. William Plant, who has been Secretary 
of the road from its inception, and is still in 
this position, furnishes the following facts of 
the history of the road: 

On the lOth of February, 1865, a liberal 
charter was granted for building the present 
St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad. 
The line was designated in the charter as 
" commencing on the left bank of the Missis- 
sippi, opposite St. Louis, running thence 
eastward through Greenville, the county seat 
of Bond County, and through Yandalia by 
the most eligil)le route, to a point on the 
Eiver Wabash." The persons named as in- 
corporators were Henry W'ing, S. W. Little, 
John S. Dewey, .Ajidrew Mills, Solomon 
Kepfli, Garrett Crownover, Curtis Blakeman, 
William S. Smith, Charles Hoile, William 
S. Wait, John B. Hunter, Williamson Plant, 
Andrew G. Henry, Jedediah F. Alexander, 
Nathaniel M. McCurdy, August H. Deiek- 
man, Ebonezer Capps, Frederick Remann, 
Matthias Fehreu. Michael Lynch, Thomas L. 
Vest, J. F. M^aschefort, Samuel W. Quinn, 
Chauncoy Rose and Joseph H. Morgan. 

Effingham County took a deep interest in 
the road, and called upon her sister counties 



along the line to aid in pushing forward the 
work. Douglas Township (City of Effing- 
ham) subscribed $50,000; Teutopolis, $15,- 
000; Moccasin, $5,000; Summit, $10,000, 
with 10 per cent interest annually. This in- 
debtedness has been promptly met as it ma- 
tured- 

The first meeting of the Board of Corpora- 
tors met at Vandalia, 111., on the 14th day of 
November, 18G5, for the purpose of organiz- 
ing and electing a board of nine directors, 
with the following result: John Schofield and 
Charles Duncan, Clark County: Samuel 
Qviinn, Cumberland County; J. P. M. How- 
ard and S. W. Little, Effingham; C. Floyd, 
Jones and F. Reemaer, Fayette; William S. 
Smith and Williamson Plant, Bond County. 

At the first meeting of the Board of Di- 
rectors, held at Effingham on the 22d day of 
November, 1865, for the purpose of electing 
the first officers of the company, J. P. M. 
Howard was elected Pi'esident, and William- 
son Plant, Secretary. 

Through the influence of E. C. Rice, who 
was Chief Engineer of the "Brough" survey, 
and had made estimates for the work under 
the same. Gen. E. F. Winslow, a gentle- 
man of great energy and considerable rail- 
road experience, after various propositions 
being made to build part of the line, or parts 
of the road, contracted, August 22, 1866, to 
build the entire line from the " west bank of 
the Wabash to the east end of tlie dyke at Il- 
linois town. " The contract was finally rat- 
ified at a meeting of the Board of Direct- 
ors, held at Vandalia Nov'ember 14, 1866. 
An additional agi'eement was entered into 
November 28. 1866, and made part of the 
original contract. 

The first shock received by the railroad 
company in the outset, was the lamented 
death of its earnest leader and judicious 
friend, Hon. W. S. Wait. July 17, 1865, 



114 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



thereby depriving it of his mature judg- 
ment and wise counsel in carrying out and 
making the contract about to be entered into 
for the building of the road under the char- 
ter so recently obtained from the Legisla- 
ture. 

In 1867, first mortgage bonds were put on 
the " property, rights, franchises, leases and 
estate, etc., of the company to the amount of 
$1,900,000." When the property was leased, 
in February, 1868, a second mortgage was 
put on the same to the amount of $2,600,- 
000, each mortgage bearing 7 per cent inter- 
est, payable semi-annually. For the purpose 
of further equipment of the road, preferred 
stock has been issued to the amount of $],- 
544,700, bearing 7 per cent interest. 

The issue of §2,000,000 has been author- 
ized. This stock will take precedence over 
the common stock of the company in receiv- 
ing dividends, and as the interest on the pre- 
ferred stock may accumulate before any pay- 
ment thereof, the prospect for dividends on 
common stock is remote. 

By mutual understanding between the con- 
tractors and the company, E. C. Rice was 
engaged as Chief Engineer of the company, 
■January 18, 1867, and he commenced the 
first survey on the west end of the line in 
JIarch, and the grading was begun as soon 
as the line was fixed at the west end, in April 
following. At the same meeting, a code of 
by- laws was adopted, and Greenville was 
designated as the general olfice of the com- 
pany. 

At the annual election, held in January, 
1867, J. P. M. Howard was re-elected Presi- 
dent, Williamson Plant, Secretary, and W. 
S. Smith, Treasurer. April 3, 1867, Mr. 
Howard gave up the position, by request, 
and J. F. Alexander was chosen President of 
the company in his place. 

By the charter, the company was author- 



ized to issue first mortgage bonds, not to ex- 
ceed $12,000 per mile. The capital stock was 
made $3,000,000 which could be increased at 
an annual meeting by a majority of stock- 
holders in interest, aa they should direct. 

The road was completed to Highland July 
1, 1868. The first regular passenger train 
did not run to that point until August 20 fol- 
lowing. 

By consent of the railroad company. Gun. 
Winslow, as contractor, was paid $120,000 for 
labor expended on the line, to the 10th day 
of February, 1868, and at his request was re- 
leased from his contracts. The same was 
ratified and accepted by the company at their 
meeting March 13, 1868. 

The company entered into a contract, Feb- 
ruary 10, 1868, with Thomas fj. Jewett and 
B. F. Smith, of Ohio; George B. Boberts, 
of Philadelphia, and W. R. McKeen, of Terre 
Haute, in the firm name of McKeen, Smith 
<fe Co., to complete the road at an early day. 
At the same time and jilace, an agreement 
was entered into, leasing the St. Louis, Van- 
dalia & Terre Haute Railroad to the Terre 
Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company. 
In the report of the President of the " Van " 
Company, made to the stockholders at their 
annual meeting, held at Greenville, 111., Jan- 
uary 6, 1872, he says: 

" When on the 1 0th day of February, 
1868, the contract was made insuring the 
completion of yom- road, another contract 
was also made, providing for its forming a 
part of a continuous railroad line from St. 
Louis (via Indianapolisjto Pittsburgh, and for 
perfecting this object yom- line was leased 
for a period of 999 years to the Terre Haute 
& Indianapolis Railroad Company, for the 
joint interests of the company and the several 
railroad companies forming the said line. 
Under this lease, the lessees were to work 
yoiw road at their cost and expense, and to 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUXTY. 



115 



pay to your company 35 per cent of the gross 
earnin<:;3, first paying therefrom all the inter- 
est duo on the bonds of the company, and all 
taxes assessed against the property of the 
company, advancing any deficit in the 
amount needed to meet these liabilities and 
paying the surplus (if any remained) of the 
35 per cent to your companj'. Your board, 
in view of the light traffic usually done upon 
a new line reduced the proportion due your 
company of the gross earnings to 30 per cent, 
provided, that after payment by the lessees 
of the road out of the 70 per cent received 
for that pui'pose, if any svu-plus remained, it 
should go to your company." 

From small earnings from the time the 
road was opened, first to Highland and 
Greenville, in 1808, and finally thi-ough to 
Terre Haute, July 1, 1870, it has developed 
a marvelous increase of business, not only to 
the road, but to the farming and all other in- 
dustries along the line. The whole cost of 
the road, and equipment of the same to July 
1, 1868, when the contractors turned the road 
over to the lessees, was $7,171,355.89, which 
was increased steadily as the line was more 
fully developed by " rolling stock " and "bet- 
terments," etc., on the road, until the last 
report of Treasurer W. H. Barnes made the 
total costs of road and equipment to October 
1, 1880, $8,330,410.75. The amount of busi- 
ness done over the line for the year 18S1, 
aggregates $1,565,515.0-1:, and the rental due 
to the company from the lessee for the year 
ending October 31, 1S81, was $469,354.50, 
and for the same time $42 4,827.04 was earned 
in caiTying passengers; $43,490.57 for ex- 
press, and $90,835.98 for mail services. 

The first train ran into EflSngham April 
26, 1870, and the first regular passenger 
train over the whole line, on schedule time, 
was on the 12th day of June, 1870, and, as 
mentioned before, the contractors turned ovor 



the road, as per contract, to the Terre Haute 
& Indianapolis Railroad Company July 1, 
1870. 

The St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute 
Railroad is 158 miles from East St. Louis to 
the eastern line of the State, and seven miles 
from State line to Wabash River at Terre 
Haute, and twenty-five miles and a half in 
EflSngham County. : 

The Wabash Railroad.-— On the 10th of 
March, 1869, the General Assembly incorpo- 
rated the Bloomington & Ohio River Railroad 
Company, the incorporators being T. D. 
Craddock, J. D. Bruce, C. H. Bull, Charles 
Voris, J. B. Titus, Jonathan Patterson, Sr., 
H. Y. Kellar, William Piatt and Michael 
Swan. 

The charter specifies a road " commencing 
at or near Effingham, in Effingham County, 
thence on the most practicable route (to be 
determined by said directors or their succes- 
sors in oflSce) from said point to the T., H. 
& A. and St. Louis Railroad, at or near 
Windsor, in Shelby County, 111.; theiice 
from said point, on the most practicable 
route, to be determined as aforesaid, to Sul- 
livan, in the county of Moultrie, and thence 
from said town of Sullivan to the Great 
Western Railroad, at or near the town of Be- 
ment, in the county of Piatt; thence from 
said point, "on the most practicable route, to 
the town of Monticello, in the county of Pi- 
att, and thence, on the most practicable route, 
to the city of Bloomington in the county of 
McLean. 

The above-named incorporators, by the 
charter, constituted the first Board of Direct- 
ors. The charter was very liberal in allow- 
ing the people, counties, towns and munici- 
palities along the route to make donations 
and issue bonds bearing 10 per cent interest 
therefor. 

The Board of Directors met at Windsor on 



116 



HISTOBY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



the 19th day of May, 1869, for the purpose 
of organizing and electing officers. There 
was a fall attendance of the members in their 
own proper person, except T. D, Craddock, 
who was represented by his proxy, H. C. 
Bradsby. We mention this fact for the very 
important reason that to it is due the circum- 
stance that the road was ever built at all. 
The charter had been drafted by J. B. Titus, 
of Sullivan, and some of his friends in Wind- 
sor, and when they came to that part giving 
the names of the nine directors, desiring to 
scatter them along the contemplated line, it 
80 happened that the only man they knew in 
Effingham was T. D. Craddock, and without 
his knowledge they inserted his name. 
Charles Voris was in the State Senate and the 
bill was placed in his hands, and, like all 
other similar bills at that time, was passed 
without comment or amendment. When the 
incorporators met, they spent the early part 
of the day in making each other's acquaint- 
ance, as well as informally talked over who 
they would elect for officers. The common 
sentiment among them was that it was Voris' 
charter, and, as a matter of course, he should 
have the first place. Craddock's proxy at 
this point did what no one could well do for 
himself, that is, to put his principal up for 
President and urge and advocate his claims 
until even Voris withdrew in his favor, and 
T. D. Craddock was unanimously elected 
President; J. B. Titus, Treasurer, and C. H. 
Bull, Secretary. No man was probably ever 
more surprised than was Mr. Craddock, when 
notified of his election. 

On the 14th of the following month, the 
board assembled at Windsor, and the organi- 
zation was completed by the adoption of a 
constitution and by-laws, and H. C. Bradsby 
was appointed the general financial agent of 
the company. Meetings were at once called 
all along the line, addresses made, a general 



interest in the enterprise awakened, elections 
held at various places, and the sum of $520,- 
000 was voted as a donation, from the north 
line of Piatt County to the city of Effing- 
ham, Douglas Township voting $50,000. 
Surveyors were set to work immediately, Mr. 
Craddock advancing the money therefor, and 
a survey of the whole line made. The towns 
along the line, through their Counci Is or 
Trustees, voted various sums and reimbursed 
Craddock for the money advanced to do the 
surveying. 

The county of Moultrie voted $100,000 to 
the road, and, as that county was without 
any railroad, its people were deeply interest- 
ed in the enterf)rise. At one of the railroad 
meetings in Sullivan, Jonathan Patterson, 
or, as he is widely known, " Uncle Donty," 
who owned a mill there and had to haul his 
Hour through the deep, black mud to Mattoon 
for shipment, was called out at the meeting, 
and when he came to describe the woes of the 
deep, waxy mud, how it hemmed them about 
like a wall and a deep, deep ditch, he abso- 
lutely grew eloquent, so much so indeed, 
that calls for him were made in every dii-ec- 
tion to speak at railroad meetings. 

The survey was made, the half-million 
dollar donations voted, all the paper, work 
and wind department of a grand railroad 
sjieedily arranged, and here matters stopjaed, 
complacently awaiting the coming of some 
trillionaire contractor to built it. The 
board would call meetings and adjourn 
and meet again, and then another effort would 
be made to secure a §20,000 donation from 
Summit Township in this county. Stock 
books were opened at every point along the 
line, but a half-dozen public- spirited citizens 
of Effingham were the only ones that sub- 
cribed any stock, except a single share here 
and there, enough to be eligible to an office 
in the company. The enthusiasm of the peo- 









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>-.staaii..,. ^*»S!i 




V 



^>77^ 



^ cif ^^yf^ 



/^.^ 




HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



119 



pie soon began to cool, when they perceived 
the wheels really stopped, and soon it had 
reached the point that Craddock was the only 
man left that would risk a dollar on the fut- 
ure prospects of the road; he never appar- 
ently fagged, or hesitated, and his efiforts 
necessitated constant trips to the different 
cities in the hunt of parties to come forward 
and build the road. Two or three contractors 
were agreed upon, but when it came to the 
point the parties had no money and feared to 
attempt to work on a credit until the dona- 
tions would pay the road's way to completion 
and the contracts were abandoned. In the 
meantime, H. C. Bradsby had been elected a 
director in the place of C. H. Bull, and he 
was also elected Secretary and a member of 
the Executive Committee. The number of the 
board had been increased, and W. H. Barlow, 
S. W. Little and D. B. Alexander, of Effing- 
ham, were made members. 

In proportion as the prospects of building 
the road were prolonged, the enthusiasm of 
friends cooled, and the board finally said to 
Craddock and Bradsby, take the concern and 
build it if you can. To better help carry 
this idea out, an executive committee of three 
(of which thoy were members), with all the 
powers of the corporation full and complete 
— a majority to control — was created, and 
they were thus made the full representatives, 
with all powers of the organization. They 
continued the hunt, and opened up negotia- 
tions with any and all probable builders who 
would stop and listen to their scheme. At 
this time there was a warm rivalry existing 
between T. B. Blackstoae, of the Chicago & 
Alton Raih-oad, and Boody, of the Wabash, 
for the control of the Decatur & State 
Line Railroad frc-m Decatur to Chicago. 
The Wabash had just completed a road from 
Decatur to St. Louis and to make a terrible 
rival for the Chicago & Alton, it only had 



to secure the road from Decatur to Chi- 
cago. Hence, negotiations were opened with 
Blackstone, who lent a favorable ear. He 
agreed to take a perpetual lease of the Bloom- 
ington & Ohio road and indorse its bonds to 
the amount of $17,500 a mile and fm-nish 
the rolling stock, operate the same and pay 
the interest, provided, that he could make a 
similar arrangement with the Decatur & State 
Line road, and thus form a junction of the 
two railroads at a point a short distance 
northeast of Decatur. This would not only 
destroy the rivalry of the Wabash line, but 
it would give the Chicago & Alton a strong 
lever upon the Illinois Central. Thore were 
over $000,000 donations on the State Line 
road, and, as above said, over $500,000 on the 
Bloomington&Ohio. The $17,500 was enough 
money secured to build the road and have at 
least $1,000 a mile on each line of the road. 
The engineer estimated that on every mile of 
the Bloomington & Ohio road, there was a cer- 
tain profit under this arrangement of $2,500 
besides the donations. Probably no two men 
ever left Chicago with brighter hopes in ref- 
erence to a business transaction than did the 
representatives of the Bloomington & Ohio, 
when they left Mr. Blackstone's office to go 
to Decatur to confer with E. O. Smith, the 
President of the State Line road, and inform 
him of the fortune they brought for him. and 
in return only asked his concurrence for his 
road in the scheme. But, to their amaze- 
ment. Smith hesitated — the sum of money 
named stunned him, and, in short, Boody got 
hold of him, and convinced him that he had 
better cast his fortunes with the Wabash, 
and, while he would only make a small 
amount of money, yet it would be certain, 
and thus won him over. Boody and the Wa- 
bash soon failed, and this scheme, as well as 
the bright hopes of the Bloomington & Ohio, 
were as the fabric of a vision, or anvthing 



120 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



else gone up in smoke. This was one of sev- 
eral prospects that worked up to the fairest 
promise, and then came to naught. 

In the early part of 1871, a contract to 
construct the road from Effingham to a junc- 
tion of the Fairbury, Pontiac & Northwestern 
at some point east of Bloomington, was en- 
tered into with the firm of Ralph Plumb & 
Co., the members of the firm being Ralph 
Plumb, F. E. Hinckley and P. B. Shumway. 
There was a secret an-angement agreed upon 
with Craddock. The heaviest donations on 
the road were from Bement to Windsor, 
through Moultrie County, there being $50,- 
000 at Bement, 1100,000 in Moultrie and 
$75,000 in Windsor — plenty to pay every 
dollar of the cost of the road between these 
two points. Work was, therefore, com- 
menced at Bement and carried from there 
south and soon completed to Windsor. A 
train was put upon this much of the road, 
and was a financial success from the day it 
commenced to ran. 

The Bloomington & Ohio Kiver Railroad 
was then consolidated with the Fairbury, 
Pontiac & Northwestern, and the new road 
was called the Chicago & Paducah Railroad, 
and according to ^le terms of the contract, 
the entire franchise and corporation passed 
into the hands of the contractors. The work 
south stopped at Windsor, and the north end 
of the road was finished until it met its 
northern companion, and was completed and 
stocked and operated as one line from Wind- 
sor, through Pontiac to Streator. After a 
delay of three years, the work on the road 
from Windsor south was commenced. The 
two townships in Shelby County had given 
$40,000 donations, and in a short time it was 
built to Shumway, in this county. Here it 
made another pause. It wanted to reach the 
Springfield Branch of the Ohio & Mississip- 
pi, and, id 1872, it bad made all arrange- 



ments for an extension from Efiingham to 
Louisville, in Clay County. Surveys had 
been made, and the people had subscribed 
$60,000 in private subscriptions, payable only 
when the road was completed to Louisville. 
Ralph Plumb & Co. had contracted with H. 
C. Bradsby to secure the right of way from 
Effingham to Louisville and get the dona- 
tions. They had also contracted with him 

for the ties along: the entire line. The com- 
es 

pany apparently having failed to make ex- 
pected money arrangements, abandoned all 
this part of the road and organized under 
the general law a company to construct a 
railroad from Shumway to Altamont. This 
was an easy line built and it would save a 
rough crossing at the Wabash to get to Effing- 
ham. A force of workmen were put upon 
the line fi-om Shumway to Altamont. The 
news of what was being done soon came to 
the city of Effingham, and a petition for an 
injunction, preventing the building of the 
road to Altamont, was presented to Judge 
Allen of the Circuit Court, and promptly 
granted. This carried dismay to the con- 
tractors, and they came to the people of 
Effingham and sued for terms, asking to be 
permitted to complete the work to Altamont, 
and offering pledges that they would then 
build to Effingham, the pledge being the do- 
nations Effingham had voted the road. The 
attorneys of Effingham and others, probably 
a majority of the people, were in favor of ac- 
cepting their offer. Others opposed it; they 
said it could do no harm to let the injunction 
stand — this would insure the road being 
built at once to Effingham, and when this 
was done they could build to Altamont or 
where they pleased. The first-named carried 
their point — the contractors keeping faith 
with some to whom they made promises, and 
unceremoniously breaking them with others. 
The injunction was removed and the road 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



121 



completed to Altamont. In 1874, the nest 
move was to apply to the township of Doug- 
las for the $50,000 of bonds voted by it, and 
that had been signed in blank by Casper 
Nolte, Supervisor, in 1872. Suits were com- 
menced to restrain the tilling and completing 
these bonds and their delivery to the company, 
and praying the court to not only prevent 
their delivery, but to order them burned by 
the Sheiiff of the county. But these suits 
were not popular. Indeed, so anxious were 
the people that the bonds should bo passed 
over to the road nunc pro tunc, that stacks 
of aiBdavits, including nearly all the business 
and leading men of the city, may yet be 
found in the Clerk's office in favor of passing 
over the bonds " in order that the work of 
completing the road to Effingham " might go 
on. The bills for injunction to restrain the 
issue and delivery of these bonds are on tile 
in the Circuit Clerk's office, and there is no 
question that they show an extraordinary 
state of facts. Nor is there a doubt but that 
Judge Allen was anxious to stop the delivery 
of the bonds and save the people §50,000 
thereby. A. B. Jansen, the then Supervisor 
of Douglas Township, had been warned not 
to issue the bonds or deliver them. The 
bonds had been placed in Judge Thornton's 
hands, the attorney of the railroad iu that, 
as well as in other cases, and the Douglas 
Township Supervisor finally went to Shelby- 
ville and from thence to Springfield, and 
when he returned the company had the bonds, 
not only filled up, but registered in the State 
Auditor's office. When the road was com- 
pleted to Effingham there occurred a curious 
coincidence, the people pretty miich en masse 
became violently opposed to the issue of the 
bonds, and a suit was commenced to annul 
them and an injunction asked and obtained 
restraining the tax collector from collecting 
the tax for the purpose of paying the interest 



on the bonds. As a matter of course the 
people were defeated in this suit, and mulct- 
ed in an additional bill of costs and attor- 
neys' fees. 

In all those unfortunate complications, the 
writer hereof knows probably every man who 
was " seen, " as the slang phrase goes, as well 
as those whose hopes from great promises, 
turned to Dead Sea apples upon their lips, 
and nearly broke, doubtless, their honest 
hearts, but for our common humanity he 
deems it best to take these little secrets with 
him to the grave. The situation of our peo- 
ple in reference to these bonds was simply, 
when they could they wouldn't, and when 
they woiild they couldn't, and that's an end 
on't. 

It is due Mr. Benson Wood, who was the 
local attorney of the people in all this litiga- 
tion, to say that in the first suits to protect 
the people and enjoin the bonds, that he com- 
plained bitterly that he had a good case, but 
no proper client; he probably now will as 
freely acknowledge that in the final suits he 
had an excellent rich fool for a client, but no 
case. 

The first train to run the entire length of 
the road, from Streator to Altamont, on sched- 
ule time, was on the 29th day of June, 1874. 
It was two years after this, February, 1876, 
before trains were run into Effingham. 

On the 5th day of April, 1880, the Chi- 
cago & Paducah Railroad passed into the 
hands of the present owners and became the 
Wabash Railroad. This new company at 
once set about com2:)leting a railroad fi-om a 
place known as Strawn to Chicago, and thus 
was made a direct and valuable road from 
Effingham and from Altamont to Chicago. 
This also gives this great corporation a direct 
and valuable line a direct road from St. Louis 
to Chicago. 

A mixed passenger train is daily run from 



123 



HISTOKY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



here to Bement, where it connects with the 
Chicago & Toledo trains, and returns here in 
the evening. A freight is daily dispatched 
from Altamont, giving the road two daily 
trains each way from Shumway north. Since 
the building of the road, there has been but 
two different station agents here, namely, C. 
A. Van Allen, the first one, and H. G. Hab- 
ing, the present one. Mr. Frank Green, the 
present conductor between this point and Be- 
ment, was the second conductor ever put 
upon the road. He succeeded Andy Ricketts, 
the first conductor for a few months, when 
the road was first opened from Bement to 
Windsor. 

It is in contemplation by the Wabash to 
build a road from this point through Jasper 
and Crawford Counties, in a southeast direc- 
tion to Cincinnati, and as an evidence of the 
earnestness of this intention, a mortgage 
bond on this line was recently filed for record 
in our Clerk's office. The purpose of this is 
to reach Cincinnati and the rich block coal 
fields of Indiana. 

The Narrow Gauge. — The Springfield, 
Effingham & South-Eastern Railroad was 
chartered in 1867, with J. P. M. Howard, S. 
W Little, AV. B. Cooper, L. R. McMurry, 
John F. Barnard, Anderson Webster and 
Thomas Martin, incorporators. J. P. M. 
Howard was elected first President, and Yan 
Valkenburg, Secretary. A partial survey of 
the line was made in 1868. At the June 
meeting in 1878, Howard resigned and quit 
the organization, and L. R McMurry, Presi- 
dent, and H. C. Bradsby, Secretary, T. D. 
Craddock, Treasurer; and another survey of 
the line was made. There were $163,000 in 
donations voted from Effingham to the Wa- 
bash River. Effingham voted $50,000 of this. 

In the same year, the Vincepnes & Pana 
Railroad was chartered, with William Rea- 
vell, James H. Steeles, William C. Wilson, 



Joseph Cooper, Isaac H Walker, William C. 
Jones, Daniel Rinehart, William B. Cooper, 
R. A. Howard, Craig White, J C. Helmack 
and D. D. Shumway were incorporators. 
This provided for the building of a railroad 
" commencing at a point at or near the O. & 
M. R. R., west of Vincennes, as the company 
may select, east of Lawrenceville, thence to 
Robinson, thence to Newton, thence to Effing- 
ham, thence to Pana." 

By consolidating these two lines and mak- 
ing the present S. E. & S. E. R. R., a line 
was authorized as it is at present located, 
and built from here to the Wabash River. 
The consolidation was formally made and 
entered into. The financial panic of 1873 
apparently had forever killed the enterprise 
that had promised so fair from its inception 
to that time. In the latter part of 1878, 
parties came, and the project was revived, 
with John Funkhouser as President, and 
George C. Mitchell, his son-in-law, for Sec- 
retary. In 1876, a contract was made with 
Adams, Soliday & Company to build the 
road. This company was soon deeply in 
debt to workmen, tiemen, boarding-houses, 
and all other employes, and the company of 
Buell, Lyon & Co. succeeded them. Lyon 
seemed to have plenty of money, and all the 
people along the line were soon revived in 
hope, and the work started up with great ac- 
tivity again. After a little while, Lyon re- 
tired from the firm, and it became Buell, 
Smith & Co., and another spirited revival of 
the work took place. This last company or- 
ganized the Cincinnati, Effingham & Quincy 
Construction Company, and all was again 
serene for a short time. Some misunder- 
standing arising in this construction com- 
pany, in March, 1879, a Receiver was ap- 
pointed — John Charles Black — for the con- 
struction company. In September, 1879, J. 
P. M. Howard was appointed Receiver for the 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



■\.2i 



railroad company. At this time, about ten 
miles of the road had been graded, and half 
a mile of the track was laid at Robinson. In 
January, 1881, the road was completed, and 
the trains commenced regularly running from 
the city of Effingham to the Wabash River. 
The affairs of both the construction and rail- 
road company were settled, and the books 
closed and road turned over to Sturgis, Lyon 
& Co., in July, 1882. 

O. & M. Railroad. — In 1867, the Spring- 
field & South-Eastern Railroad was chartered, 
and the work commenced to build a line 
from Shawneetown to Springfield. This was 
Tom Ridgeway's and Charley Beecher's road. 
These two men came to the City of Effingham 
and caused much excitement among our peo- 
ple by telling them their line of constructed 
road from the south on its way to Springfield 
was rapidly approaching our south county 
line; that they wanted to build to our city 
on the route, but they wanted first to know 
exactly how much we would give as an in- 
ducement; that if this inducement was not 
liberal enough, they would build the road 
west of us, through Altamont or St. Elmo, 
etc., eta In the winter of 1879, the people 
of Effingham had heard so much about rail- 
roads coming — singly, in squads and in pla- 
toons — that they were ddzed with their own 
prospective greatness. Railroad meetings 
were frequent, and it was railroads for break- 
fast, dinner and supper. The people had 



appointed a Railroad Committee, a kind 
of public safety committee, and, in de- 
spair in understanding all the talk that was 
going on about railroads, they turned the 
whole matter over to this committee. But 
the committee was less able, it seems, to 
either agree or understand what it all meant 
than were the people. The final result was 
that Effingham hesitated, and the little, act- 
ive, wide-awake townships of West, Mason 
and Liberty, and the village of Edgewood, 
secured the road. Edgewood gave $10,000, 
West Township $10,000,' Mason Township 
$10,000, and Liberty $5,000, and the Spring- 
field & South-Eastern Railroad was built 
upon the line it now runs upon, through 
Edgewood and Altamont, twelve miles east 
of Effingham, on to Springfield. The road, 
in 1875, passed into other hands, and be- 
came the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad. 

In the county are 104^ miles of operated 
railroad, as follows: Illinois Central, twenty- 
five miles; Wabash, nineteen and three- 
fourths miles; Vandalia line, twenty-five and 
a half miles; S. E. & S. E., eleven miles; O. 
& M., twenty-two and a half miles. 

There is a company organized to construct 
a narrow-gauge railroad from Effingham to 
Camden, on the O. & M. road, and the proba- 
bilities are that this and the road leading 
southeast will both be completed at an early 
day, and this will add twenty-five miles to 
the road-bed now in the county. 







124 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



CHAPTER IX. 



RETROSPECTION— MORALIZING ON THE FLIGHT OF TIME— POST OFFICE, TELEGRAPHS, ETC- 
SINGING AND WRITING MASTE(!S—" FLING, DANG, DOODLE, DA"— LITERARY TASTES 
OF THE COUNTY— EXAMINATION OF A SCHOOLMASTER— THE DUTCH- 
TOWN WAR^A BIT OF CHURCH GOSSIP— VALEDICTORY, ETC. 



-THE 



'* Time was not yet, 
When at his daughter's birth the sire grew pile 
For fear the age and dowry gliould exceed 
On each side just proportion. 

Well content, 
With unrobed jerkin, and their good dames handling 
The spindle and the flax." — Dante. 

SIMILAR lamentations have been said or 
sung of every place and nation under the 
sun that has risen to wealth and refinement. 
Simplicity of manners may be a good thing, 
but, with the increase of wealth, industry 
and population, it cannot continue as it was 
in earlier times ; and to regret when the times 
and social state have changed is to regret an 
impossibility. Every stage of society has its 
good and evil side; and wisdom would seem 
to consist in endeavoring to make the best of 
that condition of it under which we live." 

It is natural, when age begins to dim the 
vision, and the twilight is seen in the dis- 
tance, for man to turn back in memory, and 
find his pleasures of life in the contempla- 
tion of those sunshiny spots of youth, of 
bounding young hopes and rippling laugh- 
ter, of joy, and pure and passionate love, 
when the world was new and life was new 
and gleeful and gladsome. Time when it was 

"Sweet to hear the honest watcli-dog's bark 
Bay deep-mouthed welcome as we draw near 
home;" 

and to linger lovingly here, and to con- 
trast then and now. This is inevitable to 
all old age, as it is sure to draw the picture 



always with the same result — the sweet 
then, the bitter now. True, the times and 
manners have changed, but age forgets that 
it has changed, too. The change in man- 
ners are generally a necessity and for the 
better, while the changes in age are inevita- 
ble; they should be, and generally are, for 
the better, but not always. To shake the 
head and say, " It was not so when I was a 
child," is the blessed province and privilege 
of age. This has passed along with every 
period and generation for thousands of years, 
and it will continue, no doubt, indefinitely. 
It is harmless as any other fiction, except to 
those who j^ei'Juit themselves to dwell too 
long upon the dark side of the picture, until 
they become almost convinced that mankind 
is rapidly degenerating and civilization is 
passing away. But in any light, or from 
any point of view, the fleeting years, the 
blessed long ago, " the good dames handling 
the sjjindle and the flax, " is the sweet picture 
of life that deserves the richest setting, the 
best light in the favorite family room, and the 
fu'st place in the hearts of all mankind. 
Yea, good dame, and venerable sire, all is 
for the best. You are looking upon the same 
struggle that was present to your grandfa- 
thers of many hundreds of years ago — the 
mighty struggle between truth and error. In 
this contest there can be but one result, even 
though, at long stretches of time, error and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



126 



wrong seem to prevail and riot in their vic- 
torious power, yet in the end it will perish, 
and truth and right will be completely vic- 
torious. This is the order of nature — this is 
destiny. The victories of error and \vrong 
are temporary in their effects; they pass away 
and are forgotten; while those of truth en- 
dure forever. Governments and nations, 
creeds and religions, imperial principalities, 
with their armies like unto the leaves of the 
forest, have come upon the world, ruled 
mightily the globe, fretted their brief hour 
and are gone — gone like the baseless fabric 
of a vision that leaves not a wrack behind. 
While truth, in her patient triumphs and dis- 
coveries, is perpetual — she alone is immortal. 
It is not, therefore, best to mourn too much 
over customs, manners and times that have 
been and are not, but to remember that in 
their day they were good, perhaps the best, 
and to send back the sweet recollections, like 
radiant sunbeams of joy, when will come, like 
music over the waters, the echo to the poet's 
aspiration — " Backward, turn backward, oh, 
time, in thy fliglit, and make me a child 
again, just for to-night." 

Some idea of the changes that have been 
wrought hero the past fifty years may best be 
had by comparisons of some of those things 
most familiar to our readers. For instance, 
the post office is a matter of transcendant 
concern to all. It would be difficult to think 
of society at present as without it. It is one 
of the most important and useful institutions 
to civilization that is given to us by the Gov- ' 
ernment, and the fact that it is a self-sus- ! 
taining institution is evidence that, had 
Government not supplied this want, private 
enterprise would have done so, and possibly | 
have done it better than Government can, as 
it has in the express and telegraph depart- 
ments. At one time, the pony mails passed 
through the county weekly, when they were 



permitted by the streams to go through at 
all. The first Postmaster, Hankins, at one 
time had received two letters, and this news 
passed around among the people. The office 
was in the Postmaster's hat, weighted down 
by a red bandana. The coming of this mail 
matter was a sensation. Facsimiles of these 
old letters, sealed with red wafers, and upon 
yellowed foolscap paper, and somewhat awk- 
wardly folded, without envelope, would now 
be interesting to look upon, and the time is 
not very distant when, framed and hung upon 
the wall, they would surjiass in interest a 
painting, or the finest steel-plate engraving. 
The news then traveled, if at all, among the 
people, much as it had done among their im- 
mediate predecessors, the Indians. Not a 
newspaper, daily, weekly or monthly, at one 
time came to the people. There are no rec- 
ords by which we can toll how much mail 
matter now comes daily into the county, but 
a reference to such facts as can be gleaned 
from the office in this city may give an ap- 
proximation thereto. The number of pos- 
tage stamps sold at this point for the quarter 
just ended was $917.16. This would indi- 
cate the quarterly receipt of about thirty 
thousand letters — ten thousand per month, or 
three hundred and thirty daily. In addition 
to the five county papers with an average 
circulation of over five hundred each per week, 
there are distributed here 135 daily papers 
225 weeklies and 100 monthlies. This in- 
crease in mail matter is not the proper measure 
of the growth of population in the county, 
nor is it a measure of the spread of intelli- 
gence or education. It is a mark of the age, 
an index in the change of the habits of the 
people, that applies to the whole nation. 
People now read more than did their forefa- 
thers, and the rapid gi-owth of the various is- 
sues from the press is another remarkable 
feature of the time. But he is silly who es- 



126 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



ti mates the increase of value by the increase 
of quantity. A look at the news depot coun- 
ters, or in the book stores is enough to read- 
ily convince even the skeptical that there is 
but very little more of the best books and 
publications read in the county to day than 
there was fifty years ago. The insufferable 
trash comes from the press like snow-flakes, 
and is no more healthy mental food than are 
cobble-stones and rusty nails food for the 
physical organs. The preacher with his in- 
terminable sermons, the lawyer with his gift 
of gab, the political stump-speaker and the 
country debating society were once the flow- 
ing fountains free to all the world — the great 
man of all being always the orator, that re- 
markable production that could talk like tin 
angel even when he could only think as a 
poll parrot. This phenomenon is now passed 
or is rapidly passing away. His successor, 
it appears, is what may well be termed the 
yellow-back literatui-e of the day. There is 
no healthier sign of the public sense than the 
incredulity and humor that plays over the 
faces of the audience nowadays when the 
muggy chairman of a political meeting in- 
troduces the Hon. Shiggum as " the silver- 
tongued orator," when the said Honorable, 
fragrant with the fumes of the pot-house, 
rises and pours forth his incoherent scream 
uf bruised, battered and miu'dered King's 
English to the gaping groundlings. The 
phenomenal production of this age is the 
demagogue — the Hon. Slumscullion, the "sil- 
ver-tongued" combination of horse-fiddle, 
tomtom, huzzy-guzzy and wind-power hew- 
gag — simplicity and soap-locks, wisdom and 
wind-power, impudence and ignorance. His 
cotemporary and compeer is the Police Ga- 
zette; his fattening food is his fellow-mor- 
tal's ignorance and simplicity. The times 
and the age call for this strange creature, 
and he steps forth, regal in low cunning, 



mastodonic in cheek. When the last of the 
public teachers — Clay, Douglas and Web- 
ster — had passed away and ceased to teach 
their noble schools, from the rostrum, the 
Senate, the bar and the stump, the dema- 
gogue came to sit in their high chairs, and 
caw and cackle at the people, and be great — 
be real buzzards roosting in the dead eagles' 
nests. Here is a change in the then and 
now — but where is the improvement? 

There was the singing master then, armed 
with his tuning-fork and Missouri Harmony, 
" From Greenland's icy mountains, from In- 
dia s coral strand." A mighty man in his 
day was he — the glass of fashion and the 
mold of form — the toast of the belles of the 
neighborhood, the envy of the swains; and, 
when he took his position before his class, 
and struck his fork and gracefully inclined 
his head to catch the sweet notes of inspira- 
tion from it, and broke forth " Do-ra-me- fa-so- 
la! Sing!" his graceful poise as he would 
beat time for " Pisgah " after the fashion of 
a battle with mosquitoes, won many stolen 
glances from swelling young maidens' hearts, 
as all mouths flew open in unison, and the 
good old hymn came rasping, jerking along, 
in every key, tune and time. "Again!" would 
shout the autocrat master, when it was gone 
over once, " and every one open his mouth 
and sing loud," and away go the med- 
ley in a noisy race for the grand flourish at 
the end, and then all look meekly up for the 
teachers approving smile, which sometimes 
they got, but much oftener he gave only 
crushing frowns, as much as to say they hadn't 
sung loud enough, until he came to the belle of 
the neighborhood, when his great counte- 
nance would relax, and he would smooth his 
wrinkled brow, smile winsomely and majes- 
tically spit at a crack ten feet away, which he 
never missed. But this wonderful creature 
has gone — gone like a school- boys tale, and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



127 



in his musical place did come the jangled, 
out-of-tune piano, and the strolling organ- 
grinder, and the patent medicine street op- 
eras — music and physic ! 1 et heaven be praised ! 

Do fond recollections falter in recalling 
that weird magician of the pen, the writing- 
master? — the king of the clarified goose- 
quill, the master of the pen and pot-hooks, 
the gifted architect of those inspired flour- 
ishes and amazing spread-eagles. He mar- 
ried the belle of the county at the end of his 
school, and, " Othello's occupation gone," he 
quit the trade, and, instead of eagles, has 
been content to raise and look after barnyard 
chickens, and play Jumbo for the grandchil- 
dren. How are the mighty fallen! 

Now, in those days came the great itiner- 
ant lecturer on mesmerism and phrenology, 
and singing geogi-aphy and similar wonders of 
the age. The lecturer was so prized that 
often he was prevailed upon to permanently 
locate in the county and condescendingly ac- 
cept the best office the infatuated people had 
to bestow. Did the coming of the cook-stove, 
think you, drive away these noble landmarks 
of the primitive days? — that first stove 
brought to the county by Mr. Johnson, of 
Freemanton- such an event as that was! 
Is it to be wondered at that even the singing- 
master saw his glory pale before this new 
sensation? This cook-stove, it is said, 
wrecked more ambitions than those of the 
lecturer, the singing and the writing school- 
master. A son of the prominent man in the 
county was courting Johnson's daughter, and 
was there only a few days after it had been 
put up. He was up early in the morning 
and started a fire in it, and soon he smoked 
every one in the house out of bed and out of 
doors. He had kindled the fire in the oven, 
and was wondering what " ailed the creeter!" 

They had weddings in those days, and these 
linger with ns to some extent yet, but those 



good old fashions, and the " infairs," where 
are they? The wedding was at the bride's, 
and the " infair " was a kind of wedding No. 
2, at the house of the groom's parents. Both 
were to eat, drink, dance and be merry. Two 
days and two nights, with often a long horse ■ 
back ride in the meantime, and the frolick- 
ing and dancing went on. Terpsichore! what 
dancing! Not your dreamy waltz of this day 
and age; not the bounding polka, the de- 
lightful schottische, or any of the other 
modern, fashionable dream- walks; but the 
one-eyed fiddler, keeping time with his foot, 
and to the inspiriting tune of the "Arkansaw 
Traveler," or the "Lightning Jig," the merry 
dancers raced over the floor in that good old 
walk- talk-ginger- blue style of hoe down that 
filled with joy their innocent hearts, and their 
legs with soreness and pain. But the Vir- 
ginia reel, the hoe down, the jig and the "in- 
fair " are gone, and their places are taken by 
the rather tame wedding tour and the pub- 
lished list of presents from friends and foes 
— a singular combination of pleasure and 
profit.* 

They had the " young man of the period " 
in those good old days. Behold him! the 
happy possessor of a pacing horae, a new 
saddle, with its stitched flowers, a red blank- 

*An nlustratfon of the ancient irrepressible propensity for frol- 
icking and fnn, of which no circumstances could deprive them, is 
well given by an anecdote that the writer has lienrd related and 
acted out by one of the best mimics and story-tellers that everaet 
the tables or the pnrlor in a roar over delicions wit and inimitable 
story-telling. It is impossible to write it out and do justice to the 
original; the types cannot act — mimiclting the intunations, the 
song, the dancing, the expressions of face and movemenla of the 
whole person, as he could, and hence in the telling here the story 
will lose much of its rich savor. 

Upon one occasion the youngsters were gathered in goodly force 
at a farmhouse, where the boys and girls had had a "bee" of 
some kind during the day, and when supper was over preparations 
for the dance soon developed the fact that no violin could be had. 
This shocking intelligence soon spread gloom where before waa 
only fun and joyous anticipations. The young lady of the house 
determined to entertain her guests, bid them take partners for the 
dance, and she would sing and dance and "call" at the same 
time. In a trice the floor was filled, and "od went the dance, 
with no sleep till morn, when youth and pleasure meet" — fiddle 
or no fiddle. It would be Fometbing as follows : 

" Honors to all fling-dang-doodle-daddle, 

Fling-dang-doodle-daddle da- 
Swing on the left, fling-dang-doodle-daddle, 

Fling-dang-doodle-daddle-da." 



128 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUI^'TY. 



et, and ribbons on the head-stall of the bridle. 
He would unhitch his pacer from the plow 
by the nijddle of the Saturday afternoon, and 
dress up, in his broad-brimmed, new, h ime- 
made, oat-straw hat, and, with cinnamon- 
scented bear's oil on his long, flowing locks, 
which are carefully combed and tucked under 
behind, much white shirt front, a rather short 
vest, with only the lower button fastened, a 
pair of ready-made nankeen breeches, with 
straps at the bottom, drawn tight at the waist, 
and no suspenders, a bulging white roll be- 
tween the vest and pantaloons, pumps and 
yarn socks on his feet, and a scissor-tailed 
coat, too small in every way, completed the 
gorgeous attire of this neighborhood phenom- 
enon, as he swaggered in his walk, or rolled 
lollingly about in his saddle — the — he — dar- 
ling, the daisy! We sing his praise — hail and 
farewell! Drop a tear to his dear memory. 

The literary life of the young county 
was almost nil. At fii'st there were no men 
here of either taste or cultivation in that line, 
nor were there facilities for the cultivation 
of this in the rising generation. The ' Life 
of Gen. Francis Mai-ion.'" a copy of Josephus, 
the Bible, and a volume or two of dull ser- 
mons, were pretty much the sum total of the 
county's literature. Veiy few of the young 
formed in their young days the habit of much 
reading. They had been trained to work pa- 
tiently upon their little truck-patch farms, 
and they were eager hunters amid plenteous 
game. They used long rifles, and they only 
rarely wasted their ammunition upon any- 
thing smaller than wild tiu'keys. They knew 
nothing of the modern breech-loading shot 
guns and pointer dogs, and shooting the prai- 
rie chicken, quail and snipe on the wing, as 
is now the hunter's method. 

The first circus that came to Vandalia was 
to that county, and this as well as other ad- 
joining counties, an era equal in magnitude 



to the crusades of the Old World. Time 
was reckoned by an event like this. There 
was a fascination in the saw-dust, as well as 
the smell of the animals, and the playful 
monkeys, and selah! there was the clown! 
There is a tradition that his same old jokes 
were new then, but this may well be doubted. 
The story is not reasonable, for did not pre- 
historic man, as well as we, want to know 
before he went to a circus just where each 
joke came in, in order that he could prepare 
himself to laush again at the right moment? 
The fires of the memories of the first circus 
never paled until that transcendant event of 
the hanging of Ogle at Vandalia in 184;2. 
We will never forget how an old lady exult- 
antly told how she had walked thirty miles, 
carrying her six-months-old child every step 
of the way. She concluded the story by 
pointing out her son, and we confess the 
gi-eat, beefy 220-pounder did not give evi- 
dences that his early education had been 
wholly ethereal and spirituelle. 

An itinerant preacher once saw here an 
opening for his talents as school teacher. He 
duly made application for the place, and the 
learned pundits of the county were called 
upon to examine him. He knew nothing of 
gra mm ar, geography or arithmetic, but opened 
the eyes of the committee by informing 
them, with great gusto, that he could coimt 
a flock of flying geese faster, he reckoned, 
than any man of his size in the county. A 
book was handed him to read. Then, indeed, 
did his countbnance glow with pleasure. 
" Oh, yes, I kin read ! '" was his unctuous ex- 
clamation. And with a great parade and a 
loud voice, he read: "Two great com-pee- 
ti-tors Han-i-bawl and Ski-pee-o wag-god- 
war in Af-ry-key," etc. " Oh, I kin read!" 
exulted the would-be teacher. Amid roars 
of laughter, the examination concluded with 
the reading of the sentence, " Darest thou. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



129 



Casaius, swim with me to yonder point? ac- 
coutered as I was," etc. The reader must 
imagine for himself how the pedagogue pro- 
nounced the word " accoutered." 

In 1855 occurred what has since been a 
standing county joke, and has gone by the 
name of the " Dutchtown War." It was the 
outcrop of that Know-Nothing craze that ran 
over the entire country, commencing in 1854, 
and swept like a plague infection or a prairie [ 
fire over State after State, and that culminated 
in the Presidential election of 1856, when, 
more suddenly than it had risen, it expired. 
The Know-Nothing party had for its cardi- 
nal political ideaopposition to foreigners, and 
blazoned upon its banners were: "Put none 
but Americans on guard." It is said the 
woods of Effingham were full of these de- 
luded statesmen. They met in secret by- 
places and took oaths, and had secret grips, 
and signs, and pass-words, and what stories 
they must have stuffed each other with at 
these meetings of the fell purposes and de- 
signs of the foreigners. Certainly nothing 
short of this could have so worked upon ig- 
norant minds and made in our county a little 
army of Quixotes, to go forth to battle, not 
with the windmills, but with the wind organ 
of tUe Teutopolis Chiirch. 

At the period mentioned, the Germans were 
progressing with their church edifice, which, 
at the time of building, was one of the cost- 
liest in Southern Illinois, and had com- 
menced the work of putting the organ in its 
place. Everything that came by railroad for 
Teutopolis was shipped to Effingham, and 
transported hence by wagons. The organ 
pipes were shipped in boxes, together with 
many other church fixtures. In handling 
them in Effingham, some excited Know-Noth- 
ing must have seen them, and he heralded 
the report that the " Dutch were importing 
arms." The story traveled far and wide, 



and, like the legend of the three black crows 
was magnified with each repetition, until it 
was positively asserted that these people were 
about to secretly rise and massacre the na- 
tives. The great mass of our people paid no 
heed to these frightful stories, but there were 
others that were seriously alarmed, or at all 
events, acted as though they believed all and 
more, too. The Know-Nothing army was se- 
cretly called to arms. There was blood in 
the moon. The gathering clouds of war 
lowered upon Effingham, and many an old 
political veteran of the county (he would de- 
ny it all now) who has waxed great and fat 
upon German votes, snuffed the battle afar 
off, and in the secret lodges of his Know- 
Nothing societies, clothed ,his neck with the 
thunderbolts of war, and hied himself and 
friends to the army rendezvous, about two 
miles west of Watson, on Spring Branch, 
where it passes through James Turner's land. 
They gathered here to organize an army, at- 
tack Teutopolis, and carry away the arms and 
ammunition of the place as trophies of war. 
How many of these patriots were there as- 
sembled cannot now be told; they are var- 
iously estimated at thirty-five, seventy-five, 
100 and 15U, as it is impossible to find any 
one who will admit that he was in that cruel 
war. Hunting for these old scarred (not 
scared, please, Mr. Printer) veterans is much 
like hunting the home of milk-sickness; it is 
always in the next township ahead. Wheth- 
er it was thirty-five or 150, or more or less, 
they wont into camp and commenced the work 
of organizing an army of invasion. Scouts 
were sent out, and trusted spies stole into 
Teutopolis. In the meantime, that village 
was qjiietly plodding along its usual way. 
unconscious of the commotion the simple or- 
gan pipes had created, as they were uncon- 
scious of the flaming sword that impended. 
The gathering hosts and mustering squadrons 



130 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



had moved in mysterious silence. The clank 
of the wooden shoe of Dutchtown found echo 
in the whisperings of distress from the army 
rendezvous, where were cheeks all pale, 
which, before the war, had blushed at the 
sight of their own corn -fed loveliness. An 
election was held, which resulted in placing 
Gen. Morgan Wright in chief command, with 
some other man, now unknown, as his sec- 
ond. The General thanked the army for the 
honor and awful dangers and responsibility 
it had conferred on him; the "long roll" was 
beaten iipon the hastily trumped-up tin pan, 
that furnished the only martial music these 
bloody patriots had or needed. With quiv- 
ering lips and chattering teeth, the army be- 
gan to " fall in " preparatory to a double- 
quick charge upon the Teutopolis Church or- 
gan. The silence was painful; the strain 
upon the heroes' nerves was intense, and 
evidently something must have given way 
soon, had not, at that moment, come dashing 
into camp the scouts and spies, and reported 
the war over — that Dutchtown was peace 
that the arms imported were organ pipes, 
and it was all a mistake that those people 
intended to massacre the entire people of 
the United States. And presto! camp was 
broken, white-robed peace spread her wings 
over the county, and "Johnny came march- 
ing home." There was great rejoicing 
at the safe return by the families and 
friends of these heroes. A great peace rati- 
fication meeting was , called, and a wooden 
sword nearly six feet long was presented, in 
an eloquent and stirring address by Dr. J. 
M. Long, to the Commander-in-Chief. When 
Sam Moffitt. " in thoughts that breathed and 
words that bm'ned, " pi'esented an elegant 
pop-gun to the second in command. Gor- 
geously decorated, home-made land warrants 
were presented in each case where the com- 
mander could report any extraordinary acts 



of bravery. A soldiers' re-union of the no- 
ble band of veterans, survivors of the Dutch- 
town war, is now in order. The people 
would make suitable provisions for the gath- 
ering of these heroes, and what could be more 
interesting than to again listen to the har- 
rowing stories of camp and field, and see 
these old veterans once more in life to " shoul- 
der the crutch and show how battles are won?" 
The Church. — The "voice in the wilder- 
ness " was among the early pioneers, calling 
sinners to repentance, and wrestling with 
the awful sins of vanity and the old three- 
stringed cracked fiddle. Fifty years ago, the 
" good shepherds " were tinged with much of 
the rigid, dogmatic severity of the old, cruel 
Kirk-Sessions of a hundred years ago. For 
some years there were not near so many 
preachers as counterfeiters in the county. 
There paucity was, however, atoned for in 
the stern severity of their precepts. The 
value of a sermon was measured by its length, 
and the brimstone oder of the awful thunder- 
bolts that it let fly at the heads of the poor, 
frightened, credulous congregations. They 
were God-fearing, good men, who preached 
without a choir, and a bugle solo in chiu'ch 
would have called upon the rocks and mount- 
ains to fall upon them. The devil invented 
the fiddle, and he and his grinning imps 
were the original first dancers. But few, if 
any, ministerial scandals marked their hum- 
ble, sincere, pious lives. They may have 
been very ignorant, but they were wholly 
honest and sincerely humble. Generally 
illiberal and full of severity, and warped and 
deformed with prejudices, they took up the 
cross of their Master, seized the sword of Gid- 
eon and smote His Satanic Majesty, hip and 
thigh, wherever they could find him. They 
would make sparse converts here and there, 
and the awful fiddle nearly as often seduced 
them away again into the paths of dancing and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



131 



damnation. How they did launch their fierce 
and liery thunderbolts against the vanities of 
men, and the ribbons, furbelows and jewelry 
of the women! when there probably was not 
a bolt of the irreligious ribbon and not $10 
worth of pinchbeck jewelry in the county. 
The Hard-Shells and Methodists were cotem- 
poraneous in their coming here — the Meth- 
odists shouting and the Hard-Shells singing 

O DO 

their sermons through the nose, and thus, in 
their dififerent fields of usefulness, they dwelt 
together in true Christian love and friend- 
ship. They vexed not their simple souls with 
hair-splitting doctrinal points in theology. 
The force and power of their nasal blast and 
their sing-song delivery were as battering 
rams upon the ramparts of the evil one, while 
they were a sweet lullaby to the troubled soul 
of the good Christian. This is well illus- 
trated by the anecdote of the wag who had a 
contention with an old lady in reference to 
the might and power of a preacher that she 
was heart-broken over his going away. The 
wag was a fine mimic, and had caught the 
very tone, air and manner of the favorite 
preacher, and insisted he could preach quite 
as well as her favorite. He struck an atti- 
tude, and, in splendid sing-song, nasal style, 
told a story of his dog chasing a j)oor little 
sickly coon, and grabbing the dear little 
thing just as it was going into a hollow tree. 
As the story finished, the good dame was 
shouting with all her might. When the wag 
laughed at her, she excused herself by say- 
ing, "Oh, it was that heavenly tone!" The 
good old dame was right. It was the "heav- 
enly tone " that often did the good work. 

The severity of this early religion had 
probably this effect: A portion became wild 
enthusiasts of the church militant, while the 
others joined, and, after a short trial and 
sincere endeavor, recklessly threw down all 
efforts when they discovered they could not 



live up to the religious enthusiasts' ideal. 
This would exasperate the good shepherds, 
while in turn they redoubled their efforts, 
which only made the estraying lambs kick up 
their heels the higher and stray farther away 
where fancied pleasures tempted. There was 
no control or direction possible for these un- 
bridled theological colts until the church or- 
ganization came along and they were incor- 
porated into the management and control of 
cooler and wiser heads. 

The Methodist Church organization was in 
Ewington in IS'iii, and for a short time 
preaching was at the house of T. J. Gillen- 
waters, by the Rev. Chamberlain. After- 
ward, services were held for some time at the 
court house in Ewington. In 1S38, Eev. 
Hale vras the preacher in charge. At the 
same time in the early day. Bishop Eames, 
the celebrated Bishop of the Methodist 
Church, was for a short time stationed at Ew- 
ington. He was then only a licensed exhort- 
er. The church sometimes had a minister in 
charge, and sometimes this was divided with 
some other locality, and the preacher would 
make visits to the county at stated times. 
Among others that preached at Ewington are 
recalled the Rev. William Blundell, of Clark 
County. 

We have now reached the end of the half- 
century story of the people of Effingham 
County — especially of the pioneer fathers 
and mothers. To the vsriter, the past sixty 
days — the time allotted to this work — will 
ever be among the best recollections of his 
life. In this labor of love, there is no mixt- 
ure of pain, conflict or contention, until the 
moment comes to lay down the pen — to sever 
an association where friendships have grown 
sacred — friendships and communings with 
the living and the dead; to voyage back the 
little more than fifty years that mark the ex- 
istence of our county, and make the acquaint- 



133 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



ance of those men and women who were here 
— simple, restless pioneers — to find here and 
there, among the humblest of these people, a 
true and genuine hero and heroine, and in- 
troduce them to the world, and pass them on 
to posterity, is as proud a task, to even the 
most ambitious, as it has been pleasant to us. 
Here we have found friendships without alloy 
— without those clashing interests that bo de- 



face often the best of human kind. Such 
friendships as will remain forever in purity 
and pleasantness. The brief retrospect will 
ever come back again, like a genial, pure, 
warm ray of sunshine, to the abodes of the 
cheerless, laden with warmth, joy and new 
life, to a soul fast growing lonely, desolate 
and sterile. 
"What is writ is writ; would it were worthier." 



CHAPTER X.* 



THE BEIVCH AND BAR— EARLY COURTS OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY— LAWYERS FROM ABROAD— 
.7UDGES OF THIS JUDICIAL DISTRICT— SKETCHES OF EWING, FIELD AND DAVIS- 
NATURALIZATION OF GEN. SHIELDS — GOVERNOR FORD AND SIDNEY 
BREESE— OTHER LEGAL LUMINARIES, PAST AND PRESENT— 
THE PRESENT COUNTY BAR, ETC., ETC. 



" There is a history in all meu's lives." 
TN giving the early history of the bench 
-*- and bar of Effingham County, the histor- 
ian must travel outside of the county for his 
data and material, for the simple reason that 
there were no resident lawyers in the county 
until the year 1849. Litigants were sup- 
plied with attorneys from neighboring coun- 
ties, mainly from Fayette Cotmty, though 
some came from Shelby, Coles, Clark, Bond, 
St. Clair and others. Among them we may 
mention Levi Davis, A. P. Field, Sawyer, 
Brown, Foreman, Kirkman, Gallagher and 
James Shields, from Fayette; Daniel Greg- 
ory and A. Thornton, from Shelby; U. F. 
Linder and O. B. Ficklin, from Coles, Will- 
iam H. Underwood, Samuel McRoberts and 
Mr. Fisk, from St. Clair. From 1840 to 
1850, Bromwell, Davis and Gallagher, from 
Fayette; Starkweather, from Cumberland; 
and Moore and Elam Rush, from Bond. 

The first term of coiu-t held in the county 
was begun on the 20th day of May, 1833 and 

*By B. F. Kagay. 



continued parts of three days, at Ewington, 
the then county seat. The following is a copy 
of the first record made in the Circuit Court 
of this county: 

At a Circuit Court begun and held at Ewington 
in and for the county of Effingham, on Monday, 
the )30th day of May, in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred and thirty-three. Present: 
the Hon. T. W. Smith, Associate Justice of the Su- 
preme Court, and Presiding Judge of said court; 
John C. Sprigg, Clerk, and Henry P. Bailey, Sher- 
iff. A list of the Grand Jurors were returned into court 
by the Sheriff, and after being charged by the court, 
retired to consider of presentments, etc. 

The following cases appear on the record at this 
term of court, to wit: 

Andrew Bratton, ) Appellant, 
vs. > 

Simeon Perkins. ) Appellee. 

John Maxfield, ) Appellant. 

vs. [ 

John W. Robinson. ) Appellee. 

William McConuell, ) Plaintiff. 
vs. ^ 

Jacob Slover. ) Defendant. 

John Beaslej', ) Plaintiff, 
vs. y 

Robert Moore. ) Defendant. 

The Grand Jury returned the following indict- 
ments, indorsed " true bills," to wit: 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



138 



The People of the State of") Indictment for Sell- 
Illinois, I ing Spirituous Li- 
vs. j" quors without a 
Theophilus W. Short. J License. 

The People of the State of Illinois, ) Indictment 

vs. [• for 

Martha Henson. ) Fornication. 

The People of the State of Illinois, ) Indictment 
vs. >■ for 

"William Cusip. ) Adultery. 

The following appointment for Circuit Clerk ap- 
pears upon the record of the Court: 

V.^ND.\LiA, February 15, 1833. 
Mr. John C. Sprigg — I hereby appoint you 
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Effingham County, 
with full power and authority to do and perform all 
duties appertaining to said office, and receive the 
fees and emoluments thereof. 
Your obedient servant, 

"William Wilson. 
There being no further business before the Court, 
ordered that it adjourn sine die. 

Theo. W. Smith. 

Thus it will be seen that Theophilus "W. 
Smith was the Judge who held the first term 
of court iuthe county. The county was then 
sparsely settled, and the settlements being 
mostly in the timber, in the bottoms of the 
river and on the verge of the prairies. The 
lawyers who attended this first term of court 
were three in number, viz., A. P. Field, Levi 
Davis and "William L. D. Ewing, all resi- 
dents of Vandalia, and all holding offices, 
either for the State or for the county in which 
they resided. 

It will doubtless be of interest to our read- 
ers to know something of Hon. Theophilus 
W. Smith, the first Judge of this county, and 
therefore we will give the following incident 
in his life: 

At the session of the Legislature of 1832- 
33, articles of J impeachment were voted 
against him by the House of Representatives^ 
There were seven articles of specifications 
transmitted to the Senate for trial against 
him. The first three related to the corrupt 
sales of Circuit Clerkships. He had author- 
ized his son, a minor, to bargain off the office 



in Madison County by hiring one George 
Kelly at $25 per month, reserving the fees 
and emoluments until his son became of age, 
and to subject the said office to his will; he 
had made appointments three several times 
without reqiiiring bonds from the appointees. 
He was also charged with being a co-plaintiff 
in several vexatious suits for an alleged tres- 
pass, commenced by affidavit in a court where 
he himself presided, holding the defendants 
illegally to excessive bail upon trifling pre- 
text, to oppress and injure them, and contin- 
ued the suits from term to term to harass and 
persecute them. The fifth article charged 
him with arbitrarily suspending John S. 
Greathouse, a lawyer, from practice for ad- 
vising his client to apply for a change of 
venue. The sixth ai'ticle charged him with 
tyrannically committing to jail in Montgom- 
ery County a Quaker, who entertained con- 
scientious scruples against removing his hat 
in open court; and the seventh article 
charged him with deciding an agreed case 
between the Sheriff and Treasurer of Madi- 
son County, without process or pleading, to 
the prejudice of the county, rendering an ap- 
peal to the Supreme Court necessary. 

The Senate resolved itself into a High 
Coru't of Impeachment, and a solemn trial 
was held, which lasted from January 9 to 
February 7, 1833. The prosecution was 
conducted by a committee of managers from 
the House, consisting of Benjamin Mills, 
Murray McConnell, John T. Stewart, James 
Semple and John Dougherty; the defendant 
was represented by Sidney Breese, R. M. 
Young and Thomas Ford, the latter subse- 
quently Governor of the State. 

The array of talent on both sides, the ex- 
alted position of the accused, and the excite- 
ment and interest thereby created in politi- 
cal circles, gave to the trial unusual public at- 
traction throughout the State. The proceed- 



134 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



ings were conducted by marked ability and 
learning. A great number of witnesses were 
examined, and much documentary evidence 
introduced. The argument ot counsel was of 
the highest order, and in the final summing 
up for the prosecution, the Chairman of the 
House Committee, Mr. Mills, one of the most 
brilliant orators of the time, spoke for three 
days in a continued strain of unsurpassed 
eloquence. 

Pending the trial, the defendant searched 
for scraps of pajaer containing soribblings of 
the members concerning their status upon the 
respective charges. Being thus advised, his 
counsel enjoyed peculiar advantages in the 
management of the defense. 

The constitution required that no person 
thus tried should be convicted without the 
concurrence of two thirds of all the Senators 
present. When the vote was finally taken, 
upon each article separately, twenty -two Sen- 
ators were present, and four absent or ex- 
cused. It required fifteen to convict. Twelve 
voted guilty on some of the charges; ten 
were in favor of acquittal; and as fifteen did 
not vote him guilty of any of the articles, he 
was acquitted. He retained his seat upon 
the Supreme bench of the State until his 
death, which occarred'about ten years after- 
ward. 

William Lee D. Ewing, one of the lawyers 
mentioned as having attended the first term 
of our court, was a Representative from Fay- 
ette and other counties from 1830 to 1832, and 
introduced the bill which formed this county 
in 1831 ; the county, however, as already noted, 
was not fully organized until 1883. In 1832, 
he was elected to the State Senate, which po- 
sition he retained until 183-1:. He was Pres- 
ident of the Senate, and for fifteen days Gov- 
ernor of the State, which latter occurred thus: 
At the Augl^st election of 1834, Gov. Rey- 
nolds was elected to Congress, more than a 



year ahead of the time he would take his seat 
(as was then the law), to succeed Mr. Slade. 
But shortly after the election, Mr. Slade, the 
incumbent, died, when Gov. Reynolds was 
chosen to serve out his unexpired term. Ac- 
cordingly, he set out for Washington in No- 
vember of that year, to take his seat in Con- 
gress, and Mr. Ewing, by virtue of his office 
as President of the Senate, became Govern- 
or. Upon the meeting of the Legislature in 
December, he sent in his message as Acting 
Governor, when he was relieved from his ex- 
alted duties by the Governor-elect, Joseph 
Duncan, being sworn into office. This is the 
only time such a contingency has arisen in 
the history of the State. Mr. Ewing was a 
native of Kentucky, and one of the first resi- 
dent lawyers of Fayette County. He was a 
man of liberal education and fine natural en- 
dowments, fond of congenial company, and 
enjoyed all the sports of the time. He was a 
Colonel in the Black Hawk war; served as 
Prosecuting Attorney, and, as before stated, 
represented his district in the Legislature 
and State Senate. He was for a time Indian 
Agent, and, by order of the United States 
Government, removed the Sac and Fox tribes 
west of the Mississippi River. From 1848 
to 1846, he was Aiiditor of Public Accounts; 
represented his district in the National Con- 
gress, and was appointed United States Sen- 
ator to fill the vacancy occasioned by the 
death of Richard M. Young. 

As a public-spirited citizen. Gen. Ewing 
was highly respected and honored among the 
people he so long served. He was a Demo- 
crat in politic^, and a statesman of unswerv- 
ing integrity. Many of the old citizens of 
Effingham County remember him, and in his 
death recognize the loss of an upright, honor- 
able man and patriotic citizen. 

Col. A. P. Field, another of the lawyers 
who attended the first term of oiu- court, was 






"^ 





\ . .--"O- 



, >w|r' 





h^^^^^c:, 




<^ 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



137 



also a native of Kentucky, and an educated 
and chivalrous gentleman. He first located 
at Jonesboro, 111., in an early day, but sub- 
sequently moved to Yandalia. He was State 
Treasm-er from 1823 to 1827, and Secretary 
of State from 1829 to 1840. As a politician, 
he had fevf equals and no superiors of that 
day. He was eminent as a criminal lawyer, 
and as a speaker was sparkling in wit and 
eloquence. He removed to St. Louis and 
subsequently to New Orleans, and soon be- 
came prominently identified with Southern 
politics, rising eventually to the exalted po- 
sition of Attorney General of Louisiana. He 
died in the year 1877, in the city of New 
Orleans. 

Levi Davis, the last of the three lawyers 
attending the first term of court, resided at 
that time at Vandalia, but now lives at Alton. 
He was elected Auditor of State, and served 
from 1836 to 1841, and was prominently 
identified with the politics, not only of his 
county, but of the State, for many years. 

We have given a more minute history of 
the first term of court than our time and 
space will permit us to give to each subse- 
quent term. A brief space will be devoted 
to each of the Presiding Judges, as well as 
to the resident lawyers and more prominent 
visiting lawyers, who have presided over and 
attended our courts. 

Theophilus W. Smith, who has already re- 
ceived some notice in these pages, only held 
two terms of our Circuit Court, viz., the May 
term of 1833, and the May term, 1834. 
Judge Ford held the third term, being the 
May term, 1835, and the most interesting 
term yet held in the county. 

Thomas Ford, om' second Judge, was born 
at Uniontown, Penn., in the year 1800. His 
father, Robert Ford, was killed by Indians in 
1802, in the mountains of Pennsylvania, and 
his mother was left in indigent circumstan- 



ces, with a large family, mostly girls. With 
a view to better her condition she, in 1804, 
moved to Missouri, where it had been the 
custom of the Spanish Government to give 
a certain amount of land to actual settlers. 
But, upon her arrival in St. Louis, she found 
the country ceded to the United States, and 
that liberal policy no longer in vogue. She 
finally removed to Illinois and settled near 
Waterloo, but, the following year, moved a 
little closer to the Mississippi Blufis. Here 
the boys received their first schooling, for 
which they walked three miles. The mother 
was a woman of superior mental endowment, 
joined to energy and determination of char- 
acter. She inculcated in her children those 
high-toned moral principles which distin- 
guished her sons in public life. The mind 
of Thomas gave early promise of superior 
attainments, with an inclination for mathe- 
matics. His proficiency attracted the atten- 
tion of the Hon. D. B. Cook, in whom young 
Ford found a patron and friend. 

Through the advice of Mr. Cook, he turned 
his attention to the law. He attended Tran- 
sylvania University at Lexington, Ky., one 
term, and, on his return, alternated his law 
reading with teaching school. In 1829, Gov. 
Reynolds a2)pointed him Prosecuting Attor- 
ney; in 1831, he was re-appointed by Gov. 
Reynolds, and afterward was four time.s 
elected Judge by the Legislature, without 
opposition. He was twice Judge of Chicago, 
and Associate Judge of the Supreme Coiu-t. 
While acting in the latter capacity, he was 
assigned to the Ninth Judicial District, and. 
while holding court in Ogle County, was 
notified of his nomination for Governor. He 
immediately resigned his office, accepted the 
nomination and entered upon the canvass, 
and in August was elected to the exalted po- 
sition. 

The ofiices which Gov. Ford held were un- 

u 



138 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



solicited. As a lawyer, lie stood deservedly 
high, but his cast of intellect fitted him rath- 
er for a writer upon law than a practicing 
advocate in the courts. As a Judge, his 
opinions were sound, lucid, and an able ex- 
position of the law. As a man, he was plain 
in his demeanor; he lacked the determined 
boldness and decision of character requisite to 
fit a man for a great political leader. As an 
author, he deserves special consideration, in 
having left a legacy in the form of a history 
of his State — Illinois. He died November 2, 
1850, at Peoria, having scarcely passed the 
prime of life. 

At the May term of our Circuit Court in 
1834, Samuel McRoberts was present, and 
took part in the proceedings. He was attor- 
ney in the case of N. Edwards, Governor, 
versus James M. Duncan, et al., on change of 
venue from Marion County. 

Samuel McRoberts was the first native 
Illinoisan ever elevated to the position of 
United States Senator from this State. He 
was born April 12, 1799, in what is now Mon- 
roe County, where his father resided on a 
farm. He received a good education from a 
private tutor. At the early age of twenty, he 
was appointed Circuit Clerk of Monroe Coun- 
ty, a position which afforded him opportunity 
to become familiar with forms of law, and 
which he eagerly embraced, pursuing at the 
same time a most assiduous course of reading. 
Two years later, he entered the Law Depart- 
ment of Transylvania University (at Lexing- 
ton, Ky.), where, after three full courses of 
lectures, he graduated with the degree of 
Bachelor of Law. He commenced the prac- 
tice of his profession in competition with 
such men as Kane, Reynolds, Clark, Baker, 
Eddy, McLean and others. In 1824, at the 
age of twenty- five, he was elected by the 
Legislature one of the five Circuit Judges. 
As a Judge, he first exhibited strong partisan 



bias. He had been a violent Convention ad- 
vocate, and now, in defiance of a release by 
the Legislature, he assessed a fine against 
Gov. Coles, for settling his emancipated 
slaves in Madison County without giving 
bond that they should not become a public 
charge. 

In 1828, Mr. McRoberts was elected a State 
Senator; in 1830, he was appointed United 
States District Attorney for the State; in 
1832, Receiver of the Public Money at the 
Danville Land Office; and in 1839, Solicitor 
for the General Land Office at Washington. 
On the 16th of December, 1840, he was 
elected United States Senator for the full 
term, commencing March 4, 1841. He died 
March 22, 1843, at Cincinnati, Ohio, on his 
route home from Washington, in the vigor of 
intellectual manhood, and at the age of forty- 
four years. 

The third Judge of our Circuit Court was 
the Hon. Sidney Breese, who presided from 
October, 1835, to October, 1842, a period of 
seven years, and the longest held by one man 
(except Charles Emerson) since the organiza- 
tion of our county. Mr. Breese was born 
about the close of the last century, in Oneida 
County, N. Y. He received a thorough gen- 
eral and classical education from the Union 
College, from which he graduated with hon- 
ors. He had been the school- fellow of Elias 
Kent Kane, who was his senior. After the 
appointment of the latter as Secretary of 
State in 1818, he became associated with 
him as a student of law. In 1820, he essayed 
the practice of his profession in Jackson 
County, but met with failure in the presenta- 
tion of a Case in court before a jury. 
Overwhelmed with mortification, he resolved, 
on the spur of the moment, to entirely aban- 
don the practice of the law, and the following 
year he became Postmaster at Kaskaskia. In 
1822, however, he was appointed to the Cir- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



139 



cuit Attorneyship by Gov. Bond, a position 
which ha retained under Gov. Coles, and un- 
til the accession of Gov. Edwards in 1881. 
He prepared and published " Breese's Reports 
of the Supreme Court Decisions," it being 
the first book ever published in the State. 
He took part in the Black Hawk war, serving 
as a Major of volunteers. 

Upon the establishment of the Circuit 
Court system in 1835, he was chosen Judge, 
and in 1841 he was elected one of the Judges 
of the Supreme Court. In 1842, he was 
elected, for a full term, from March 4, 1843, 
to the United States Senate. At the expira- 
tion of hip term, in 1850, he was elected to 
the Legislatiu'e and made Speaker of the 
House. In 1855, he was reelected Circuit 
Judge, and, two years later, was again ele- 
vated to the Supreme Bench, where he re- 
mained until his death. 

Judge Breese took an active part in the 
Illinois Central Railroad, a full account of 
which will be found in the chapter on rail- 
roads. 

The following names appear on the docket 
as attorneys attending court in the county: 
At the October term, 1835, Thomas Brown, 
Sawyer & Kirkman; at the April term, 1836, 
Levi Davis, Kirkman. Sawyer and D. Greg- 
ory; at the April term, 1837, Field, Ewing, 
Fisk and Davis were the only attorneys in 
attendance, and the same attended in 1838. 
At the October term in 1839, A. Thornton 
appeared as an attorney in the case of " The 
People versus David Ridgway," for the de- 
fendant, on a change of venue from Shelby 
County. The following entry appears on the 
bar docket in the case: " Defendant found 
guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary one 
year, and one day to solitary confinement." 
Mr. Thornton has been a regular attendant at 
our courts from that time until he was elected 
to Congress a few years ago. 



At the October term of court in 1840, the 
name of James Shields appears on the docket 
as an attorney in several cases, and in his 
own case in particular. At this term he 
made application to become a citizen of the 
United States. The following is a copy of 
the proceedings in the case: 

At a Circuit Court begun and held at the court 
house in Ewington, in and for the county of Effing- 
ham, on Monday, the 19th day of October, in tlie 
year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and 
forty, it being the 3d Monday of said month. Pres- 
ent, Sidney Breese, Judge; Thomas J. Rentfro, 
Sheriff; and William 11, Blakely, Clerk. This day 
personally appeared in open court, .Tames Shields 
and made and filed the following declaration: James 
Shields being duly sworn in open court, declares on 
oath that he was born in the County Tyrone, in the 
Kingdom of Ireland, on the 17th day of Jlay, about 
the year 1810; that he migrated to the United States 
of America while a minor, and continued to reside 
within the United States three years next preceding 
his arrival at the age of twenty-one years, and has 
continued to reside therein to the present time; that 
he is now upward of twenty-one years, and has 
resided upward of five 3^ears in the State of Illinois 
aforesaid, one of the United States; that it is his in- 
tention to become a citizen of the United States, 
and to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to 
an}' foreign prince, potentate. State or sovereignty, 
and particular!)' to the sovereign of Great Britain 
and Ireland. He further declares that for three 
years preceding the present application, it has been 
his bona fide intention to become a citizen of the 
United States. 

(Signed.) James Shields. 

Subscribed and sworn to in open court, this 21st 
day of October, 1840. 

(Attest.) Wii.LiA.M H. Blakei.ey, 

Clerk of said Court. 

This day person.ally appeared in open court, 
James Shields, a free white person of twenty-one 
years, and being duly sworn, declares on oath in 
open court, that he will support tlie Constitution of 
the United States, and doth absolutely and entirely 
renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to 
every foreign prince, potentate. State or sovereignty 
whatever, and particularly that of Great Britain 
and Ireland, whereof he was born a subject; and 
the court being satisfied that he has fully complied 
with the requirements of the laws of the United 



140 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



States on the subject of naturalization, and that he 
has resided within the United States upward of five 
years, and within the State of Illinois upward of 
one year next preceding this application, and that 
during the whole of the term of his residence in the 
United States he has behaved as a man of good 
moral character, attached to the principles of the 
Constitution of the United States and is well dis- 
posed to the good order and happiness of the same. 
It is, therefore, ordered and adjudged that the 
said James Shields be admitted a citizen of the 
United States, and he is hereby admitted as such. 

James Shields, as stated in his declaration, 
■was born in Ireland about the year 1810. 
He emigrated to this country in 1827, set- 
tling in Illinois three years later. He was 
sent to the Legislature from Randolph Coun- 
ty some seven years after settling in the 
State, and before he had become a natural- 
ized citizen. He was appointed Auditor by 
Gov. Carlin, and, in 1843, elected a Su- 
preme Judge. He presided over the Circuit 
Court of this county from the March term, 
1844, to and including the March term, 1S45, 
being altogether three terms. Under Presi- 
dent Polk, he was Commissioner of the Gen- 
eral Land Office at Washington. He en- 
tered the Mexican war, and was commis- 
sioned a Brigadier General. At the battle 
of Cerro Goido, he was 'severely wounded, 
and was reported dead, but recovered in time 
to take a conspicuous part in the capture of 
the City of Mexico. Such was his gallantry 
and soldierly conduct in this campaign that 
the State of South Carolina voted him a 
handsome and costly sword. In 1849, upon 
his return home, he was elected to the United 
States Senate, but, as he had not been nine 
years a naturalized citizen (having been nat- 
uralized in October, 1840), which was re- 
quired by the constitution to render him eli- 
gible to the position, his seat was declared 
vacant. At a called session of the Legislat- 
ure, convened as soon as Shields became eli- 
gible, he was again elected to the United 



States Senate, and served until the expira- 
tion of his term. Subsequently, he took up 
his residence in Minnesota, and in 1857 was 
elected from that State as United States Sen- 
ator, serving two years. In the late war, be- 
tween the States, he was a Major General in 
the Union armies, and did good service for 
the Government. At the close of the war he 
removed to Missoui-i, and was elected by the 
Legislature of that State to the United States 
Senate to till an unexj)ired term of a few 
months. He died soon after the expiration 
of this latter term, having been a United 
States Senator from three different States. 

The Court Record in 1841 shows the name 
of F. Foreman as an attorney, and from that 
time until 1846 he seems to have attended 
our courts regularly, and had a good practice. 
In 1843, the name of W. H. Underwood ap- 
pears ujjon the record as an attorney, and for 
a number of terms thereafter. In 1846, 
Bissell was present as State's Attorney; also 
a Mr. Hite and Lee were present as attor- 
neys. Wilcox likewise apf)eared as attorney 
in several cases. In 1848, Mr. Pearson's 
name appears, and Philip Fouke as State's 
Attorney. At this term also appeared A. J. 
Gallagher and Flam Rusk as attorneys. 

Among the attorneys attending our courts 
from 1835 to 1842 were several who after- 
ward became Judges of the court, to wit: 
Shields, Semple and Underwood. We have 
already given a brief sketch of Shields, and 
will now devote a brief space to the two oth- 
ers mentioned. 

Hon. James Semple was born in Kentucky, 
but emigrated to Illinois in an early day. 
In politics he was a Democrat, and was much 
in public life. In 1833, he was elected At- 
torney General of the State. He was in the 
Legislatm-e for six years, fom* of which he 
was Speaker of the House, and in the mean- 
time the internal improvement measure was 



HISTORY OF EFFINGIIAxM COUNTY. 



141 



passed, which well-nigh bankrupted the State. 
In 1837, he was appointed Charge d'Affaires 
to New Granada; in 1842, was elected one of 
the Judges of the Supreme Court; in 1843, 
he was appointed, by Gov. Ford, United 
States Senator, to fill the unexpired term of 
Samuel McRoberts, deceased. The appoint- 
ment was confirmed by the Legislature, and 
he served until 1847. Judge Semple wrote 
an elaborate history of Mexico, which, how- 
ever, has never been published. 

Judge William H. Underwood, who held 
our court from the May term, 1849, to the Oc- 
tober term, 1850, was born February 1, 1818, 
at Schoharie Court House, N. Y., and in his 
boyhood laid the foundation to his futiu'e 
greatness in a good comojon-school educa- 
tion, finishing up his stuflies in the Schohar- 
ie Academy and Hudson River Seminary, 
spending three j-ears in the two institutions, 
and graduating with a good practical educa- 
tion. He read law in his native place, and, 
upon completing his studies, he at once re- 
moved to Belleville, 111., where he resided 
until his death, and where he was attended 
with marked success. In 1841, he was elect- 
ed State's Attorney, a position he filled so 
acceptably that he was re-elected in January, 
1843, and in 1844 he was elected to the Low- 
er House of the Legislature. In 1848, he 
was elected Circuit Judge for six and a half 
years, which position he held to the end of 
his term, and in 1856 was elected to the State 
Senate for four years. In 18G9, he was elect- 
ed a Delegate from St. Clair County to the 
Constitutional Convention, and was elected 
again to the State Senate in 1870. In 1873, 
he completed a work upon which he had 
long been engaged, viz., " Underwood's Con- 
strued Annotated Statutes of Illinois." The 
brief intervals between his ofiicial duties he 
devoted to the practice of his profession. 
His name appears often in our Supreme 



Court records as counsel in important cases. 
He died a few years ago, after a useful and 
industrious life. 

Gustavus Koerner was Judge of this dis- 
trict from August, 1845, to June, 1848. He 
was born in Frankfort, Germany, November 
20, 1809. His father was a well-known 
publisher and book-seller, and for many 
years was a member of the Legislature of 
Frankfort. His early education was received 
at college in his native town, ind his studies 
com^^leted at Munich and Heidelberg, where, 
in 1832, he graduated, and obtained the de- 
gree of LL. D. In the same year, he passed 
examination, and was admitted to the bar of 
Frankfort. In 1833, he emigrated to the 
United States, and proceeded at once to the 
"West, and settled in Belleville, 111. He im- 
mediately commenced the study of American 
law, and, after attending one term of the 
Law School at Lexington, Ky. , then the most 
noted west of the Alleghenies, he was admit- 
ted to the bar of Illinois in 1835. He at 
once entered upon the active practice of his 
profe.ssion, and in 1845 was elected by the 
Legislature one of the Judges of the Su- 
preme Court. In 1852, he was elected Lieu- 
tenant Governor of Illinois on the Democrat- 
ic ticket. On accouQt of the slavery ques 
tiou, he, in 1854, became what was then 
known as an Anti-Nebraska Democrat, and in 
1856 joined the Republican party. During 
the war of the rebellion, he recruited and or- 
ganized the Forty-third Illinois Volunteers, 
but was prevented from taking command of 
it by President Lincoln appointing him to 
the stafi" of Gen. Fremont, with the rank of 
Colonel. He served in that position until 
Fremont's retirement, when he was attached 
to the staff of Gen. Halleck. In March, 
1862, owing to continued ill health, he re- 
signed, and in the following June was ap- 
pointed by the President Minister to Spain, 



143 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



which position he resigned in January, 1865. 
He was made one of the Electors at Large in 
1868, on the Grant ticket, and in 1871 was 
appointed on the newly created Railroad 
Commission, over which he presided until 
his resignation'^ in January, 1873. He was 
nominated, in June, 1872, as a candidate for 
Governor by the Democratic party, and also 
by the Liljeral Republican party, but failed 
of an election. When not engaged in offi- 
cial duties, he has practiced his profession vig- 
orously. He has also devoted much time to 
literary pursuits, and contributed freely to 
newspapers and periodicals. He is the au- 
thor of a volume eutitled " From Spain," 
composed of letters on various subjects, and 
essays on art, etc. His productions testify 
to his excellence as a writer, scholar and 
thinker. 

Justin Harlan, of Clark, was the eighth 
Judge who presided over the courts of our 
county. He came to Illinois in 1825, and lo- 
cated in Darwin and commenced the practice 
of law. He was at once recognized as one of 
the ablest lawyers in not only his own county, 
but his reputation soon extended throughout 
the State. He filled the office of Circuit 
Judge for over twenty years, and when his 
old friend, Lincoln, was made President, he 
appointed Judge Harlan Indian Agent to 
the Cherokees in the Indian Territory, which 
position he filled faithfully and well during 
the remainder of Mr. Lincoln's life. He re- 
signed immediately after Mr. Lincoln's as- 
sassination, and returned to his home in 
Marshall County, and, although a Republic- 
an, and living in a Democratic county, was 
elected County Judge of Clark County, which 
position he held during a regular term of 
four years. He died in Kuttawa, Ky., 
March 12, 1879, at the residence of his 
daughter, Mrs. W. A. Wright, where he had 
been called by that daughter's sickness. He 



was buried in Marshall, his home in Illinois, 
March 16, 1879. Judge Harlan's was a 
long, blameless and useful life, and no man 
left more sincere friends to mourn 1 is death. 
Charles Emerson was the ninth Judge, and 
held our coui-ts from the April term, 1853, to 
the April term, 1862. Charles Constable 
was the tenth Judge, and held from the May 
term, 1863, to the October term, 1865. Next 
came H. B. Decius, from special term Jan- 
uary, 1866, to April term, 1873. James C. 
Allen followed Decius from the fall term, 
1873, to March term, 1878, and after him 
James H Halley held several terms of our 
courts. At present, William C. Jones, 
Thomas Casey and Chauncy S. Conger are 
the Judges in this district. 

Of the early lawyers attending our courts 
was Ferris Foreman, who located at Vanda- 
lia in the spring of 1836. He was admitted 
to the bar by the Supreme Court of New York 
in 1835. He was elected to the Illinois State 
Senate in 1845. In May, 1846, he recruited 
a company in Fayette County for the Mexican 
war, and, upon the organization of the troops, 
was elected Colonel of the Third Regiment of 
Illinois Volunteers. He participated in the 
siesre of Vera Cruz, and was in the battle of 
Cerro Gordo, and at the end of one year, the 
term of enlistment, he returned to Vandalia, 
practicing law there until 1849, when he re- 
moved to California. While there, he held 
various offices; was Postmaster of Sacramen- 
to under the administration of Franklin 
Pierce; also acted as Secretary of State un- 
der John B. Wetter, Governor of California. 
He was Colonel of the Fom-th California Vol- 
unteers for a period of twenty-two months. 
In 1865, he returned to Vandalia, and was 
elected State's Attorney of Fayette County. 

Daniel Gregory, also an early practitioner 
at our bar. was a native of New York, and 
was born January 12, 1809. He came to Illi- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



143 



nois in 1833, and located in Shelbyville, 
where he continued to reside until lS40, 
when he was appointed Receiver of the Land 
Officeat Vandalia, and removed to that place. 
He was elected County Judge of Fayette 
County in 1849; in 1852, was again appoint- 
ed Receiver of the Land Office, and in 1850 
was elected to the Legislature. He was an 
able lawyer, and, by strict attention to busi- 
ness, he accumulated a handsome fortune, 
and finally was forced to abandon his profes- 
sion and devote his time and attention to the 
management of his estate. Many of our old 
citizens well remember Judge Gregory and 
his genial accomplishments. He died a few 
years ago, greatly regretted. 

Orlando P. Ficklin, another early attend- 
ant and practitioner at the Effingham bar, 
was born in Kentucky December 16, 1808. 
His education was obtained in a number of 
academic institutions in Kentucky and Mis- 
souri. In 1828, he commenced the study of 
law at Potosi, Mo., and in 1830 was admitted 
to the bar. He located at ML Carmel, 111., 
and began the practice of his profession, 
meeting with encouraging success. In 1831, 
he was elected to the Legislature. In 1834— 
35, he was chosen by the Legislature as 
State's Attorney for the Wabash District, 
which place he filled until in 1837, when he 
removed to Charleston, in Coles County, and 
has ever since resided there. In 1843, he 
was elected to Congress, and re-elected in 
1844, and again in 1846. He then returned 
to the practice of his profession, but was 
again elected to Congress in 1850. He was 
a member of the Democratic CoQvention that 
nominated James Buchanan for President in 
1856, and a member of the Democratic Con- 
vention in 1860, at Charleston. He belongs 
to the old school of Democrats, and is an 
able lawyer and statesman. 

We come now to the resident lawyers of 



our county. The first lawyer that located 
here was Kendall H. Buford, who was born 
in Tennessee about the year 1820, where he 
received a common-school and academic edu- 
cation. He had a smattering of Latin; had 
taught school in Tennessee; had also read 
law there, and was admitted to the bar. He 
came to Illinois in 1848, and taught a term 
or two of school, and in 1849 located in Ew- 
ington and commenced the practice of his 
profession. He was a man of considerable 
pretensions naturally, somewhat superficial 
in his knowledge of the law, and made many 
mistakes. He continued in the practice of 
his profession here until in 1853, when he 
moved to Missouri and took up the practice of 
medicine, as he had studied the healing art 
before leaving Ewington. He could make a 
pretty good speech if he took sufficient time 
to prepare it and commit it to memory. 

Eli Philbrook was the second lawyer who 
located in our county. He was born in Lick-' 
ing County, Ohio, where he received a good 
common- school education. At the age of 
nineteen, he commenced the study of law. 
and was admitted to practice by the Supreme 
Court of Ohio. He came to Illinois and lo- 
cated in Ewington in 1850, where he at once 
entered upon the practice of his chosen pro- 
fession. He was a good lawyer; but not a 
fluent speaker. He built up a large practice, 
and had the full confidence of the people. 
He died in Ewington in 1854, at the early 
age of twenty -eight yeai-s, of consximption. 
He was a member of the Masonic and Odd 
Fellow societies, and was followed to his 
grave by a large procession of these orders, 
as well as a large number of friends. 

The third resident lawyer was James La- 
dow, who located at Freemanton in 1851. 
He continued there until 1854, engaged in 
teaching and practicing law, and then re- 
moved into Cumberland County, where all 



144 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



trace of him is lost. Ho was a mere petti- 
fogger, and never entered fully into the prac- 
tice of law. 

John Anderson was the fourth addition to 
the Effingham bar. He settled at Ewington, 
but never did much in the practice of law, 
and, about the year 1852 or 1853, emigrated 
to Kansas. He became County Judge there 
but farther than that we know nothing of his 
success. 

The fifth and next lawyer locating in our 
county was H. D. Caldwell, who came to 
Ewington in 1852. He was followed soon 
after by William J. Stevenson, and, in the 
spring of 1853, "William B. Cooper located in 
Ewington. Mr. Caldwell was born in Vir- 
ginia, and came to Hlinois with his parents, 
who located in Coles County. He com- 
menced the study of law in 1852, and attend- 
ed the Law University at Bloomington, Ind. , 
from which he graduated, and, in 1854, be- 
gan practice at Ewington. He is at present 
a citizen of Effingham, but not in active prac- 
tice. Mr. Cooper is a native of Massachu- 
setts, and a descendant of the Pilgrim Fa- 
thers. He came to Hlinois and taught school 
and read law until 1853, when he was admit- 
ted to the bar. He went to Salem, Iowa, 
and fi'om thence came to Ewington and com- 
menced the practice of law as a partner of 
W. J. Stevenson, who shortly after removed 
to Clay County. There is but one lawyer 
now living who was a member of the bar at 
the time Mr. Cooper came to the county. 

This brings the history of the legal profes- 
sion down to the present members of the 
county bar. As per.sonal sketches of them 
aj^pear in the biographical department of 
this work, we omit an extended mention of 
them in this chapter, merely giving a kind 
of directory of the present practitioners in 
the order in which they were admitted to the 
bar. They are as follows: 



B. F. Kagay read law with Eli Philbrook 
and William Campbell, and was regularly 
admitted to the bar in August, 1854. 

S. F. Gilmore studied law at Greencastle, 
Ind., and graduated from the Law Depai-t- 
ment of Asbury University in 1860. 

H. B. Kepley commenced reading law in 
1859, and was admitted to the bar by the Su- 
preme Court at March term, 18G0. 

J. N. Gwin studied law, and graduated 
with honors, and has since practiced his pro- 
fession in Effingham. 

A. W. Le Crone studied law with W. B. 
Cooper, of Effingham, and was admitted to 
practice in the year 1860. 

Benson Wood entered the Chicago Law 
School in the summer of 1868, from which 
he graduated in 1864. 

W. H. Barlow entered the Law Department 
of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 
from which he graduated in March, 1868. 

Virgil Wood studied law with his brother, 
Benson Wood, and was admitted to the bar 
in the fall of 1868. 

William H. Grillmore read law with Bond 
& West, of Chicago, and graduated from the 
Law College there in the spring of 1868. 

Ada H. Kepley read law with her husband, 
H. B. Kepley, and graduated from the Chi- 
cago Law School in 1870. 

E. N. Rinehart studied law with Cooper 
& Kagay, and was admitted to practice at the 
bar in 1871. 

John C. White read law with Judge Ee- 
ber, of St. Louis, and then with Cooper & 
Gwin, and was admitted in 1872. 

R. C. Harrah read law with J. N. Gwin, 
of Effingham, and was admitted to practice 
in the year 1874. 

Owen Scott read law with S. F. Gilmore, 
and was admitted to the bar by the Supreme 
Court at Springfield in 1874. 

W. S. Holmes, of Altamont, read law at 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



145 



Chatsworth, and was admitted to the bar at 
Ottawa, 111., in 1877. 

William E. Buckner read law with H. B. 
Kepler, and after with Cooper & Gilmore, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1881 . 

F. M. Ley read law with E. N. Rinehart, 
and orraduated from the Northern Indiana 



Normal School, at Valparaiso, in June, 1881. 

W. B. Wright studied and graduated from 
the Law Department of the Northern Indiana 
Normal School in June, 1882. 

P. K. Johnson, of Altamont, read law and 
was admitted to the bar by the Supreme 
Court at Springfield in June, 1882. 



CHAPTER XI: 



DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP — ITS BOUNDARIES AND TOPOGRAPHV— EARLY SETTLEMENT— AMERICAN 
AND GERMAN PIONEERS— THE BULL FLATTERS— PROGRE.SS AND ADVANCEMENT- 
PIONEER INCIDENTS— CHURCH AND SCHOOL HISTORY— THE RAILROAD 
AND THE BIRTH. OF EFFINGHAM, ETC., ETC. 



" Wie wird das Bild der .alien Tage 

Durch eure Tr'siume gUlnzend wehn ! 
Gleich einer stillen, fromaien Sage 
Wird es euch vor der Seele stelin. 

" Der Bootsmann winktl Zieht hin in Frieder 

Gntt schiitz' euch, Mann und Weib und Greis ! 
Sei Freiide eurer Brust beschieden, 
Und euren Feldern Reis und .Mais!" 

/"CHARLES DICKENS once said that the 
^^ typical American would hesitate about 
entering heaven unless assured that he could 
go West. Ever since, and even before the 
advice to young men to " go West " was pro- 
mulgated by the sagacious editor of the New 
York Tribune, the phrase "going West" has 
been a potent one to stir the blood of the en- 
terprising and adventurous. The mania for 
going West resulted in the discovery of 
America by Columbus, and since that day we 
have been told by spread-eagle orators that 
" Westward the star of empire takes its way." 
From the Atlantic coast, even from Plymouth 
Rock, our ancestors moved Westward with 
the star of empire. They crossed the Alle- 
ghanies, and, descending their western slope, 
bui-st into the rich valley of the Mississippi. 
But they paused not here. They poured a 
living flood across the continent, until the 

*By W. H. Pcrrin. 



advance-guard — the frontier skirmish line of 
American civilization rests upon the distant 
shores of the Pacific. In vain the Indian 
tried to stem the torrent, but wa^i awept away 
like chafi" before the wind. The settler's as 
echoed through the forests as groups of three 
or four came, locating here and there, and 
soon an endless line of pioneers moved into 
these valleys, and settled on the margin of 
these prairies. Emigrant wagons found their 
way here with household goods. Then mills 
were built; the merchant brought on his 
goods; schools were established and churches 
organized, thus proclaiming the wonderful 
energies of our people. 

But there is a page which should come be- 
fore this history, and, like the prologue to a 
drama, be recited first — a page which records 
the Indian occupation of the land and his 
resistence to the whites. All this, however, 
may be found in preceding chapters of this 
work, and hence is recited first. The Indian 
— the burly warrior and the dusky maid — are 
long since gone, but their footprints are left 
in many portions of the county. Ruins, 
burying-grounds and mounds tell the story of 
another race — the red sons of the forest. 



146 



HISTORY OF EFFI]S'GHAM COUKTY. 



Bat we will leave them with the tribute al- 
ready paid them, and take up the history of 
this division of the county until its settlement 
by the whites. 

Originally, Douglas embraced all of Town- 
ship 8, and a part of Township 9 north, in 
Range 6 east, of the Third Principal Meridi- 
an. But at the December term of the Super- 
visors' Court, held in 1863, the east half of 
Township 8 was set off and created an inde- 
pendent township, which is known and desig- 
nated as Teutopolis. This change leaves 
Douglas in much the shape of a carpenter's 
" square, " It is bounded north by Shelby 
County, east by Cumberland County and 
Teutopolis Township, south by Watson Town- 
ship and west by Summit and Banner Town- 
ships. It is drained by the Little Wabash 
and its tributaries, of which Salt and Green 
Creeks are the princijsal ones. Salt Creek 
flows nearly north and south, just touching 
its eastern line, while Green Creek passes 
through the northwest corner, and the Little 
Wabash curves into the west line a time or 
two in its tortuous course southward. The 
land is mostly rolling, and adjacent to the 
Little Wabash breaks into steep and abrupt 
bluffs. Indeed, some of the roughest land in 
the county is along the margin of the river 
in this township. There is but little prairie, 
the timber land largely predominating. 
Oak, ash, sycamore, hickory, white and black 
walnut, sugar maple, buckeye, cottonwood, 
etc., compriae the timber growth, with nu- 
merous hazel thickets and other common 
shrubs. The township is well supplied with 1 
railroads — these modern allies of civili^ation. 

The history of Douglas Township centers 
in the city of Effingham, the capital of the 
county, which is located in the south end of 
the township. Usually, the township con- 
taining the county seat affords few facts of 
interest to the historian beyond that of its 



settlement. It is specially so in Douglas, 
being principally an agricultural region, 
without towns or villages (except Effingham), 
manufactories, mills or anything else than 
its honest and energetic German farmers, 
which comprise by far the larger portion 
of the population. As will be seen in the 
following pages, the township was mostly 
settled by Germans, who still retain a strong 
foothold and are among the most highly re- 
spected citizens of the county. There were 
a few of our own people here, however, prior 
to the coming in of the Germans, and the 
settlement of these will be first noticed. 

Of the early settlers we have the names of 
Isaac Slover, James Cartwright, James Lea- 
vitt, Jefferson Langford, John Gannaway, 
James and Nathan Eamsey, Aaron Williams, 
one Stewart, Richard Cohea, etc., etc. Slo 
ver and Cartwright lived on the National 
road, near the present railroad depot. Cart- 
wright was Slover's son-in-law, and both 
have long since gone the way of the earth. 
Gannaway came from Kentucky and settled 
east of Slover and just across Salt Creek. 
He afterward moved to Coles County and 
died there. Aaron Williams settled west of 
the city, where Henry Havener now lives. 
He moved West, perhaps to Missouri, and 
lived to the age of nearly one hundred years. 
Jeff Langford lived about a mile west of 
Williams, and was from Tennessee. He has 
been dead several years. Leavitt, also a 
Tennessean, settled a little south of Effing- 
ham. He has two sons still living in the 
county, but he himself is dead. The Ram- 
seys and Coheas settled in the northwestern 
part of the township, in the classic neighbor- 
hood of " Bull Flat." The old ones— the patri- 
archs of the tribes — are dead, but they have 
quite a number of descendants still living in 
the township and surrounding country. 

From the "Faderland," on the fabled 



'J 



UlSTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



147 



banks of the Rhine, we may mention the fol- 
lowing settlers, who camo hero as early as 
1840, and some of them several years earlier: 
Joseph, Bernard, Henry and George Koester. 
Ferdinand Braun, Joseph Feldhake, Matthias 
Moenniug, Joseph Biiessing, Gerhard Osthoflf, 
Fr. Hoffmann, Bernard Vogt, John Feeh- 
trop, Bernard Deters, Fred Grimmeg, Ar- 
nold Kreke, Joseph Suer, Joseph Bloemer, 
Ferdinand Messmann, Hermann H. Nieman, 
Henry Best, Joseph Goldstein, Henry Gerdes. 
A. B. Jansen, Rudolph Dust, Henry Loh- 
mann. H. M. Mette, Ferdinand Kaufmann, 
Gerhard Nuxoll, John B. Gruenloh, William 
Kabbes, Dick Goers, Bernard Reiman, Henry 
Schmer, Joseph Woermann, William Anl en- 
brook, Peter Throele, John Rickelmana, Fred 
Cohorst, Henry Unkraut, John Meyer, Gasper 
Kraeppe, George Scoles, Henry Herboth, 
'Ferdinand Wintrup and perhaps others. 

George Koester settled east of town; the 
other Koesters north and northwest of town, 
and all are living except Henry. Feldhake 
is a respected citizen of Effingham; Braun 
settled northwest of town, and is still living; 
Buessing lives near Effingham. Nieman was 
the father of Mrs. Kaufmann, who is still 
living and who is the widow of Ferdinand 
Kaufmann. Matthias Moenning died 1882; 
Osthoff lives in the southwest part of the 
township, and Fr. Hoffmann in the west 
part; Vogt settled near him, but is now dead. 
Fechtrop and Deters settled in the southern 
part, and Best in the northern part of the 
township, the latter living, but the other two 
are dead. Goldstein, Gerdes, Bloemer, Jan- 
sen, Messmann, Lohmanu, Jos(;ph and Ber- 
nard Suer, Mette and Gruenloh, settled in 
the northern part and are all, we believe, still 
living. Nuxoll and Aulenbrook settled in the 
same neighborhood, and are dead. Most of 
the others mentioned settled also in the north 
part, and are living or have descendants liv- 



ing still in the township. Of these German 
pioneers of Douglas Township, the Koesters, 
Dust and Feldhake were the first settlers 
from the old country. They were soon fol- 
lowed by friends and relatives to the " land 
of the free and the home of the brave," until 
at the present day there are but few farmers 
in the entire township except the thrifty 
Germans. They are honest and upright in 
their dealings, simple in their manners and 
customs, and industrious, quiet citizens. 
Their- American neighbors and themselves 
have always gotten along together upon the 
best of terms — barring the " Dutchtown war, " 
graphically described elsewhere, and without 
any special clashing of personal interests. 

At the time of settlement, the people de- 
pended almost entirely for meat upon the 
wild game, then so abundant in the country. 
Deer and wild turkeys and other game were 
plenty, and it was no great task for an expert 
hunter to go out early in the morning and 
kill a deer or two or three turkeys and return 
in time for the matutinal meal. An old set- 
tler says: " When I came here, game was 
plenty, and white men were scarce; but I 
have lived to see matters reversed — white men 
are now plenty, and the game all gone." 
Then all the clothing was manufactured at 
home by the women. It was of the rudest 
material and of the rudest construction. 
Boots were seldom worn, except in the towns, 
and to see a man with boots on was indisput- 
able evidence that he was a preacher, doctor, 
lawyer or some other "big-bug," these fa- 
vored individuals comprising by far the big- 
gest ducks in the social puddle. The noces- 
sEiries of life were scarce, and that they were 
is no matter of wonder. When we consider 
that St. Louis was the only market until 
small stores were opened in the larger settle- 
ments, everything had to be hauled in 
wagons to and from that point, and with the 



148 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



roads of the early period this was a rather 
formidable and laborious undertaking. 

The early history of this township cannot 
be fully given without a brief mention of a 
community in the northwestern part of it. 
The name " Bull Flat " is coincident almost 
with the settlement of the country. How the 
place received the classic name it bears is a 
conundrum, and we give it up. It was set- 
tled by Tennesseans, who have not advanced 
a single degree in social progress since they 
settled here fifty years ago. The customs of 
their fathers they hang to with all the zeal 
that a -John Chinaman clings to his diet of 
rice and rats. They sing the old songs, 
dream the old dreams and dance the old 
dances their ancestors did before them. A 
waltz, or polka, or schottische, is as incom- 
prehensible to the genuine "Bull Flatter" as 
would be Arabic or Sanscrit, but " Ole Dan 
Tucker," "Chicken Pie" and "Possum up 
the gum stump," is more familiar to him 
than household words. Their mode of " call 
ing " at their dances is peculiar to " Bull 
Flat" alone, and is sung out by the prompter 
to the " cow-bell " tune of a " hard shell " 
preacher, somewhat after this fashion: 
"Bow to the gals;" "shake yer hoofs;" 
" swing yer honey," "all chaw hay," etc., 
etc., the last expression when translated into 
the United States language, means "all 
promenade. " 

In years agone, the " Bull Flatters, " like 
the denizens of the \Y abash hills and " Fid- 
dler's Ridge," were great enemies to whisky, 
and hence, strove to hide as much of it as 
they possibly could. Such was their reputa- 
tion for this species of gaiete de cceur, that a 
popular saloon keejjer of Effingham constant- 
ly kept a bottle labeled "Bull Flat Whisky," 
a tablespoonful of which was warranted to 
kill any human being except the native Bull 
Flatter, but a half pint of it only made him 



feel jubilant and a full pint of it put him in 
good fighting trim. On public days when 
these fellows turned out in force and tilled 
themselves to the brim with Bull Flat whisky, 
what grand times they had! Such circuses 
could be gotten up by no other class of peo- 
ple. 

This Bull Flat settlement is a tribe or 
community unto itself, and is a kind of city 
organization, governed by its own peculiar 
laws and ordinances. Of this noteworthy 
menagerie. Dr. Godell is Mayor, Billy Buck- 
ner. Lord High Constable, and Tobe Hennes- 
sey, Assistant. The care which these ofiSicial 
dignitaries exercise over this frontier post 
shows a genuine interest of rulers for the 
mass of the people over whom they are called 
to reign. 

Koads and mills were among the first im- 
provements to which the pioneers turned their • 
attention. The old Cumberland or National 
road was the first thoroughfare that was made 
through the township. It passed along with- 
in a few feet of where the Yandalia Railroad 
now runs, and was, for that day, a gigantic 
enterprise. But we will not repeat here what 
has already been said of this great work. 
Other roads were laid out and improved as the 
country settled up. The first mills w^re the 
little horse-power mills, built by the pioneers 
themselves, and were rude in the extreme. 
The buhrs were made of bowlders, and some- 
times not more than fifteen to eighteen inches 
in diameter. It was not until the day of 
steam that the poople had the benefit of first- 
class mills. 

Previous to township organization the 
divisions of the county were known as pre- 
cincts and the Congressional townships were 
designated by numbers and ranges. But 
when township organization was adopted, and 
a new system of county government entered 
into, it became necessary to give names to 



HISTORY OF EFFIXGIIAM COUNTY. 



149 



the Congressional divisions. This change or 
local organization took place when Stephen 
A. Douglas was in the zenith of his glory 
and popularity and the idol of the people, 
and it seemed but meet to the good " county 
fathers " that the " Little Giant " should be 
honored by having his name bestowed on this 
township. Hence, in the christening of 
townships, this one was called Douglas, a 
name with which the masses are well satisfied. 
No better eulogium can be pronounced 
upon a community, or upon its individual 
members, than to point to the work they 
have accomplished. Theories look fine on 
paper, or sound well when proclaimed from 
the platform, but it is the plain work which 
tells on society. Thus, not only this town- 
ship, but the entire county took an early in- 
terest in education. All the main settlements 
established schools as soon as they could sup- 
port them. As the population increased, and 
in the natural coui'se of human events, the 
children also, schoolhouses were built, better 
teachers engaged and other improvements 
made in the facilities for education. Every 
neighborhood now has a good comfortable 
Bchoolhouse, and is supplied witb from six to 
eight months of school each year. 

Religious training was not neglected in 
the early days of the township. The few 
American settlers attended chui-ch in the 
other neighborhoods, while most of the Ger- 
mans, being Catholics, were first visited by 
clergymen from TeutopoHs. The second 
Catholic Church organized in the county was 
"Maria Help," or the Green Creek Church, 
as more familiarly known. It is situated on 
Green Creek in the north part of the township, 
and was organized in the fall of 1857 by Rev. 
Father Frauenhof er, a native of the Kingdom 
of Bavaria, and a regularly ordained priest. A 
little log church had been built previously by 
the settlers in this section, and various cler- 



gymen came from Teutopolis to attend funer- 
als and otherwise administer to the spirit- 
ual wants of the people, but there was no 
regular pastor until Father Frauenhof er 
came in that capacity. He was desirous of 
being the first to plant a congregation here, 
and overlooked the poverty of the parishion- 
ers. He remained two years, and then the 
Franciscan Fathers took charge of the con- 
gregation. Under their auspices, the pres- 
ent handsome chm'ch was built and finished, 
at a cost of about $4,500, vdthout steeple, 
which cost, with plastering and frescoing. 
$900 more. It is a brick structm-e, 67x40 
feet in dimensions, with twenty feet addition- 
al in length for the sacristy. The original 
members of this congregation were H. H. 
Niemann, Jacob Dottmann, ISernard Tebbe, 
Henry Fischer and their families, and three 
bachelors, John Osterhause, Antony Doren- 
kamp and one other whose name is forgotten. 
The church has now a membership of 
about fifty families, with over two hundred 
communicants. The present Trustees are 
Henry Osterliause and Francis Hoene, and 
Clemens Albers and Bernard Tebbe, Direct- 
ors. The schoolhouse belonging to the con- 
gregation was built in 1870-71, and is a two- 
story brick, containing four rooms. A free 
school is maintained and well attended. 

The building of the Illinois Central Rail- 
road was an era in the history of this part of 
the State, and Douglas Township came in for 
its share of the general prosperity, which 
followed the completion of this great internal 
improvement. It gave the people facilities 
hitherto unknown to them and furnished 
markets for their surplus stock and grain, 
such as they had never dreamed of. Their 
lands sprang up in value, their mode of cul- 
tivating the soil was wonderfully improved 
and their income thereby inch-eased tenfold. 
This gale of prosperity which swept over the 



150 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



coutjtrv, and this revolution in the agricult- 
ural, mechanical and mercantile world, led 
to the birth of numerous cities, towns and 
villages — particularly along this great high- 
way. To the building of the Central Rail- 
road — an enterprise described elsewhere — we 
may attribute the origin of the beautiful and 
now flourishing city situated in the southern 
part of this township, and which might never 



have come into existence but for this grand 
culmination of railroad enterprise. With 
this allusion to events, which " cast their 
shadows before," we will close our sketch of 
Douglas Township, and in another chapter 
take up the history of Effingham, devoting a 
brief space to its birth, growth and material 
development. 



CHAPTER XII. 



CITY OF EFFINGHAM— THE OLD TOWN OF BROUGHTON— LAYING OUT OF THE NEW CITY— ITS 
BOUNDARIES AND ADDITIONS— FIRST HOUSES, STORES AND POST OFFICES— HOTELS, MAN- 
UFACTORIES, ETC —THE FIRE DEPARTMENT— CITY ORGANIZATION AND OFFICIALS 
— RAILROADS AND THE PRESS— LITERARY SOCIETIES, ETC., ETC. 



" What is the city but the people ? 

True, the people are the city." — Shakespeare. 

ry^HE city of Effingham, the capital of 
_L Effingham County, and the metropolis 
of a fine and flourishing region of country, is 
beautifully situated on high rolling land at 
the crossing of the Chicago Branch of the 
Illinois Central Railroad and the Vandalia 
line, and at the termini of the Wabash and 
the Effingham & Southeastern Narrow Gauge 
roads. The original town was called 
"Broughton," and was named for Mr. 
Brough, an " Ohio man," afterward Governor 
of that commonwealth of statesmen, and who 
ficmred in the first edition of the Vandalia 

o 

Railroad — a matter still familiar to many of 
our readers. 

Broughton was surveyed and laid out by 
George Wright, County Surveyor, and the 
plat recorded May 10, 1853, for David B. 
Alexander and Samuel W. Little, proprietors. 
The following was the original survey: "Be- 
ginning at the southwest corner of the south- 
west quarter of the southwest quarter of Sec- 

*By W. H. Perrin, 



tion 21, of Township 8 north, Range 6 east, 
at a stone; thence north 7 degrees west 132 
feet to the southwe.st corner of said plat; 
thence north 7 degrees west 1,037 J feet to a 
stone; thence east at one-eight angle 1,105 J 
feet to a stone; thence south 7 degrees east 
1,037^ feet to a stone; thence west 1,105|^ feet 
to the southwest corner of said plat." The 
streets were sixty-six feet in width, except 
around the square, which was laid off ninety- 
nine feet, and Railroad and Section streets 
were fifty feet. The alleys were all sixteen 
and one-half feet in width. 

The Times, speaking recently of the early 
history of Broughton, has the following: " In 
connection with Mr. D. B. Alexander, Mr. 
Little came to this place in 1853 and sup- 
posing this would be the crossing of the Illi- 
nois Central and the old Brough road, pur- 
chased 260 acres of land, 180, at §10 per 
acre, and 80 at $25, and laid the foundation 
of our present city by laying out Broughton. 
The Central was only in course of construc- 
tion, and had not yet reached this far south, 
and when the Brough road collapsed, Messrs. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



151 



Alexander and Little acknowledged the fail- 
ure (if their investment by abandoning 
Broiighton and going to Kentucky. Before 
they left, however, they had contracted with 
George Wright for three buildings, for $1,- 
300, two residences and one storeroom, and 
as a consequence of this contract the first 
three buildings in our city were erected. One 
occupied the lots now occupied by Funk- 
houser's magnificent brick, the storeroom on 
the northwest corner of the public square 
which afterward perished in the conflagration 
that swept the block away, the remaining 
residence being the house now occupied by 
Mr. Russell. The Central was completed to 
this place in 1855-56, and. seeing that the 
point was a good one, in 1856, IMi-. Little, in 
company with Mr. Alexander, returned to 
Broughton and took up his residence. With 
the exception of a short residence in Virgin- 
ia, in 1867-68, Mr. Little resided here con- 
tinuoiisly until 1871, when he removed to Lin- 
coln, Neb., and during that long residence no 
one was more identified than he with the 
growth and prosperity of our city. And as a 
recompense for this public spirit he has, in 
addition to the consciousness of having per- 
formed a public duty, a handsome fortune to 
sustain him in his declining years." 

An addition was made^ to the town of 
Broughton by Alexander & Little July 1, 
1858, of a part of the northwest quarter of 
the southwest quarter of Section 21, and 
platted by R. A. Howard, County Surveyor. 
After this the identity of Broughton seems 
to be lost, as we find no further reference 
to it in the records. Effingham havino- been 
laid out some years prior to this addition to 
Broughton, the latter was finally merged 
into Effingham, and the name of Broughton 
dropped. 

The original plat of Effingham was made 
by James M. Healey, Deputy County Survey- 



or, for Andrew J. Galloway, proprietor, Sep- 
tember 12, 1855, and comprised the northeast 
quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 
20, of Douglas Township. Of the com- 
mencement of Effingham, or Broughton, Mr. 
Hoeny furnishes us the following, in addition 
to the extract already made fr )m the Times: 
In the spring of 1851, the first three houses 
in the town of Broughton were built by Alex- 
ander & Little, being two residences and one 
store. In the summer of the same year, 
George Scoles built the first residence that 
was put up by an actual settler. Shortly 
after this, Mr. Hoeny built a small dwelling 
for himself, on the lot now occupied by his 
present brick residence, which was the second 
house built in the place by an actual settler. 
Following the building of Hoeny' e house, 
several rude frame structures were built in 
rapid succession, on the north side of the 
square, and one rather respectable and sub- 
stantial two-story frame building was put up 
by George Schmidt, on the lot now occupied 
by Mr. Regefs store. All of these last- 
named buildings, in the summer of 1863, 
were burned to the ground. This was the 
starting point — the beginning from which 
the city of Effingham has grown to its pres- 
ent proportions. 

Since the laying-out of Effingham, a num- 
ber of additions have been made to the origi- 
nal town, thus extending its corporate limits 
and giving it a foundation upon which 10, - 
000 people may stand, and have plenty of 
room without " scrouging" each other. Some 
of the additions made to the town are as fol- 
lows: "Central Effingham" Addition, made 
July 22, 1858, by Alexander & Little, of the 
southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of 
Section 20 of this township; the "Western 
Addition" to Effingham, by Alexander & 
Little, made June 6, 1859, of a part of the 
south half of the southeast quarter of the 



152 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



southeast quarter of Section 20, by C. F. 
Jones and James W. Berry, of the north half 
of the northwest quarter of the northeast 
quarter of Section 29, and by George H. 
Scoles, proprietor of the east part of the 
southeast quarter of the southwest quarter 
of Section 20, of this townshijj; the "Rail- 
road Addition" to Effingham, by J. P. M. 
Howard and William B. Cooper, August 
29, 1859, sm-veyed by C. A. Van Allen, 
Deputy Couuty Surveyor; " Gillenwater's 
Addition," made by Alexander & Little, Oe 
tober 24, 1859, of a part of the northwest 
quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 
28; Addition A to Western Addition, by C 

F. Jones and J. W. Berry, of a part of the 
west half of the northeast quarter of Section 
29, made May 19, 1866; McCoy & Arnold's 
Addition of four and three-fom'ths acres, in 
the southwest corner of the southeast quar- 
ter of the northeast quarter of Section 20, 
platted March 17, 1868; Alexander & Little's 
"New Addition" to Effingham, adjoining 
Central Effingham, and platted by Van Allen 
May 21, 1868; Addition B to Western Addi- 
tion, made April 7, 1870, comprising a part 
of the southeast of the northwest quarter of 
Section 29; Addition C to Western Addition 
of a part of the northeast quarter of the 
northwest quarter of Section 29, by Joseph 
Buessing, proprietor, April 14, 1870; Addi- 
tion C to the city of Effingham, by C. F. 
Jones and J. W. Berry, proprietors of a part 
of the west half of the west part of the 
southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of 
Section 29, and surveyed by Calvin Mitchell 
June 10, 1870; M. V. Parks' Addition to 
Effingham, of the southeast quarter of the 
northwest quarter of Section 20 and a part 
of the northeast quarter of the northeast 
quarter of Section 20, platted November 9, 
1871; Summit Addition to Effingham, Henry 

G. Habing, proprietor, of the north half of 



the southwest quarter of the northeast quar- 
ter of Section 20, platted April 11, 1875; 
Farr' s Central Addition to the city of Effing- 
ham, of the northeast quarter of the south- 
east quarter of Section 21, and platted Au- 
gust 9, 1875. On the 10th of June, 1879, 
Blocks 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, of this 
addition, were formerly vacated, by Benson 
Wood, the owner of the same. If our read- 
ers desire further information on the subject 
of the origin, laying out and additions of 
their town, they are respectively referred to 
the records. We have given sufficient to sat- 
isfy us, and for our purpose, and will now 
switch off on other matters. 

The first buildings in Effingham have al- 
ready been noted — their location and by 
whom erected. Li the fall of 1854, William 
Dorsey, from Princeton, Ind., oj)ened the 
first store. It comprised a general assort- 
ment of dry goods and gi'oceries, and was 
kept in the storehouse built by Alexander & 
Little, situated on the northwest corner of 
the square, where Hodebeke's brick resi- 
dence now stands. Prior to the opening of 
the store by Dorsey, John Hoeny, then a 
teacher at Teutopolis, moved to Broughton, 
and was emjjloyed as a salesman and clerk in 
the establishment, and until he built a resi- 
dence of his own, he occupied one of the 
residences built by Alexander & Little, stand- 
ing on the site of Funkhouser's " Trade Pal- 
ace." As the town grew rapidly, other stores 
were established to satisfy the increasing 
wants of the people, and shops of difierent 
kinds were opened. 

The post office, before the appointment of 
a regular Postmaster, was a kind of an " ac- 
commodation " concern, called Wehunka. It 
was on the petition of the first settlers — ■ 
Scoles, Dorsey and Hoeny — that the Indian 
name Wehunka was changed to Effingham. 
A petition, signed by twelve names, was for- 



,>^ ^-^ 




<^ 



J^tr^^^Cyi^^ 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



155 



warded to Washington, recommending John 
Hoeny for Postmaster, upon which he was 
duly commissioned the first Postmaster of 
Effingham. Mr. Hoeny's official duties were 
not extremely heav}', and had postal cards 
been fashionable then, he could have found 
plenty of time for reading all passing through 
his office. The mail was semi -weekly, and 
Mr. Hoeny says he usually sent and received 
some half dozen letters each mail. Friend 
Scott, the present obliging Postmaster of 
Effingham, and his gentlemanly First As- 
sistant, can discount that a thousand (more 
or less) to one. Our poet-laureate does it up 
in verse, thus: 

" The post office, too, is wonderful now, 

With its lockboxes and that; 

Why, I can remembei- how Hoeny 

Carried the thing in his hat." 

Mr. Hoeny continued as Postmaster until 
he removed to Waterloo, in ^Monroe County, 
when he turned over the office and its " emol- 
uments " to George Scoles, his successor. 
The office has grown and increased wonder- 
fully in these years, and from the one semi- 
weekly mail of twenty-five years ago, there 
are now some eight or ten mails received 
daily, and the number ef letters, papers and 
periodicals passing through it would astonish 
some of our pioneer fathers. No better proof 
is required than this of our growth and de- 
velopment and our advancement in civiliza- 
tion and refinement. 

There are few cities of the size of Effing- 
ham on the face of the globe probably as well 
supplied as she with hotels. A stranger 
would almost conclude that the entire popu- 
lation — men, women and children — take their 
meals at the difi"erent hotels and eating- 
houses. It is claimed by many, though by 
way of burlesque, ))erhaps, that Effingham 
has more fir.st-class hotels than Chicago. Be 
this as it may, there are a great many — 
" more than any man can number " —and 



vary, doubtless, in quality as much as in out- 
side appearances. The first tavern or public 
house — or, more properly speaking, boarding- 
house — was kept by John Hoeny. Scoles 
also kept a similar establishment in a house 
which stood where Ledrick now lives. John 
Woods and Holdzcolm also kept boarding- 
houses. 

The first regular hotel was the Central 
House, which stood west of the Illinois Cen- 
tral Railroad, and was kept by Dr. Bishop, 
about 1855-56. He ran it about three 
months and then sold it to John Woods. 
Samuel Fleming afterward took possession, 
and kept it for a number of years. His wid- 
ow is the present owner of the Fleming 
House, one of the best hotels in the city. 
Other hotels now flourishing are the " Pa- 
cific," "Western," "St. Louis," "Cincin- 
nati," " California," " Buckeye " and a num- 
ber more of lesser caliber, and too tedious to 
mention. 

The fii-st practicing physician in Effingham 
was Dr. George Scoles, a very talented man. 
He commenced practice about 1856 to 1858, 
and continued for many years. Dr. Farley 
was also an early physician, perhaps the next 
to Scoles. The medical brethren of the city 
at this time are as follows: John Le Crone, 
J. B. Walker (no relation to Dr. Mary), W. 
L. and F. W. Goodell. W. H. Davis. J. N. 
Groves, L. W. Smith, L. J. Schifl'erstein and 
G. S. Schuricht. In conclusion of this brief 
notice of the medical fraternity, we give a 
few lines regarding the shooting and some- 
what remarkable recovery of George Holli- 
day. He was a barber inEffingham'and well 
known, and was shot early in the year 1SS2, 
with a 32-calibre cartridge pistol. He was 
attended by Dr. Frank Goodell, who worked 
with him faithfully, notwithstanding other 
physicians pronounced his case hopeless and 
his wound mortal, and, after six months of 



156 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



patient and faithful care and attendance, 
dismissed him, on the 3d of Jiily, 1882, as 
cured. No one believed it possible for Hol- 
liday to recover, not even the physicians, and 
for hours after the wound was inflicted, many 
pronounced him dead, but amid all discom-- 
agements. Dr. Goodell persevered, and now 
enjoys the satisfaction of knowing that his 
efforts were crowned with success. The case 
of Holliday was pronounced by competent 
judges more dangerous than that of President 
Garfield. 

The banking business is represented in 
EfiSngham by two good solid banks. The 
first institution of this kind was started in 
the city in 1866, by Craddock & Habing, in 
the Little building. Two years later, it was 
moved to the Kepley building. The business 
was continued by these gentlemen imtil 1873, 
when the firm dissolved, Craddock retiring. 
Habing continued until 1876, when he ceased 
business. The Effingham Bank was estab- 
lished in 1879 by F. A. Von Gassy, who is 
sole owner of the institution, F. H. Euers, 
Cashier. Eversman, Wood & Engbring or- 
ganized a bank September 1, 1881, with a 
capital of $25,000, H. Eversman, Cashier; 
William Engbring, Assistant Cashier. Prep- 
arations are now being made for the erec- 
tion of a new bank building These two es- 
tablishments afford ample banking facilities 
to the city and surrounding country. 

Effingham has never been an extensive 
manufacturing town. The largest thing of 
the kind ever in the place is the Division 
shops of the Vandalia Railroad, which are 
located here. They employ a great number 
of men, whose wages are mostly spent in 
town, thus affording quite a little item of in- 
come. 

Among the few manufacturing enterprises 
may be noted the two excellent flouring mills 
in the western part of the city. Previous to 



the building of these. Swingle & Little had a 
saw-mill, which they started about 1857, and 
ran for two years. A grist-mill was added 
then by Mette & Little. In 1860, a mill 
was built opposite of where the Pacific House 
stands, and, after running for some nine 
years, was moved from the city. 

The City Mills were built in 1869 by 
Christan Alt & Co., and cost about $10,000, 
now owned by John Alt & Co. The building 
is two and a half stories high, containing 
three run of buhrs, also rollers, and has a ca- 
pacity of about three barrels per hour. It 
has been recently improved and refitted, and 
is now worth about $12,000. The Excelsior 
Mills were also built in 1869, in a two and a 
half story building, and when the repairs 
now being made are completed, they will be 
worth near $18,000. Gammon, Riekelman 
& Co. are the proprietors. 

A woolen factory was built in 1863 by M. 
V. & George Parks, which did quite an ex- 
tensive business until 1880, when it was 
burned. A brewery was erected in the north- 
ern part of the city by Freepartner, and ran 
some ten years, when it also was burned. A 
brewery was built in the eastern part of the 
city in 1S60 by Valentine Jakle. It was a 
large brick building, and cost about $6,000, 
and it was run some fifteen years, but is now 
standing idle. 

The city has at different times been visited 
by rather destructive fires. The severest, 
perhaps, occurred in 1863, and broke out in 
the cabinet shop of H. A. Rebels, on the 
north side of the square. From the shop the 
fire spread to a saloon, which was quickly 
consumed, the contents not having yet 
been sufficiently watered to prevent being 
combustible. Speck's dwelling and shoe 
shop, two story dwelling of Henry Dutton, 
George H. Smith's dwelling and grocery 
store, were among some of the buildings de- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



157 



stroyed. Several other fires have occurred, 
but none quite so destructive as this. The 
city enjoys the reputation of having an excel- 
lent tire department and of being well organ- 
ized. It was established in 1805, some two 
years after the tire above alluded to. An en- 
gine, the "Old Vigo," was [)urchased at Terre 
Haute in 1867, at a cost of $1,350, and has 
since been refitted. An engine-house was 
built in 1876, on land donated the city by 
the Illinois Central Railroad. The first step 
toward a fire department was the oganization 
of a hook and ladder company of thirty-seven 
members, of which J. J. Funkhouser was Cap- 
tain; George Parks, First Lieutenant; H. J. 
Lacy, Second Lieutenant, and Gilbert Bush- 
or, Chief Engineer. The department now 
consists of a hook and ladder company and 
Deluge Fire Company, Albert Gravenhorst, 
Chief Engineer; Jacob Schneider, Foreman 
of Deluge Company, and Charles Schmidt, 
Foremanof hook and ladder company. 

The village o£ Eflingham was incorporated 
under the law governing such matters, but as 
the record book of the proceedings has been 
lost, nothing definite can be given in regard 
to this period of its local government. It 
was incorporated as a city in 1807, and the 
first Mayor elected was B. F. Kagay; E. H. 
Bishop, first Clerk; first Aldermen, Wesley 
Spitler, R. E. Moore, W. H. St. Clair and 
Fred Mindrup. Henry Eversman was the 
second Mayor, and served from 1867 to 1809; 
Thomas A. Brown for 1870; C. F. Lilly for 
1871; John LeCrone, J 872 to 1874; H. G. 
Habing, 1874to»1870; John LeCrone (again) 
for 1877; J. N. Gwin, 1877 to 1879; John 
Hoeny, 1879 to 1881, and Benson Wood, 1881 
and 1882, the present incumbent. Addition- 
al to the Mayor, the present city government 
' is composed of the following: John C. Evers- 
man, City Clerk; John J. Loar, Treasurer; 
Aldermen in First Ward, John Morhinners 



and Conrad Boos; Aldermen in Second Ward, 
J. H. I. Lacy and George M LeCrone; Al- 
dermen in Third Ward, Charles Beuler and 
Thomas Powell. B. F. Kagay, Police Magis- 
trate, and J. C. White, City Attorney. 

Effingham is quite a railroad center, as 
well as a hotel town. It has the benefit of 
four railroads, with trains, almost hourly, to 
all points of the compass. A man can go 
from Effingham to any place — except the 
moon — by rail. As the roads have been so 
fully written in preceding chapters by Mr. 
Bradsby, nothing more can be said, without 
recapitulation. 

The press also receives full justice in an- 
other chapter, on the county at large, and, 
like the railroads, nothing remains to be said 
in this connection. 

EfSngham takes a literary tit semi-periodi- 
cally, and indulges the most intense interest 
and gets excited in the highest degree over 
such matters. But as it becomes older, the 
disciples of literature grow somewhat luke- 
warm and finally dormant, until another fit 
comes on. These fits and spells have been 
represented by the " Lyceum," the " Forum" 
and the " N. L. " societies, which have 
sprung up at times in the history of the city, 
swept over the scene like untamed meteors, 
flashed, darted and fizzled — then went out in 
darkness. The first of these literary feasts 
was inaugurated in 1877, the prime movers 
in the afifair being John C. White and H. C. 
Bradsby. They determined to make the 
greatest efforts of their lives, and called a 
meeting of a few of their friends, viz., S. F. 
Gilmore, H. B. Kepley, Miss Emma Cooper, 
Virgil Wood, George M. LeCrone and a few 
others. White bossed the organization, with 
Bradsby as a " looker on in Venice. " He 
(White) wrote the constitution and the by- 
laws, put the thing on its feet, named it the 
" Lyceum," and if there had been anything 



158 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



else to do, be would have done it. Bradsby 
was elected the first President, and served 
one year. White, Miss Emma Cooper and 
G. M. LeCrone comprised the Programme 
committee — the most important and respon- 
sible place in the society, in fact; its success 
or failure depended on this committee. From 
the very first meeting it was a complete suc- 
cess. They met in the Baptist Church every 
two weeks, and on each night crowds were 
tiu-ned away from the door for the want of 
room. During the first winter, the winter of 
its most successful existence — for, like all 
other organizations, it had its time to die, 
Mrs. Ann Eliza Young, nineteenth wife of 
Brigham Young, Gov. William Cumback, of 
Indiana, and George R. Wendling, lectured 
before the society. Brilliant success attend- 
ed, and the society more than paid expenses 
on each lecture. 

The entertainments and performances of 
the society were very popular, and the people 
of the city — men, women and school children 
contributed — and the variety of music, recita- 
tions, readings, papers upon various subjects 
and discussions were highly interesting. 
For the first time, perhaps, in the history of 
the city, the people were united, and little 
jealousies and bickerings and such things as 
so often kill off similar efforts in other cities, 
and had often done so in this, were unheard. 
The flattering success and prosperity of the 
first year gave evidence of permanency and 
of the good the society would accomplish. 
Owen Scott was elected the second President, 
afterward Prof. Page, then Prof. Mann, and 
lastly, Mrs. H. C. Painter. Its first year was 
its best, for, like all new things, it flemished 
until the novelty wore off, when, to some ex- 
tent, it waned in prosperity. 

In the fall of 1880, another of the period- 
ical outbursts occurred in the literary world 
of Efiingham, resulting in the organization of 



the Forum. Chief among the pillars of this 
new institution were White, Buckner, Bailey, 
Dr. Thompson, Charles Kelly, John Webb, 
Virgil Wood, Caldwell, the Drs. Goodell and 
a few other kindred spirits. A short time 
after it got under way, they roped in Brads- 
by, and in his introduction to the society, 
some of the members, especially Buckner, 
Bailey and Webb, had oceans of fun at his 
expense, and thus paid off old scores with 
interest. The society developed into an old 
fashioned debating club, bat it was mostly a 
kind of running fight on parliamentary ques- 
tions. John C. White was the first Presi- 
dent, then Bailey, Webb and Buckner in suc- 
cession, and in this exalted position they 
probably got angrier at Bradsby and White 
than they ever will at their future unfortu- 
nate mothers-in-law. Yet they somehow 
managed to learn more about parliamentary 
law than they had ever dreamed or imagined 
there existed. Bradsby says the Forum was 
a mighty success, even if it did make Buck- 
ner and Bailey eat nails and fire coals all 
winter. 

Last winter (1881), the literary fever came 
on again, and Bradsby, aided by G. M. Le 
Crone, Caldwell, the Drs. Goodell, Virgil 
Wood, in short, all the old Forumers, organ- 
ized the " N. L." society, the greatest, per- 
haps, of all its predecessors. It was a piu'ely 
literary club. The President was autocrat 
and Programme Committee in one. Brads- 
by, Wood and Caldwell drew up the consti- 
tution and by-laws. The performances at 
each meeting consisted of a paper read by 
some member designated by the President. 
A discussion of the paper then followed, each 
man to discuss that phase of it which suited 
him best. At the first meeting, Bradsby had 
been designated to read a paper on " Who is 
the greatest living man ? " In answer to this 
huge conundrum, he chose for his subject 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



159 



" Seth Green," and in a paper twenty min- 
utes long maintained his choice. 

The pith of the joke was that half of the 
people in to^vn thought it was " Uncle 
Billy" Green, the di-ayman, that Brad meant 
But when he read his paper, and said all 
that he could say in behalf of Seth Green, 
the noted father of fish culture, all who heard 
him were more astonished than was ever By- 
ron when he awoke to his fame. Thoy all 
had to agi'ee with Brabsby that to develop 
this immense thing of filling all the waters 
that are now the waste places of three-fourths 
of the globe with good, cheap, nutritious food 
was a project full of promise to cheapen food, 
reduce the horn's of labor, lift all mankind 
up and do more for the cause of civilization 
than all else since recorded time. 

Bradsby, in the conclusion of his paper, 
referred to the fact that each individual, if 
asked the question as to who the greatest 
man was, would naturally think of his kind 
— the plug ugly, of the prize fighter; the son 
of Mammon, of Vanderbilt, Rothschild or 
Gould; the fledgling politician, of Jim Blaine 
or Conkling, and the young Esculapius of 
Dr. Gross, etc., etc. Soon after the read- 
ing of the paper was finished, Dr. Frank 
Goodell came in. He soon had a finger in 
the pie, and, true to the prediction ventured 
by the sage author of the ponderous paper. 



he was on his feet proclaiming the veritable 
Dr. Gross, the truest, only, ownest, greatest 
of all the great moguls of the land. Audible 
grins were perceptible in all parts of the 
room, and the re-reading of that portion of 
the paper (which Goodell had not before 
heard) produced great fun and elfectually 
squelched the Doctor, for that time at 
least. 

The society flourished immensely under 
the fostering care of Gwin, Caldwell and 
others. One of the most interesting and 
highly entertaining meetings perhaps held 
while the society (existed, was when the sub- 
ject of female suffrage was the theme of the 
evening. The speeches delivered upon the 
occasion, particularly by Caldwell, who 
"spake as never man spake," on female 
suffrage at least, are deserving of perpetual 
record. Mr. Caldwell advanced arguments 
upon that rather vexed problem, new, per- 
haps, to most of his hearers. Our space, 
however, will not allow us to follow the pro 
ceedings of this society further, and the 
reader is referred to the book of the records. 

Several efibrts have been made to establish 
a library in Effingham, but a few patent office 
reports and Legislative proceedings have 
been about as far as the matter has ever gone, 
and prove the extent of the collection of 
literature for the public use of the city. 




160 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XIIL* 



CITY OF EFFINGHAM— ITS KELlGIOtJS HISTORY— EARLY CHURCHES AND PREACHERS— ORGANI- 
ZATION OF DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS— SECRET AND BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS 
FREEMASONRY, ETC.— EARLY SCHOOLS OF THE TOWN— PRESENT EDUCA- 
TIONAL FACILITIES — MERCY HOSPITAL, ETC., ETC. 



" Whilst politicians are disputing about monarchies, 
aristocracies and republics, Christianity is alike appli- 
cable, useful, and friendly to them all." — Paley. 

SOCIETY, as it circles outward from a com- 
mon center, has a tendency to degenerate 
from its original and higher type to one of a 
lower tone and standard. History reveals the 
fact that every receding circle of civilization 
has lessened the forces forming and complet- 
ing a perfect state of society. On nearly every 
wave of immigration some good seed is borne 
to grow up in the opening soil of the new 
country. The good seed is usually sufficient 
to begin the work of raising society to a 
higher level of civilization, and their trans- 
forming power counteracts those demoralizing 
influences which tend to social degeneration 
and disruption, as the lawless and vicious 
seek the frontiers, where there is less restraint 
from civil power. This good seed becomes 
the nucleus around which gather those loftier 
feelings necessary to carry society onward to 
a state of comparative perfection and hapjii- 
ness. Christian truth is the great super- 
structure on which every society that approxi- 
mates perfection must rest. Said an old 
minister of the Gospel once: "It used to 
make my heart sick in the early years of my 
ministry to dismiss members of my charge to 
churches in distant regions, and have brothers 
and sisters and neighbors leave us for settle- 
ments in the opening Territories. But as I 
have grown older, and followed these emi- 
grants to their new homes, and have found 

*By W. H. Perrin. 



them far more useful in church and State 
than they ever could have been in the regions 
they left behind, where others held the places 
of influence — as I have seen them giving a 
healthy and vigorous tone to society, while 
the separation caused a pang of sorrow, the 
good accomplished more than compensated 
for the pleasure lost." It was to such emi- 
grants as those mentioned in the above ex- 
tract that Illinois is indebted for her Chris- 
tian civilization of to-day. The good seed 
brought hither by these humble pioneers, 
have brought forth good fruit, and produced 
blessings more than a hundred-fold. 

Effingham is well supplied with churches 
and church edifices. The following sketch 
of the Methodist Church is furnished us by 
the pastop, Eev. R. H. Manier. The earliest 
date of an organized Methodist Episcopal 
Church in Ewington, of which the church in 
Effingham is successor, was 1835. That there 
was preaching in Effingham County at a 
much earlier date is evident from the fact 
that there was then an organized circuit with 
regular preaching places; but no definite 
information is at command as to who were the 
ministeis previous to this date. The follow- 
ing ministers were appointed to the Ewington 
Circuit. The dates are not given as abso- 
lutely correct, but approximately so: In 1835, 
Rev. Mr. Graham; 1837, Rev. Mr. Chambers; 
1838, Rev. Leroy Lowery; 1839, Rev. Mr. 
Tennison; 1840, Rev Benjamin Newman; 
1841, Rev. Mr. Wasburn; 1842, Rev. Mr. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



161 



Blackwell; 1843, Rev. Mr. Hale; 1845, Rev. 
Isaac G. Barr; 1846, Rev. ]\Ir. Pitner; 1847, 
Rev. D. Williamson; 1848, Rev. J. Gilham; 
1849, Rev. J. M. Massey; 1854, Rev. J. 
Estep. About the year 1855, Effingbam be- 
came a preaching place, and the circuit was 
thereafter known as Effingham Circuit. Af- 
ter this date the ministers in charge were: 
1855, Rev. Mr. Mapes; 1856-57, Rev. G. W. 
Cullom, with Rev. Mr. Ayres, assistant; 
1858, Rev. Mr. Whitsel; 1859, Rev. D. 
Williamson; 1860, Rev. Q. W. Cullom; 
1861, Rev. Mr. Butts; 1862-63, Rev. R. H. 
Massey; 1864-65, Rev. Mr. Brannon. 

In 1867, the circuit was divided and the 
city of Effingham made a station; that is, 
was given the exclusive services of a pastor. 
Since then the church of Effingham has had 
for its pastors the following ministers: In 
1867-68, Rev. J. H. Lockwood; 1869, Rev. 
J. Leeper; 1870-71, Rev. M. N. Powers; 
1872-73, i{ev. N. Hawley; 1874, Rev. M. H. 
Nichols: 1875, Rev. J. Harris; 1876-77, 
Rev. William Wallis; 1878-79, Rev. J. Gib- 
son; 1880-81-82, Rev. R. H. Manier, the 
present pastor. The membership is now 164, 
and eight probationers; total, 172 members. 
In 1866, the present substantial brick church 
was built and named " Centenary," that year ! 
(1866) being the one hundredth anniversary 
of the introduction of Methodism in America. 
A good Sunday school is kept up throughout 
the year. 

The Baptist Church was organized in 1861 
by Elder Uriah McKay and an ecclesiastical 
counsel, composed of Rev. McKay, W. C. Mit- 
chell, John W. Cleveland, J. W. Billingsley 
and John Verplank. The original members 
were Ij. R. McMurry, Elizabeth McMiu-ry, D. 
W. Bouland, Catharine Bouland, W. P. Sur- 
rells. S. V. Surrells, P. P. McCain, Grace Mc- 
Cain, Giles Baldwin, Sarah Baldwin, Mrs. 
D. D. Bouland and H. N. Leland, together 



with Elder McKay. The pastors have been 
Elders Uriah McKay Evans, E. S. Graham, I. 
S. McHan, A. Rhodes, Stephens and W. H. 
Wilson. The church is without a pastor at 
present. It was originally organized at the 
house of W. P. Surrells, where services were 
held for one month. A house on the west 
side of the Illinois Central Railroad was used 
— then the court house until 1866, when the 
present church building was erected. It is 
of brick, 20x60 feet, and stands on a lot do- 
nated by Alexander & Little, and cost about 
$6,000. The first officers were Rev. JIcKay, 
Moderator, and W. P. Surrells, Clerk; Giles 
Baldwin, H. B. Wagner and Jesse Said, Dea- 
cons; A. Wilson, L. R. McMurray and Mr. 
Bradley, Trustees. The present officers are 
B. B. Miner, Clerk; W. C. Wright, W. P. 
Surrells, and Mr. Miner, Trustees The mem- 
bership is about fifty; Owen Scott is Super- 
inteudent of the Sunday school. 

St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church dates 
back to 1858. Prior to that year, the few 
Catholic families, and we learn from Father 
Jungmann, the present rector, residing in this 
vicinity, were visited from time to time by 
clergymen of the Diocese of Alton. Services 
were held in a small log house which is still 
standing in the rear of Funkhousor's new 
store. The last priest who said mass i n it 
was the Rev. Father Fortmann. In 1858, 
the Catholics, encom-aged by Father Frauen- 
hofer, who resided at that time in the Green 
Creek settlement, and was rector of the con- 
gregation there, decided to build a respect- 
able church edifice. The plan was cai'ried 
out under Rev. Father Bartels, the zealous 
rector of the cougregation at Teutopolis, who, 
in the spring of 1858, laid the corner-stone of 
the old church of St. Anthony's congrega- 
tion, at present the school Louse of the 
church. In the fall of the same year, the 
Rev. Father of the order of St. Francis took 



162 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



charge of the congregation at Teutopolis, 
where a convent had been built. From the 
convent, the several Catholic congregations of 
the neighborhood were attended as missions 
by the Rev. Fathers. Among others, also 
that of St. Anthony's congregation at Ef- 
fingham was given to their charge. The 
Kev. Father Capestran said the first holy 
mass in the new church on Christmas 
morning, 1858. In .succession the fol- 
lowing priests of the order of St. Francis 
had charge of St. Anthony's Church: Rev. 
Fatlier Servatene, Heribert, Raynerius, Kill- 
ian, Ferdinand, then Rev. Killian again. In 
September, 1871, Rev. Michael Weis, sec- 
ular priest of the diocese of Alton, was ap- 
pointed rector of St. Anthony's congregation 
at Effingham, and, on the '23d of March, 
1877, Rev. Father Jiingmann, the present 
rector, took charge. 

When the fii-st church was built, the follow- 
ing Catholic families then lived around here: 
C. and Joseph Bloemer, and their mother 
(widow of Arnold Bloemer), Henry Herboth, 
Hille, Wilenborg, Peter Thoele, Ferdinand 
Messmanu, H. H. Dust, Bernard Dassen- 
brook, Fred Braun, Joseph Feldhake, the 
Koesters, Buessing, Husmann, Matthias Mo- 
ening, J. F. Schwerman, Knage, Herman 
Fechtrup, Gerhard Osthoflf, Mindrup, Vogt, 
Gebbon Vogt, Fredrick Hoffmann, William 
Messmann, H. Harmann, B. Kemper, Gerhard 
H. Ney, John Ney, Bernard Ney, Herman Ney, 
John Fechtrup, Ai-nold Kreke, Bernard Bet- 
ters, Dreymann, Alshop, Mette — about forty 
families altogether. The congregation grew 
rapidly and in the course of time the church 
became too small to hold the faithful. 
Hence, under the pastorate of Rev. Father 
Weis, the erection of a large, beautiful church 
was agitated. In February, 1873, the first 
contract for material was made. The mag- 
nificent building as it now stands was finished 



I 



in 1875. Solemn blessing of the new church 
took place on the 13th of June of the same 
year, by the Right Rev. Joseph Baltes, Bishop 
of Alton, to whose diocese St. Anthony's be- 
longs. The church is an ornament to the city 
and an honor to ths Catholic inhabitants. 
Its cost was about §40,000; its size, 66x165 
feet— steeple, 181 feet without cross or vane. 
The present number of families who worship 
in it are 180, comprising about 1,000 persons. 
The Trustees are John J. Rickelmann, with 
the pastor. Bishop and Vicar General. 

A parochial school was established in con- 
nection with the congregation, and has been 
in opei'ation since about 1858. It was at 
first in charge of men teachers, but for nine 
years it has been under the supervision of the 
pastor, assisted by the Sisters of Notre Dame. 
The school at present consists of three de- 
partments, numbering about 180 pupils. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 
was organized by Rev. Mr. Luther in the year 
1865. The original members were Samuel 
Fortney, Class-Leader, Mr. Bright and wife, 
T. J. Gillenwaters, Mrs. Filler, Thomas 
Thayer and wife. The society was organized 
in the court house, and services held there 
and at private residences until 1870, when 
the present church building was erected, 26x 
40 feet, at a cost of $1,700. Judge Gillen- 
waters donated the ground on which it is 
erected, and contributed the larger part of 
the money needed for its completion. The 
following pastors have been in charge of the 
church: Revs. Luther, Divender, Bigel, 
Deeds, Bigel, Bundel. etc. The society has 
become extinct, and the house is now 
owned by Judge Gillenwaters. 

St. Mary's Mission Episcopal Church first 
held services in Effingham about twelve years 
ago, under the supervision of Rev. John W. 
Osborne, who organized a parish and remained 
with them about a year. The parish consist- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



163 



ed of six families and met for religious wor- 
ship in the Southern Methodist Church, 
which they rented for that purpose. After 
Kev. Osborne left, no services were held until 
the fall'of 1879, when Eev. W. H- Steele, of 
Centralia, took charge of the mission aud 
conducted monthly services to June, 1880, at 
which time he left and moved to Colorado. 
The Bev. Jesse Higgins succeeded Kev. 
Steele at Centralia, and continued the serv- 
ices at EfSngham for a few months, when 
Rev. Mr. Gray settled here as resident mis- 
sionary, but had served the mission only three 
Sundays when he was taken sick and died in 
the hospital at this place. In May, 1881, 
Rev. Mr. Steele returned from Colorado and 
settled here as resident missionary, and has 
been with the charge ever since. 

In the fall of 1879, Mrs. F. M. Bagg, Mrs. 
S. N Scott and Mrs. Mary Thielger, three 
estimable ladies of the mission, organized a 
Sunday school, into which they gathered the 
poor children of the city that had been unable 
to attend any of the other schools on account 
of clothing, want of shoes, etc. Their defi- 
ciencies were supplied by those three good Sa- 
maritans, who went oiit into the highways and 
byways, and gathered in the waifs and fitted 
them for school by a generous outlay of their 
own private means. The school has been 
conducted with tlie most remarkable success, 
and now has an attendance of over thirty-five 
children. Since the organization of the 
school thirty-one of these children have been 
baptized. Mrs. Bagg carried wood from her 
own wood pile during the cold weather to 
warm the house. Ah! reader, think you not 
that when these noble women reach the other 
shore, they will receive crowns bright with 
many jewels? It is under the influence of 
such as they that stern men of the world who 
have squandered life and innocence without 
a sigh, may see the distant gates of Eden 



gleam and catch a foretaste of heaven. The 
mission owns no church edifice, but holds 
services in the Southern Methodist building. 
On the first visit of the Bishop, he consecrated 
the grave of Rev. Mr. Gray in the public 
cemetery, and two other private lots at the 
same time, and confirmed three adults. The 
mission is as yet weak in members, there be- 
ing but seven families and eleven communi- 
cants belonging to it. It is the deanery of 
Mattxaon and in the diocese of Springfield. 
The first oflScers were Mr. E. R. Connolly, 
Senior Warden; S. P. Simpson, Jimior War- 
den; F. M. Bagg, Treasurer, andS. N. Scott, 
Secretary'. 

The first Presbyterian Chiu-ch of Effing- 
ham was organized November 13, 1864, in 
the court house, by Revs, A. T. Norton and 
S. R. Bissel. The following were the origi- 
nal members: Solomon Swingle, Mrs. M. E. 
Swingle, Mrs. Sarah Bissel, Isaac Bates and 
Mrs. Jane Bates. Previous to this, Mr. Bis- 
sel had been j^reaching to the Presbyterian 
congregation, and he still continued to sup- 
ply the pulpit in connection'with his labors 
in conducting a private school. The services 
were held for one year in the court house, 
and afterward in Mr. Bissel's schoolroom. 
Mr. Bissel served the church until 1809. He 
was assisted in church and school work by 
his excellent wife, whose memory is still pre- 
served as a lady of superior education and 
perfect consistency in her daily life. Under 
their united labors the chm'ch membership 
increased to twenty. 

In 1869, Rev. Ernest A. Pollock accepted 
a call to supply the pulpit, and entercid upon 
his labors in December. He came to this 
place under the appointment of the Board of 
Home Missions of the Presbyterian Church. 
He gave one half of his time to Efiingham, 
and also served other points in the vicinity. 
After he came to the church, services were 



164 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



held in the Baptist Church every alternate 
Sabbath. The mf.mberB, however, soon be- 
gan a church of their own, which was com- 
pleted in October, 1870. It is a fine brick 
building, and cost, furnished, §4,300. It 
was dedicated to the worship of God on the 
23d of October — Kev. Dr. Jewett, of Terre 
Haute, preaching the sermon on that occasion 
and the pastor offering the prayer. Rev. S. 
R. Bissel, former pastor. Rev. Mr. Powers, of 
the Methodist Church, and Rev. Mr. Rhodes, 
of the Baptist, assisting in the services. 
This church was partly unroofed and suffered 
other damages in a severe storm some years 
ago, but was immediately repaired. Mr. 
Pollock continued pastor for eight years — 
in the first four the church became self-sup- 
porting. He resigned in December, 1877, 
and accepted a call to Mendota. During his 
pastorate of eight years, 220 were added to 
the membership, and in the same period some 
$14,000 was raised and expended in the work 
of the church. After the departiire of Rev. 
Mr. Pollock, a call was extended to Rev. Mr. 
Cort, then a student of theology oi the North- 
western University of Chicago. After his 
graduation, he settled in Effingham as stated 
supply of the church, but the ill health of 
his wife caused his resignation at the end of 
one year. The church was then without 
regular preaching for a short time, when a 
call was extended to Kev. Moses Paisley, of 
Hillsboro, in October, 1879, for one year. 
He is now pastor of the Presbyterian Church 
at Lomonauk, 111. Rev. Thomas E. Green 
was the next pastor, and remained six months, 
when he accepted a call to the First Presby- 
terian Church at Sparta, 111. Next came 
Rev. George D. McCulloch, who toot charge 
of the church July 1, 1881, and continued 
until the fall of 1882, when he accepted a 
call to the Presbyterian Chui-ch at Hillsboro, 
and there is at present no regular pastor. 



The Sabbath school work began with the 
church's first existence, being carried on first 
in Mr Bissel's schoolroom, and afterward in 
the church. At present the corps of teachers 
numbers thirteen, and the average attendance 
130 pujsils. S. F. Gilmore is Superintend- 
ent, and Alex Phelon, Secretary. 

" A history of this church, " says Rev. Mr. 
McCulloch, who furnished us this sketch, 
"would be incomplete which did not recog- 
nize the efficient help the women have given 
in every department of its labors. They 
have been ready in every good word and work. 
The Ladies' Aid Society has existed since 
the beginning of the church. It has con- 
tributed largely to meet the expenses, and 
monthly " socials " have ministered to the 
life and the enjoyment of the congregation. 
A women's prayer meeting has met regularly 
for several years. A women's missionary so- 
ciety has been organized, and meets monthly 
in the interest of missionary work. The re- 
port given to Presbytery last year contained 
these items: Given to benevolent boards of 
the church, $5,500; expenses for all church 
purposes, §1,230." 

St. John' 8 Lutheran Church was organized 
in 1864, at the residence of Charles Hartman, 
with a membership of six families, viz., 
Charles Hartman, Jacob Bauer, Gottlieb Nol- 
ler, Christian Alt, John Lunow and Henry 
Shulte. The organization was effected 
through the influence of Rev. Charles Meyer, 
of Kankakee. For two years services were 
held at private residences and at the court 
house, and in the absence of ministers were 
conducted by Charles Hartman. The pres- 
ent church house was built in 1868, on ground 
donated by Christian Alt. The building is 
a frame, 30x50 feet, and cost §2,200. It 
was dedicated in December, 1868, by Revs. 
Charles Meyer and Henry Holterman. Rev. 
Meyer was the first pastor and served at in- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



165 



tervals from 1864 to 1867. Ho was succeed- 
ed by Rev. Henry Holterman, from 1807 to 
1870; then came Rev. G. A. Feustel, who 
tended the flock until 1870. Tliechurch was 
without a pastor now for one year, but serv 
ices were held every Sabbath by the members. 
Rev. Lewis Frase came iu 1877, and labored 
here until 1881, and, in February, 1882, the 
present pastor, Itev. W. Lewerons, took 
charge. The church has a membership of 
forty-two families. A Sunday school was or- 
ganized in 1804, at Hartman's residence, and 
has been au important factor in the church 
ever since. Mr. Hartman was elected Super- 
intendent, and the first attendance was some 
forty childi'en 

A parochial school was established in con- 
nection with the church by Rev. Holterman, 
who taught in Jacob Bauer's residence, with 
an attendance of about thirty scholars. A 
neat school building was erected in 1870 at 
a cost of $800. It stands on the church lot 
and is an honor to the cono;regation. The 
present attendance will average about fifty 
children. 

Benevolent Institutions. — Secret societies 
and institutions have existed so long that no 
history tells of their beginning, and they 
will, doubtless, continue "until time shall be 
no more." The history of Freemasonry, the 
most ancient of these societies, is veiled and 
clouded by almost unwritten centuries; yet, 
amid the political fluctuations df the earth, 
and the downfall of States and Empires, its 
traditions have been borne to us on the cur- 
rent of time, and been gathered together by 
the Masonic student for the meditation and 
instruction of the craft All who have con- 
sidered the origin of Freemasonry have been 
convinced that the germ from which it sprang 
was coeval with that wonderful command of 
Jehovah: "Let there be light," and from the 
coincidences found to exist between it and 



the ancient mysteries, they were very similar 
in character. We know that the aims of 
these institutions are good, because the re- 
sults achieved are so grand and glorious. 
We believe the world is bettor for their ex- 
istence, secret though they are in their work- 
ings, and agree not with those who believe 
that everything is evil which is veiled in se- 
crecy, and hidden from the eyes of the curi- 
ous. 

Freemasonry is represented in Effingham 
by a lodge and by a chapter of Royal Arch 
Masons. The lodge was originally organized 
at Ewington, when that city was in the hey- 
day of its glory and prosperity. The first 
record was as follows: " Ewington Lodge, U. 
D., Free and Accepted Masons, met in regu- 
lar communication February 10, 1854. At 
that meeting James M. Long was Master; 
Elisha D. Cunningham, Senior Warden; 
John H. Crocker, Junior Warden, and Eli 
Philbrook, Secretary. The lodge was char- 
tered by the Grand Lodge in the following 
October as Ewington Lodge, No. 149, and 
the first officers elected under the charter 
were James M. Long, Master; E. D. Cun- 
ningham, Senior Warden; James M. Healey, 
Junior Warden; D. Rhinehart, Treasurer; 
John S. Kelly, Secretary; Samuel Moffitt, 
Senior Deacon; John LeCrone, Junior Dea- 
con, and John G. Gamble, Tiler. After the 
county seat was moved to Effingham, the 
lodge was also moved, and at the session of 
the Grand Lodge, held in October, 1809, the 
name was changed to Eflingham Lodge, and 
the number (149) retained. The present 
officers are: W. H. Barlow, Master; E. C. 
Van Home, Senior Warden; W. W. Gibbons, 
Junior Warden; H. B. Kepley, Treasurer; A. 
W. JjeCrono, Secretarj'; R. C. Harrah, Sen- 
ior Deacon; J. N. Murphy, Junior Deacon, 
and L. J. Harding, Tiler. 

Effingham Chapter, No. 87, Royal Arch 



166 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



Masons, was organized under a dispensation 
from AV. M. Egan, M. E., Grand High Priest 
of the State. Among the oriarinal members 
were William B. Cooper, Joseph B. Jones, 
Jacob Goddard, H. Biiffner, J. Claypool, J. 
Niernan, N. C. Turner, H. B. Turner, J. 
Barkley and N. C. Kitchell, of whom Will- 
iam B. Cooper was the first High I'riest; 
Joseph B. Jones, King, and W. H. Sinclair, 
Scribe. There is at present twenty-eight 
names upon the records, with the following 
officers, viz. : Owen Scott, High Priest; B. F. 
Kagay, King; J. H. I. Lacy, Scribe; Will- 
iam Bear, Captain of the Host; H. B. Kep- 
ley. Principal Sojoiu-ner; Gus Elbow, Koyal 
Arch Captain; Charles Basse, D. J. MoCabe 
and R. C. Harrah, Grand Masters of the 
Veils; Samuel Allsop, Treasurer; John Jones, 
Secretary, and L. J. Harding, Tiler. 

A Council of Royal and Select Masters 
was in existence here until, by the authority 
of the Grand Bodies, the Council was merged 
into the Royal Arch Chapter. 

Dallas Lodge, No. 85, I. O. O. F., was in- 
stituted at Ewington by H. D. Rucker, Grand 
Master, October 17, 1851. The charter mem- 
bers were John S. Kelly, K. H. Burford, 
James M. Fergus, S. B. Holcomb and Joel 
Elam. Mystic Lodge, No. 420, instituted at 
Edgewood in July, 1870, was consolidated 
vith Dallas Lodge, No. 85, in 1876. Jupiter 
Lodge, No. 455 (German), instituted in July, 
1871, in Effingham, was consolidated with 
Dallas Lodge in December, 1874. It is esti- 
mated by accurate calculation (says Mr. Le 
Crone, to whom we are indebted for this in- 
formation), that Dallas Lodge has paid out, 
since its institution, $1,500 in benefits to its 
members: Present membership, sixty-one; 
fimds on hand, $yOO, and a flourishing lodge. 
The names of the officers were not furnished. 

The Encampment of this order was insti- 
tuted May 12, 1882, by J. C. Smith, Grand 



Scribe. The charter members were J. A. 
Anderson, W. W. Simpson, D. B. Coleman, 
C. E. Williamson, John Alt, S. N. Scott, Os- 
car Johnson and B. Berman. It was insti- 
tuted under the title of Royal Encampment, 
No. 134, and has now a membership of 
twenty five. The present officers are J. A. 
Carson, C. P. ; D. B. Coleman, H. P. ; B. 
Fortney, S. W.; John Taut, Scribe, and 
John Alt, Treasurer. 

The Schools. — The educational history of 
Effingham dates back to the very commence- 
ment of the town. The first school was 
taught by John Hoeny, beginning in the 
spring of 1855. It was carried on in a house 
built by Richard Dorsey, a brother to William 
Dorsey, the merchant, and is now owned and 
occupied by the widow of Charles Bourland. 
Alexander S. Moffitt taught the next school in 
a house now owned by Charles Troy. Both 
of these schools were non-sectarian private 
schools. In the spring of 1856, the Cath- 
olics built a small log house (already alluded 
to) on the lot in the rear of Funkhouser's 
" Trade Palace," which for some time an- 
swered the double purpose of both school- 
house and church. The first teacher to oc- 
cupy this house was Barney Wernsing, the 
present County Treasurer. His school, as 
well as those of all other teachers for some 
ten or twelve years, was attended by children 
of all denominations then residing in the 
village. 

The schools of the city now occupy two 
brick buildings, one on the east and one on 
the west side, of four rooms each. The two 
buildings cost something like $22,000 origi- 
nally, and have since been refitted at a cost 
of about |i2,000 a piece. Nine teachers are 
employed, as follows: Prof. N. B. Hodsden, 
Superintendent; Prof. F. L. West, Principal 
of the High School; He.ster Spencer, Mary 
Hasbrouck, Ollie Buchanan, west side; Prof. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



167 



S. F. Smith, Principal Grammar School; 
Jennie Stewart, Emma LeCrone, Genevieve 
Cook, eapt side building. 

The cost of running the schools is annually 
about $6,000; teachers' salaries, §3,960; en- 
rollment of pupils, 604; average attendance, 
450. The buildings are comfortable, but are 
of an inferior quality, when compared to 
many school buildings of other cities in the 
State, of Effingham's size and importance. 

Mercy Hospital is a city institution deserv- 
ing of mention. It was built about the year 
1866, by the St. Anthony's congregation of 
Effingham, under the auspices of Bishop 
Baltes, of this diocese. Six acres of ground 
within the city limits were donated by Mat- 
thias Moening. It is under the control of 
the Franciscan Sisters of Mercy, and is open 
to all classes and denominations. The build- 
ing cost $15,000 and stands west of the Illi- 
nois Central Railroad. It is one of the best 
institutions of the kind in the State. Drs. 
J. N. Groves and L. J. Schefferstein are the 
attending physicians. 

This brings us to the end of our sketch of 
Effingham. Thirty years, laden with sorrows 
and joys, bright anticipations and vanished 



hopes, have added both age and dignity to 
the little city since it was laid out. Many of 
the old citizens who were wont to indulge in 
pleasant dreams over what the town would 
some day be, are quietly sleeping their last 
sleep. The boys and girls of those early 
times are boys and girls no longer; they have 
taken the places of men and women in the 
ranks, and are earnestly endeavoring to do 
the work laid out for them. The reflections, 
however, of what they were in their youthful 
days, can be seen in the many bright and 
happy faces of the scholars who now attend 
the public schools During these years — al- 
most a third or a centvrry — Effingham has 
steadily gained in financial strength, and it is 
to-day one of the solid little cities of South- 
ern Illinois. Nature has laid a golden offer- 
ing at her feet, but only those found on the 
surface have as yet been utilized. But some 
day in the futiu-e she may muster sufficient 
courage to investigate the mysteries beneath 
her feet, and when once the light of day is 
permitted to shine upon them, a transforma- 
tion of the town may take place, as amazing, 
perhaps, as those accomplished by Aladdin 
and his wonderful lamp. 



CHAPTER XIV.* 



SUMMIT TOWNSHIP— INTROUCTOUY AND DESCRIPTIVE— TIMBER, SURFACE FEATURES, ETC.- 
SETTLEMENT OF WHITE PEOPLE— THEIR ROUGH LIFE AND HABITS— HUNTING AS A 
PASTIME — FIRST SCHOOLS AND PRESENT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES- 
EARLY CHURCHES— PIONEER PREACHERS, ETC.— TOWNS AND 
VILLAGES— THE OLD COUNTY SEAT, ETC., ETC. 

OLD Times! It is asubjectthat wakes in 
the mind of the aged pioneer a feeling of 
enthusiasm for the free, wild life of the fron- 
tier, when, like the old soldier, he will sit 
down with you by the quiet fireside, or under 
the friendly shade tree, and " fight his battles 

'By W. H Perrin. 



o'er again," and tell you of the days when 
he went forty miles to mill, riding on a bag 
of corn, and had to camp at the mill three or 
four days, living on parched corn until his 
"turn" came "to grind;" of the good old 
days when you could go out in the morning 
and kill a turkey or deer for breakfast, and 



168 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



when a bushel of corn passed current any- 
where for a gallon of whisky. Those were 
the good old times that the pioneer will tell 
you were better than the present; that all 
men were not only " free and equal," but on 
the most intimate terms of friendship, and 
the word neighbor had something of that 
broad and liberal significance given to it by 
the Man of Nazareth nineteen hundred years 
ago. As he recalls the pioneer simplicity of 
the early period, he will sadly shake his head, 
and with a sigh, tell you that the world is 
going to the devil as fast as the " unclogged 
wheels of time can roll it on." Well, we all 
have our hobbies, and " good old times " is 
the pioneer's hobby. 

Summit Township, the subject matter of 
this chapter, lies west of the city of Effing- 
ham, and is mostly a fine body of land. It 
is pretty well divided between prairie and 
woodland, the latter lying contiguous to the 
Wabash River, and the other small water 
course.s, principally in the eastern part of the 
township, while the weatern part is a broad 
rolling prairie, and is as fine land " as ever a 
crow flew over." Along thn water courses in 
the bottoms were a heavy growth of walnuts, 
sugar maple, burr oak, poplar, Cottonwood, 
buckeye, hackberry, soft maple, etc., while on 
the ridges were to be found in profusion 
white oak, pin oak, post oak, red oak and hick- 
ory. It is well drained by the Little Wabash 
and its numerous tributaries. The Wabash 
flows nearly south through the eastern part, 
receiving as a tributary Blue Point Creek. 
This latter stream rises in the edge of Moc- 
casin Creek Township, and flowing almost 
soatheast through Summit, mingles its wa- 
ters with the Wabash about a mile north of 
the old town of Ewington, and receiving in 
its tortuous course several small and name- 
less streams. Funkhouser Creek, with its 
tributary of Long Branch, are small streams 



in the southwestern part of Summit Town- 
ship. A number of other little branches and 
brooks are laid down on the majis, but they 
are too small and insignificant to have names. 
They contribute their part, however, toward 
the natiu'al drainage of the land through 
which they flow. Summit originally in- 
cluded the present township of Banner 
within its limits. It was not until the 
June term, 1874, ()f the Supervisors' Court, 
that Banner was set off from Summit. 
At present. Summit Township is bounded 
on the north by Banner, on the east by 
Douglas, on the south by Jackson, on the 
west by Moccasin, and, according to the Con- 
gressional survey, is Township 8 north and 
Range 5 east of the Third Principal Meridi- 
an. It is well adapted to agricultural pur- 
poses, and its people are industrious and en- 
terprising farmers, and liave some of the 
best and most productive farms in the coun- 
ty. It is well supplied with railroads, 
though there are not many shipping points 
within its borders. The Vandalia line and 
two branches of the Wabash pass through it, 
but only the Vandalia has a station and ship- 
ping point. 

This township is noted for having con- 
tained the first county seat of Effingham — 
the town of Ewington. At this place once 
centered the business enterprise of all the 
surrounding country, and congregated the 
beanty, the wealth and intelligence of the 
'county. Like 

"Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts 
And eloquence, native to famous wits," 

it was the glory of Effingham, the common 
center, around which revolved the business, 
the intelligence and the moral and social in- 
fluences. But, like everything human, it had 
its time to die. The removal of the coi'nty 
seat sealed its doom, and from that event we 
may date its " decline and fall." Its mold- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



169 



ering turrets and broken colnmns, its ruined 
palaces and temples, are but another les- 
son of the immutable certainty of the de- 
cay of all earthly glory. We shall have more 
to say of this old town further on in this 
chapter, as well as in other portions of this 
work. 

The settlement of Summit Township dates 
back more than half a century. So far as we 
can definitely learn, the first whites who 
straggled in here came about the year 1830 
Those who, it is claimed, settled within the 
present limits of Summit in that year, were 
Alexander McWhorter, Robert Moore, John 
Trapp and the Rentfros. The latter were 
from Tennessee, and consisted of T. J. Rent- 
fro, Matt, Jesse, John, Joseph and Eli, all 
brothers. T. J. and Matt Rentfi-o are still 
living in the township, but the others are 
long since dead and gone. They brought 
with them when they came here a four-horse 
team and an ox team, which conveyed all their 
worldly wealth to the land of promise. They 
settled in the Little Wabash bottom, a short 
distance north of Ewington, or rather, where 
that town was afterward located. Until they 
could provide shelter for their families by 
the erection of cabins, they occupied a de- 
serted Indian camp, which was on what is 
since known as the old Reynolds place. This 
camp was made of linn puncheons pinned to 
the trees with wooden pins, and at the time 
it was occupied by the Rentfros, although in 
March a heavy snow covered the ground, which 
rendered it rather an airy habitation. They 
built cabins on the hill above the river bot- 
tom at a spring, as the Tennesseans knew 
nothing of wells, and would have expected to 
die of thirst unless every cabin was supplied 
with a never- failing spring. They tapped a 
number of sugar trees as soon as locating, 
and made considerable sugar. Joseph was 
appointed the " bread finder." and if ho did 



not, like his namesake of old, go down into 
Egypt for corn, he at least went as far 
as Paris on horseback, and brought back 
corn or meal in sacks. During the fust 
summer the Rentfros lived in the town- 
ship, they cleared a small piece of ground 
and planted a " patch" of corn, and also of 
cotton. The latter, however, did not ma- 
ture, but the corn did well. They used to 
pound corn in a mottar, and use the finest 
for bread and the coarser for hominy. 
Often, when pounding meal for breakfast, 
they would be answered by wild turkeys, gob- 
bling in the woods, so plenty were they in 
those days. This was much the experience 
of all the early settlers of the county, as well 
as this particular section. 

Robert Moore was from the South, but it 
is not known whether from Kentucky or Ten- 
nessee. He was careful and prudent in his 
dealings, and accumulated considerable prop- 
erty — mostly land. Judge Gillenwaters has 
now in his possession a grindstone that was 
brought to this county in 1830 by Mr. 
Moore. He died many years ago, and his 
widow married a man who spent her money 
as rapidly as Mr. Moore had made it. John 
Trapp was from Tennessee, and belonged to 
the first importation of settlers. He was the 
second Sheriff of the county, and finally lo- 
cated in Effingham, where he died. Alex- 
ander McWhorter, who completes the list of 
those settling in the township in 1830, was 
from Tennessee, and came here a young man. 
Soon after coming, however, he maiTied a 
Miss Loy. 

The next year, 1831, added a few more 
families to the little settlement. Among 
these were the Loys, William J. Hankins, 
John Galloway, William Clark, Gilbert, who 
was a liquor dealer and tavern keeper, Sey- 
mour Powell, the Reeds, Shorts, etc., etc. 
The Loys were from Alabama, and afterward 



170 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



moved into what now forms Watson Town- 
ship, where many descendants still reside. 
Hankins came from Tennessee and settled 
first in Fayette County, but in that portion 
which was cut off into Effingham at the time 
of its formation. He had a large family, 
many of whom still live in Summit Township, 
but he himself is long since dead. Mr. 
Hankins worked on the old National road 
and built the bridge where it crossed the 
Little Wabash in this township. He is more 
fully noticed, however, in a preceding chap- 
ter of this work. John Galloway was a noted 
fiddler, and we may add that, like the ma- 
jority of this class of individuals, he was 
good for but little else. He did not remain 
long, but, with his fiddle under his arm, he 
started, like Ole Bull, for a " farewell tour" 
of the country, and was never more heard of. 
William Clark came from the South and 
lived in the township until his death, which 
occurred long ago. Gilbert kept a saloon or 
grocery, as they were then called, the first 
shop of that kind perhaps in the township. 
He was an Eastern man and quite- a noted- 
character in his way. One day he borrowed 
a horse from Judge Gillenwaters to ride to a 
certain place, and on his return asked Mr. 
Gillenwaters what he charged him for the 
horse, to which he replied in true Southern 
style and with pioneer liberality that he 
loaned him the horse and did not charge him 
anything. But true to his New England in- 
stincts, he insisted upon paying for the use 
of the hcrse, while Gillenwaters as steadily 
refused to accept pay, and in the end he had 
his way about it. 

The Reeds and Shorts did not remain long 
in the township, but, like little Joe, " moved 
on." Seymour Powell came from Tennessee. 
A son. Wash Powell, still represents this old 
pioneer in Summit Township. 

The following additional settlers moved in 



prior to 1835; Joe Gillespie, Samuel Parks, 
John C. Spriggs, Thomas J. Gillenwaters, 
Dr. John Gillenwaters, William H. Blakely, 
Byron Whitfield, Michael Beem, Samuel 
White and others. Gillespie was from Ala- 
bama, and was the first County Clerk of 
Effingham County. Samuel Parks was from 
Tennessee and settled here in ISS-l. He was 
one of Effingham's first County Judges. 
Spriggs was the first Circuit Clerk, but af ter- 
wai'd moved to Springfield. Judge Gillen- 
waters came from Tennessee in 1833, and is 
now a resident of Effingham, and is well 
known throughout the county. He settled 
on the old Cumberland road near Ewington, 
where he kept tavern many years. Dr. Gil- 
lenwaters was also from Tennessee, and was 
a physician, the first perhaps in Summit 
Township, or in the county. He came here 
before there were enou h people in the sur- 
rounding country to support a doctoi-, and so 
he had to turn his attention to other pursuits 
to make a living, and became the first peda- 
gogue in the neighborhood, as well as the 
first physician. He has been dead many 
years. Death is no respector of persons, but 
takes the physician as well as his patient, 
and " six feet of earth make us all one size." 
William H. Blakely came from New York, and 
ij said to have been a man of more than or- 
dinary intelligence. He was the exact oppo- 
site of much of the larger portion of the pio- 
neers who had preceded him, and was very 
precise and methodical in his habits and 
business transactions. The county sent him 
to the Legislature and also elected him to 
the Constitutional Convention. He kept the 
first store in Summit Township, and has been 
dead for a number of years, but his widow 
still lives on the homestead just west of 
Ewington. Judge Gillenwaters says the 
first cooking stove he ever saw was brought 
here by Mr. Blakely, and so great a curiosity 




^j, (i?ujLjLL ^d^ ^^fo:ho^ c^^i 




HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



178 



was it that people came for miles and miles 
to see it. Whitfield was an early settlor near 
Ewington, where ho carried on a store, which 
was owned, however, by a man named Lynn, 
bamuel White was a pioneer school teacher, 
and taught the second school in the town- 
ship. Michael Beem came from Ohio. He 
lived here some twenty-live years, then moved 
to the north part of the county, and now lives 
in the city of Effingham. 

This brings the settlement down to 1835, 
a period when people were pouring into the 
county so rapidly that it is impossible to keep 
up with them. The rich lands attracted the 
farmer and agriculturist, the profusion of 
game brought the hunter, while the law, or 
rather the absence of pretty much all law, 
rendered it for a time a kind of safe resting 
place for those fleeing from justice. The 
latter class, however, did cot remain long in 
the community, but left it for its good. As the 
better elements of society prevailed, thorough 
class were forced to flee farther West. Thus 
the hard characters are kept upon the verge 
of civilization. Fifty yenrs ago, when the 
first settlers came to the county of EfKngham, 
it was not the civilized land that it is now. 
There were no railroads, no productive farms, 
no ploasant homes, no churches, no school - 
houses, with their refining influences, bat on 
every hand an almost impenetrable wilder- 
ness, in which wild and savage boasts roamed 
at will and disputed the white man's right to 
the country. The red sons of the forest still 
lingered in numbers loath to give up their 
rich hunting-grounds, and, though compara- 
tively friendly toward the whites, were scarce- 
ly to be fully trusted. With all these obsta- 
cles to be surmounted, and the numerous 
difficulties surrounding them to be overcome, 
it saems needless to say that the first years of 
occupation by the whites were years of toil, 
privation and self-denial. When they left 



their homes beyond the Ohio, they left com- 
fort and civilization behind them — bade fare- 
well to ease aud luxury and entered upon a 
life of hardship, that must at the least last 
for a number of years. Their first years here 
was a struggle for existence — a fight with 
beasts, reptiles and insects, and verily, the 
latter were not the least dreaded foe. None, 
whose recollection extends back forty or fifty 
years, but remember the green-head flies, 
those little monsters that rendered stock fran- 
tic, and prevented the farmer from plowing 
a large portion of the day because his horses 
became unmanageable under the tormenting 
power of the flies. Other troubles and an- 
noyances beset their paths and met them at 
every turn. To procure the nece.ssaries of 
life often taxed their utmost capacity. The 
forest furnished an abundance of game, but 
meat without bread or salt, while it may sat- 
isfy hunger, is far from palatable. Bread- 
stuff was scarce and not easily obtained. 
Many went to the " Big Prairie, " as it was 
termed, beyond Paris, for corn, which was 
then pounded in a mortar, for there were no 
mills near by. Clothing was anotlior tax 
upon the settler's ingenuity. Much of that 
worn by the men were made of the skins of 
wild animals, while that of women was man- 
ufactured at home, from cotton and flax raised 
by their own hands. Everything else was 
in keeping and was as primitive in style as 
the food and clothing. But with passing 
years, improvement came in every degree of 
life and in every line of industry. The 
country has grown wealthy and productive, 
the wilderness has " rejoiced and blossomed 
as the rose," and the people are civilized, re- 
fined, intelligent and happy. 

The first birth, death and marriage are al- 
ways matters of considerable importance in 
a new settlement. They cannot, however, 

always be given with certainty. The first 

J 



174 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



birth in Summit Township is lost in the 
mists of obscurity, but that there was not 
only a first one, but that it was followed by 
many others, is indicated by the pi'esent 
population. The first marriage is supposed 
to have been Alexander McWhorter and a 
Miss Loy. He came to the township, a 
young man, in 1830, the year the first settle- 
ments were made, and, in 1836, married Miss 
Loy, as above noted, and no one remembers 
an earlier marriage. The angel of death 
came first to old " Grandaddy " Hankins, the 
father of William Hankins. He was an old 
man when he came to the settlement, totter- 
ing on the brink of the gi-ave, and survived 
the rigors of the climate but a short time. 
He was the first one buried in the graveyard 
at Ewington, since the resting-place of many 
of the pioneers. Most of the first settlers 
have followed him to the land of dreams, and 
the few that are left, stand among their fel- 
lows " like the scattered stalks that remain in 
the field when the tempest has passed over 
it." 

The old National road, or old " Cumber- 
land " road, as better known, passed through 
the southern part of this township, near 
where the Vandalia Railroad now runs. 
Along this old National road the fkst busi- 
ness enterprises were begun. On this road 
the first taverns were kept, the first goods 
nold and the first shops established. A man 
named Keed, mentioned among the early yet- 
tlers, kept the first tavern. At least it was 
as near approach to a tavern as the keeping 
of a few boarders could be. From keeping 
boarders, he got to taking in the wayfaring 
man and travelers generally, and finally his 
place was called a tavern. Judge Gillen- 
waters kept a tavern on this old National 
thoroughfare, a little west of Ewington, from 
the time of his settlement there in 1833 until 
his removal to Effingham. Charles Kinzie 



kept a tavern later in the town of Ewington. 
He was, as will be seen by a sketch on an- 
other page, a man of eccentricities and pecu- 
liarities. The first goods sold in the town- 
ship were sold here by William H. Blakely, 
who opened a store soon after his settlement. 
A man named Fisher is believed to have been 
the first blacksmith, or among the first. He 
was not much of a workman, but sufficient 
for that day. Henry Bailey " tinkered a 
little at smithing," about the same time. 
Other industries sprang up, and then Ewing- 
ton was laid out and business was then con- 
centrated in the town instead of being scat- 
tered for miles along the National road. 

Mills were a necessity that was not sup- 
plied for several years after the first settle- 
ments were made. Says Mr. Rentfro: " The 
corn was pounded in wooden mortars, or in a 
stump which had been scooped out for the 
purpose. A pole was attached to this, which 
worked something after the fashion of a well- 
swoep. " They would rise in the morning 
and make meal by this " patent process " for 
breakfast. In a few years a horse-mill was 
built on the Okaw, thirty-five miles distant. 
Tu this mill Mr. Rentfro says the people 
used to go from this neighborhood to get corn 
ground, and sometimes had to remain four 
or five days, sleeping in the mill at night and 
living on parched corn. The journey to mill 
was made by os team across the prairies and 
on horseback. It often looked like a camp- 
meeting at the mill, with so many people en 
camped about it. The fii-st mill built in 
Summit Township was a saw-mill, about 
1882-33, and stood near Ewington. It is 
not known now who bailt it, but it was being 
run by a man named Mcintosh when Judge 
Gillenwaters came. Reed built a horse-mill 
in Ewington, the first grist mill, a few years 
later. There were never any mills of much 
note, except saw-mills, in the township, and 



HISTOllY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



175 



the people had to go elsewhere for their mill- 
intj. A number of good saw-mills and 
several steam saw-mills have flourished at 
different periods. 

The tu'st road laid out through Summit 
Township was from Ewington to the county 
lino in the direction of Witherspoon's Mill, 
in Shelby County. The next was a road I'un- 
ning from Fairfield to Shelbyville, via 
Ewington. The old Cumberland or National 
road passed through the township, and was 
a great thoroughfare in its time. A full his- 
tory of it is given elsewhere in this volume. 
The first bridge was built over the Little 
Wabash when this road crossed it. It was a 
poor affair, and was soon washed away. 
Another bridge was built about 1838-40 and 
was a toll-bridge. That is, all living outside 
of the county had to pay toll for crossing on 
it. In 1847, it was made free by act of the 
Legislatm'e, to take effect ten years later. 
This bridge was washed away about the year 
1872-73, and has never been rebuilt. A 
good bridge spans the Wabash some two 
miles north of where this one was washed 
away, and is used extensively during high 
water. The first mail which came to the 
citizens of Summit was a weekly mail over 
the National road from Terre Haute to St. 
Louis. Another mail was soon established 
from Fairfield to Shelbyville, which passed 
through Ewington. 

The name of " Summit " was bestowed on 
the township at the time of township organi- 
zation, on account of the elevated natvu'o of 
the larger portion of the land within its 
limits, and because in rerum nafiira, every- 
thing must have a name, and " Summit " ap- 
peared to the " Committee on Internal Rela- 
tions " as well adapted to this township as 
any name in their vocabulary. 
QThe settlers of Summit Township gave their 
attention early to education. The first school 



was taught by Dr. John (li Hen waters. He 
came to the country a full-fledged phy- 
sician, for the purpose of practicing his pro- 
fession, but there was nobody for him to ex- 
periment on, owing to the sparsely settled 
coimtry, so he taught the few children within 
reach. He was a good scholar, and Judge 
Gillenwaters told him to go ahead and teach, 
and he would see that he was paid for his 
services. The schools were all supported by 
subscription until 1838, when we find on the 
township records the following edict: 

The residents of this township shall each pay the 
sum of two dollars per quarter for each scholar Ihey 
send to s'cliool. and non-residents shall pay the sura 
of two dollars and fift^' cents per quarter for each 
scholar they may send. 

T. J. Gillenwaters, President of the Board of 
Trustees, August 17, 1838. 

Thus education in the township in a small 
way commenced, and has grown gradually to 
its present excellent and high standard. 

Dr. Gillenwaters taught until his medical 
practice justified him in devoting his whole 
time to it. Samuel White was the next teacher 
after him. Mr. White taught two terms in a 
part of Judge Gillenwater's house, before the 
neighborhood had become sufficiently strong 
and able to build a schoolhouse. As the set- 
tlements increased in population and the 
township in wealth and prosperity, educa- 
tional facilities expanded to suit the wants 
of the times, until at the present day we find 
a numbtir of good comfortable schoolhouses 
dotting the towniiip at intervals, and of ca- 
pacity to satisfy the wants of the youth of 
the respective neighborhoods. The houses 
and districts support excellent schools by com- 
petent teachers for the usual period each year. 

Church history, like the educational his- 
tory of the township, dates back prior to the 
building of churches. The first preacher in 
the settlement was an old wheel-horse of the 
Methodist Church, whose name is forgotten 



176 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



He was succeeded by a rather young man 
named Chamberlain, who worked zealously 
in his Master's cause and preached " in sea- 
son and out of season " for the purpose of 
building up the cause of religion in the wil- 
derness. His appointment to this frontier 
Held caaia about in this wise: The old 
preacher first mentioned left the circuit be- 
fore his year was out, and some time after a 
man stopped at Gillenwaters' tavern who 
bore a kind of ministerial appearance, but, 
like many of his kind, was somewhat reti- 
cent in his manner. Gillenwaters finally 
asked him if he was not a preacher on his 
way to conference, and after a moment of 
hesitation the. man acknowledged that he was 
the Presiding Elder of the district. Gillen- 
waters then asked him to send them a preach- 
er, for they needed one badly. He promised 
to do all he could for them. The result was 
that Chamberlain was sent. His circuit ex- 
tended as far north as Paris and to Shelby- 
ville, and east to Greenup, and equally as 
far in other directions. The first society was 
organized by Eev. Chamberlain at the resi- 
dence of Judge Gillenwaters. His house 
was used as a preaching place for four or five 
years, when the society moved to the court 
house in Ewington. Afterward a camp 
ground was occupied for a number of years 
north of the present city of Effingham. After 
Chamberlain, an old-time Methodist preacher 
named Blondell was on the circuit for a time, 
but he has been dead for yftrs. 

The first church edifice built in the town- 
ship, perhaps, was a log structure in the 
north part, on Section 2, and was free to all 
denominations; likewise was used for school 
purposes. It was a log building and erected 
in 1852. It was long used for school and 
church purposes, then sold and moved away 
and converted into a barn. In the mean- 
time, Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church 



had been organized, and after the old log 
church had been sold and moved away, they 
set about the erection of a new church. This 
was accomplished in 1869, at a cost of $644 
in money, and donations in material and la- 
bor sufficient to increase the cost to about 
11,000. The membership is about sixty, and 
the present pastor is Rev. H. K. Jones. An 
interesting Sunday school is maintained. 

Good Hope Methodist Episcopal Church 
was built in the fall of 1868, and cost some 
$600. The church grew out of a Sunday 
school which was organized the previous 
spring by Mrs. Capt. Hyden under an apple 
tree at her home. The Sunday school was 
held there for a few times, and then moved 
to a schoolhotise near by, where it thrived so 
well that it was resolved to build a church. 
This resolution led to the organization of a 
church society and the building of Good 
Hope Church. It was a frame building and 
was burned about the year 1871. The next 
year another house was built upon the same 
spot, also a frame, and costing about $600. 
It, too, was burned in 1875 or 1876. Both 
it and its predecessor were supposed to have 
been fired by an incendiary. When the last 
one was burned the society had about ceased 
to exist. No regular preaching was had and 
no Sunday school. A man was going to 
move into it, and thus convert it into a resi- 
dence. The night before this sacrilege was 
to be committed, the church burned down 
and to this time it has not been rebuilt. 

Blue Point Baptist Church was built in 



187 



The land on which it stands was 



deeded to the Trustees by P. C. and S. F. 
Hankins for church purposes. The church 
was organized several years before the house 
was built, in a schoolhouse which stood about 
a quarter of a mile from the church. It is a 
frame building, and cost, in money and work, 
perhaps $1,200. Elder T. M. Griffith is the 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



ITT 



present pastor of the church, and the mem- 
bership is about seventy-five or eighty, many 
having died and others moved away. The 
Sunday school is kept up all the year. 

Dowell Methodist Episcopal Church South 
was built about 1874-75, and is a frame 
structure. A. B. Dowell was instrumental in 
its organization and erection, and hence it 
has always been known as the " Dowell 
Church." The land upon which it stands 
was deeded to the church by William Blakely 
for that purpose. The cost of the building 
was about $000 in money, while nearly as 
much more was contributed in work. There 
are now no regular church services or Sunday 
school. The Rev. Mr. Jones preaches occa- 
sionally to the congrregation. 

Villages. — More than one village has been 
laid out in Summit Township since its settle- 
ment by white people, but all, except one, 
have disappeared, leaving little trace to show 
us where or when or how they went. Upon 
their ruins the word " Ichabod " is written, 
and tells to the passing traveler their story 
in brief. 

Ewington, the original county seat of 
Effingham County, was situated on Section 
35 of this township, and was laid out on the 
land donated to the county by Joseph and 
James Duncan for public buildings. It was 
surveyed and platted September 5, 1S35, by 
William J. dankins. County Surveyor, and 
was named for Gen. W. L. D. Ewing, one of 
the first lawyers who j)racticed in this county. 

The first house erected in Ewington was a 
little like Bradsby's first birth in the county: 
it was several — log cabins or shanties — which 
had been put up by the hands engaged in 
building the National road. This cluster of 
cabins, perhaps, led to the town being located 
upon that particular spot. A store was 
opened as soon as the town was laid out, by 
William H. Blakely, and who, it is contended 



by some, had the first store in the county. 
He had opened a store a little farther west, 
near the present village of Funkhouser, and 
when Ewington was laid out and become the 
seat of justice of the county, he moved his 
store to the new town. He cai-ried on busi- 
ness here for a number of years. The next 
stores were kept by Judge Parks and Judge 
Gillenwaters. After them came Lynn, who 
opened the lai'gest stock of goods yet brought 
to the town. He did not live in Ewington 
himself, the store being operated by Mr. 
Whitfield. Other stores followed as they 
were needed, and Ewington became quite a 
business town. 

A tavern was opened by Eli Cook, the first 
in the village, and was really kept as such 
before the town was laid out. The next was 
kept, perhaps, by Samuel Fleming, well 
known as a pioneer tavern-keeper of the 
county, and whose widow now owns the 
Fleming House of Effingham. One of the 
popular hotels of Ewington was kept by 
Charles Kinzey, but he came upon the scene 
at a later date. 

Kinzey, who was a remarkable character, 
deserves more than a casual mention in the 
history of Ewington. He came to the county 
some time before work was commenced on the 
Illinois Central Eailroad, in 1S52. He was 
from the city, was city born and city bred, 
and brought with him all the airs of city life. 
He was arrayed in "purple and fine linen and 
fared sumptuouriy every day," or, in other 
words, wore good clothes, a plug hat, patent 
leather boots and had the appearance gener- 
ally of having just dropped out of a band- 
box. He was of medium height, had a com- 
manding form, drove fast horses and the 
finest " rigs " hitherto seen in the county, 
and prided himself upon all these good 
things and enjoying them as only one can do 
who has been brought up with them. He 



178 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



opened a hotel in Ewington when it was in 
the zenith of its glory. It was marvelous in 
its metropolitan character, and it was as ele- 
gant and sumptuous as Kinzey was in his 
dress and habits. His first wife was an ele- 
gant and handsome English woman, and, ac- 
cording to all reports and traditions, some- 
what of a shrew. When Charley, as he warf 
familiarly called, took his lordly sprees, she 
would follow him and beard the lion in his 
den, and in the saloon, gambling room, or 
wherever she happened to light upon him, 
she collared him and trotted him home, as a 
mother would do a truant child caught in 
some petty mischief. Sometimes she stepjied 
in on him unceremoniously, with a long car- 
riage whip in her hand, an instrument she 
could handle with great dexterity, as he knew 
to his cost, and with this she would larrup 
him all the way home, or, after getting him 
home, would lock him in a room, strip him to 
his shirt, then give him what Paddy did the 
drum, the devil, until he cried for quarter, or 
buried himself in the bed clothes. 

He was passionately fond of horse-racing, 
and, indeed, of all kinds of gambling. Often 
he would get a few sports and kindred sjjirits 
in a room of his tavern, and play " draw " as 
long as he was successful. But no sooner 
did luck turn against him than by some in- 
tuition his wife stepped in, and, with the 
long carriage whip, sent him howling from 
the room like a whipped cur. Such incidents 
led to the insinuation that his wife had a 
■" peeping place," and as long as " Charley " 
scooped in the ducats, she suifered the game 
to go on; but no sooner did fortune frown 
upon him than she summaril}^ blocked the 
game as above described, and sent him smart- 
ing to bed. 

Kinzey, as we have said, was smart, well- 
bred, naturally a "city man," and nothing 
was more incongruous than his appearance 



here, in what was then the most intense back- 
woods community to be found. The people 
could not understand him, and he looked 
down upon them with the most unbounded 
contempt. He was extremely fond of prac- 
tical joking, and in this it was a game of 
"give and take." The following ia an illus- 
tration: A man with whom he was pt bitter 
enmity called him up once at midnight on a 
very cold night, and made a long apology for 
asking his enemy for a favor, but was com- 
pelled to do so, assuring him that he was a 
man of too much sense not to understand the 
needs of the case. Kinzey eagerly inquired 
what he wanted, and when the fellow could 
no longer delay, he answered: "I'm a candi- 
date for Constable; have to have it; it's a 
ground-hog case, and now if you v?ill only 
agree to vote against me it will elect me cer- 
tain sure." Kinzey enjoyed this joke im- 
mensely, and good-naturedly asked the fel- 
low who sent him and who made up the joke 
for him. So cunningly and skillfully did he 
work ujjon him that the fellow confessed the 
boys of the village had concocted the joke, 
and he had only carried out instructions. 

The young folks of Ewington one day took 
advantage of the first snow to have a sleigh 
ride, and numberless sleighs of all kinds 
were out enjoying the sport. Kinzey was 
full as a tick, ^s the saying goes, and hitched 
up his splendid trotters, putting every bell, 
cow-bell, dinner-bell, etc., he could raise on 
them, until he had a dozen or two of differ- 
ent sizes and tones. He then hitched his team 
to an old dry cow-skin, with the hairy side 
down. On this he squatted, Indian fashion, 
and dashed into the streets under whip. In 
five minutes he had run off every horse and 
sleigh that was out; some of the horses were 
so frightened that they tore everything to 
pieces tumbling the young folks out into the 
snow drifts. Here and there and everywhere 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUKTY. 



179 



went Kinzey, sometimes sitting flat on the 
cow skin, somotimos dragging on the ground, 
then bouncing back on the skin and whoop- 
ing and yelling, pell-mell through the town, 
until the " storm was spent through the force 
of its own fury. " 

His hotel was finally biu-ned, and, having 
a great many enemies, the fact of its de- 
struction gave rise to stories rather detri- 
mental to his honor and credit in the com- 
munity, but what grounds there were for the 
reports is not known. 

In company with Sam Winters, Kinzey 
took a company of about 400 men to the 
army. He went to St. Louis with them, 
where he made strong efforts to get them into 
different Missouri regiments. After many 
failures and disappointments, he left St. 
Louis, and under promises of Illinois 
Colonels, went to Springfield, where he was ar- 
rested and kept in prison for months. He 
was finally released at St. Louis, where he 
fel' into the hands of Frank Blair, with 
whom he went to Washington City. Blair 
had him appointed Lieutenant in the regu- 
lar army, secm-ed his liack pay, amounting to 
some $5,000, together with an order for him 
to go and take his men wherever he might 
find t' em, and fill up his regiment, if he 
could, for the regular service. Here we will 
leave him, and retornoiis a nos moutons, or, 
as we might say in English, return to other 
mutton-heads of Ewington. 

The first "grocery" — whatwecall inthis en- 
lightened day, "saloon," "gin-mill," "whisky 
shop," " groggery," etc., was kept by one 
Charles Gilkey. It is told of him that in order 
to make a barrel of whisky last as long as pos 
sible, he would keep filling it up with water 
and putting in a littlei tobacco to color it. 
This plan might be followed now, not only 
with success, but with beneficial results, as 
tobacco is said to be an antidote for some of 
the strongest poison. 



A post ofiSce was established about the 
year 1835, and William J. Hankins was ap- 
pointed Postmaster. Hankins at one time 
hold all the offices in the county, aad, like 
Alexander the Great, he wept that there were 
no more offices for him to hold. He was a 
Justice of the Peace, Surveyor, Postmaster, 
Clerk of the Court, and held a number of 
other offices " too tedious to mention." Judge 
Gillenwaters says he was a great hunter, and 
when meat run short in the neighborhood, 
Hankins would mount his old "sway- backed" 
sorrel horse, take his old flint-lock rifle on 
his shoulder, and, starting out at daylight, 
would usually return in a few hours with 
two or threo deer, or as many turkeys as his 
old horse could carry. 

The first school in Ewington has already 
been described under the schools of the town- 
ship. It was taught in a room of a private 
residence. Some years later, a schoolhouse 
was built in connection with the Masonic 
fraternity, the upper story being used by the 
Masons as a lodge room, and the lower story 
as a schoolhouse. The Masonic Lodge was 
organized in l854, mainly through the in- 
strumentality of Dr. James M. Long, who 
was the first mastei-. It was organized as 
Ewington Lodge, U. D., but was chartered 
as Ewington Lodge, No. 149. After the re- 
moval of the county seat, together with most 
of the town, the lodge was also moved to 
Effingham, where it still flourishes and is 
more fully mentioned. 

The history of Ewington's manufacturing 
interests is brief and soon told. They con- 
sisted of a horse-mill and a carding-machine, 
the latter run by Anthony Rhodes. These, 
with a few blacksmith, wagon and other 
shops constituted, outside of its mercantile 
trade, its entire business industries. Aa a 
flourishing trade center, though, equal, per- 
haps, to a majority of towns of its size at 
that day, it amounted tu but little. 



180 



HISTORY OF ErrrSTGHAM COUNTY. 



Ewington was incorporated as a village 
under the law, and, on the 10th of April, 
1855, the first Board of Trustees was' elected 
as follows: D. S. Mitchell, H. H. Wright, A. 
G. Hughes, W. T. N. Fisher and Josephus 
Scoles. The following iron-clad oath was 
administered to the Trustees by Thomas Loy, 
Clerk of the Court, before they were allowed 
to take upon themselves the dignity of the 
"city fathers." " I " (here follows the names of 
each) " do hereby solemnly swear that I will 
support the constitution of the United States 
and of this State, and that I will discharge 
the duties of trustees of incorporation of the 
town of Ewington to the best of my ability, 
and further swear, that I have not fought a 
duel, nor sent a challenge to figh t a duel, the 
probable result of which might have been the 
death of either party, nor in any manner aid- 
ed or assisted in such duel, nor have been 
knowingly the bearer of such challenge or 
assistance since the adoption of the constitu- 
tion, and that I will not so engage or cojicern 
myself directly or indirectly in or about any 
such duel during my continuance in office. So 
help me God." This good wholesome docu- 
ment was subscribed and sworn to by the 
Trustees before Loy, the Clerk. The board 
organized by electing D. 8. Mitchell, Presi- 
dent, and B. F. Kagay, Clerk. At the first 
meeting of the board, W. T. Myers was 
elected Assessor; Thomas M. Loy, Treasurer, 
and fT. H. T. Lacy, Constable. 

The Trustees met quite regularly for mo^t 
of the first year, but after that appeared to 
become rather lukewarm and met less punct- 
ually, and finally met at rare.intervals. On 
the 7th of February, 1857. some three years 
before the removal of the county seat, they 
met for the last time. The principal busi- 
ness transacted at this last meeting was the 
imposing of a fine of $1 on Mr. Cooper, 
President, for non-attendance upon the meet- 



ings of the board.. The last Board of Trust- 
ees were William B. Cooper, President; A. 
G. Hughes, W. J. Sparks and Samuel Moffitt. 
They still remain in office. Cooper to this 
day holds the office of President of the board, 
an office which Brad says he discharges with 
maiked ability. 

Ewington, although the capital of the 
county from the time of its organization up 
to the removal of the county seat in 1859, 
more than a quarter of a century, yet it at 
no time had over two hundred inhabitants, 
according to the United States census, dur- 
ing its existence as a town, and, upon the 
removal of the seat of justice to Effingham, 
it began rapidly to decline, From this pe- 
riod dates its waning prosperity. The popu- 
lation followed the capital to its new location, 
and the spot that knew the old town now 
knows it no more. Like ancient Eome, the 
" spider weaves its web in her palaces, the 
owl sings his watch-song in her towers." 
Troja fuit .' The old court house was still re- 
tained in the service of the county, and con- 
verted into a poor-house, in which caj)acity it 
served until the county purchased a poor- 
farm a year or two ago. The establishment 
was then moved to the new purchase, and the 
old temple of justice, with a few dilapidated 
buildings, marks the spot where once stood 
the town. Its fate is described by Bryant: 

"Foundations of old cities and long streets 
Where never fall of buman foot is heard 
Upon the desolate pavement." 

The village of Granville is claimed by 
some to have been in Summit Township, 
while others locate it in Jackson. From re- 
cent investigation the latter is probably more 
correct, but as it has wholly disappeared, even 
fi-oia the majas, it is no easy matter to point 
out its site, and doubtless the precise spot is of 
but little interest to our readers. In Jackson 
Township we will allude fm'ther to its history. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



181 



The village of Funkhouser was surveyed and 
laid out September 20, 1869, by C. A. Van 
Allen for John J. and William L. Funkhcua- 
er, on a part of the southeast quarter of Sec- 
tion 34 of Summit Township. Wilson Funk- 
houser had a store here, and at one time 
bought grain extensively. He kept the post 
office, which had been established, or 



moved from some other place. John 
Funkhouser handled grain here for sev- 
eral years, and built a grain warehouse. 
But lately, the business has been moved 
to other points along the railroad, and 
at present there are but some half a 
dozen houses remaining to point oat the 
place. 



CHAPTER'XV.* 



MOUND TOWNSHIP — INTRODUCTION, DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY — SETTLEMENT OF THE 

TOWNSHIP— PIONEER LIFE— CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS— BLUE MOUND— THE VILLAGE 

OF ALTAMONT-^ITS GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT — GRAIN BUSINESS 

AND MANUFACTORIES— SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC., ETC. 

"From the weather-worn house on the hrow of the 
hill 
We are dwelling afar, in our manhood to-day; 
But we see the old gables and hollyhocks still, 

As they looked when we left them to wander away. 
But the dear ones we loved in the sweet long ago, 
In the old village churchyard sleep under the snow." 

— Evgene Hall. 



'T^HE past, with all^its momentous changes. 



L 



has ever been regarded as important and 



richly deserving of record. Long before let- 
ters were invented, legendary tales and tra- 
ditions were employed to perpetuate impor- 
tant events and transmit the same to succeed- 
ing generations. Hieroglyphics were after- 
ward used for the same purpose. But all 
these forms of memorial have long since siven 
place to the pen and the type among civilized 
nations. The introduction of modern alpha- 
bets made writing less difficult, and the in- 
vention of the art of printing afforded facili- 
ties for publishing books before unknown. 
The thirst for knowledge produced by the 
press and Reformation, and, the growing 
taste for history created by the latter brought 
out a host of historians, rendered their works 
voluminous, and scattered them broadcast over 

•By W. U. Perrin. 



the world. Many of them, read in the light of 
civilization, have all the fascinations of a ro- 
mance, which increases in interest as time rolls 
on. The papyrus roll of ancient Egypt, con- 
taining mysterious records of the Dark Ages, 
and the ponderous folios of Confucius, that 
antedate tradition itself, were not more val- 
uable to the sages and philosophers of old 
than the printed jiage of the nineteenth cent- 
ury is to the scholarly and enlightened in- 
dividual of the present. And of all histor- 
ical records there are none more interesting 
and valuable than local' annals. Upon' the 
pages of this volume we shall endeavor to 
preserve some of the reminiscences of early 
days in this section, and in this chapter re- 
cord the history of this division of the county. 
Mound Township lies in the western part of 
Effingham County, and is perhaps one of the 
richest and best in it. The surface is gen- 
erally level, or rolling, with slight inclina- 
tion to hills along the water -courses. It is 
mostly prairie and is a very tine farming re- 
gion. Big Creek flows through the town- 
ship east and west, a little south of Alta- 
raont, having its soiu'ce in the west part, 
passing into Jackson Township through Sec- 



182 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



tion 25. Coon Creek rises a little north of 
Altamont, and flows southeast, uniting with 
Big Creek in Jackson; Second Creek rises in 
Section 4, near the north line of the township, 
and flows southeast, passing out of the town- 
ship and emptying into the Little Wabash. 
There are a few other small and nameless 
streams, which, with those mentioned, afford 
ample means of drainage. The timber, which 
lies mostly along the water-courses, is similar 
to that described in other chaj)ters. Mound is 
bounded north by Moccasin Township, east 
by Jackson, south by West and west by Fay- 
ette County; it is Township 7 north, in Range 
4 east. The Vandalia line, the Springfield 
Division of the Ohio & Mississippi and the 
Wabash Railroads intersect it, thus affording 
transporation to all points of importance. 

The settlement of Mound Township is com- 
pratively modern, owing to the fact that most 
of the land is prairie, which was uninhabitable 
until the cultivation of adjacent portions of 
the country led to its drainage. While the 
settlements were not so far back as those 
made on the Wabash, yet it is somewhat diffi- 
cult to get the first settlers' names with cer- 
tainty. They are mostly gone, and later im- 
portations know little concerning them. One 
of the first families probably was that of 
Moore, who settled in the east part of the 
township. The name of the older Moore is 
not remembered. He had two sons, viz., 
Delevan and Delancy, who were quite promi- 
nent citizens, though of a rough character. 
They were great politicians and took an ac- 
tive interest in all questions requiring a settle- 
ment by the ballot, their zeal sometimes ren- 
dering them aggressive. At the commence- 
ment of the war, they took ground against 
its prosecution in their usual vigorous style, 
which led them into diinculties. One of 
them finally enlisted and went to the front, 
and came back a stronger Republican, if pos- 



sible, than he was a Democrat before. The 
old man has been dead many years, and the 
sons moved to Missouri some fifteen years 
ago. This family of Moores, however, were 
not related to the Moores that settled about 
Blue Mound. Of the latter there were five 
brothers, viz., Albert S., Levi R., Charles 
S., W. H. and Samuel, three of whom, Al- 
bert, W. H. and Samuel, are now among the 
business men of Effingham. 

John C. Deffenbaugh was also a very early 
settler. He entered land iu the east part of 
the township, where he lived a few years, 
and then removed to Freemanton and engaged 
in business. He was a prominent and high- 
ly respected citizen, and at one time sold 
more goods than any merchant in the county. 
He is still living. William Ashton was here 
among the first. He was an Englishman, 
but came here from Ohio, settling in the 
northeastern portion of the township. He 
is still living, and is one of the wealthy men 
of the county. James Grant came from 
Ohio and settled in the western part of the 
township, and is still one of the prosperous 
farmers. Peter Coleman and Daniel Conner 
were also from Ohio. Coleman settled in the 
eastern part of the township, and is long 
dead. Conner settled in the southeastern 
part, and is still living on the place where 
he settled. 

From Pennsylvania came John Armstrong. 
He settled here about 1837-38, and is still 
living on the place of his original settlement. 
Alfred Newman settled in the southeast part 
of the township, and is living. James Wood- 
ruff settled in the east part — the place now 
owned by the Smith family. He was a 
public-spirited man, and now lives near 
Shumway. Nelson Wallace settled in the 
east part. He has a fine orchard, and is one 
of the largest fruit-growers in the county. 
Peter Poorman came from Ohio, where Buck- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



183 



eye statesmen spring up spontaneously, and 
settled north of Blue Mound, where he still 
lives. 

One of the mo.st brilliant men ever in the 
township was James Stevenson. He came 
from Virginia, and was a man of fine intel- 
lect and a finished education. A good con- 
versationalist, he was at home upon any sub- 
ject, and was able to entertain the most high- 
ly educated and select company. But he 
was as shiftless as brilliant, moving aboiit 
from place to place, and accomplishing 
nothing more than a mere living. He died 
some five years ago. A character wholly op- 
posite to Stevenson was George Ingraham. 
He settled near Altamont, where he lived un- 
til recently, when he moved into Jackson 
Township. He was rather ignorant, but was 
elected Justice of the Peace, an office he was 
unable to fill on account of being unable to 
read or write. He enjoyed the honor, how- 
ever, and was as highly elated at his success 
and popularity as the modern statesman is 
of his election to Congress. This completes 
the list of the early settlement of Mound 
Township so far as we could obtain facts. 

The modoi-n data of the settlement in this 
township gave its pioneers a much better op- 
portunity of starting in their new homes 
than was enjoyed by those who came twenty 
years earlier, when the entire country was an 
unbroken wilderness. The first settlers en- 
countered all the dangers and hardships 
known to the frontier. Those who settled in 
Mound found many improvements that were 
unknown to the first settlers of the county. 
Civilization had advanced, the ease of living 
had improved, and the facilities for cultivat- 
ing the soil had kept pace with both. It 
was no longer a struggle with hardship and 
danger to eke out a precarious existence, but 
the rich lands brought forth the most bounti- 
ful forests. The trackless forests, the un- 



bridged streams, the pangs of hunger, and 
the days and nights of struggle and fear, were 
rajjidly l)ecoming things of the past, and a 
better day dawning. Their paths, however, 
were not strewn with roses, nor their lives 
made up of sunshine, but many trials and 
troubles met them on eveiy hand. These 
they met with strong hearts and brave right 
arms, and the land " where nothing dwelt 
but beasts of prey " soon became, under their 
might and perseverance, a region but little 
surpassed by " the rose gardens of the gods." 

The township of Mound contains little his- 
tory outside of its settlement, and outside of 
the town of Altamont. Two Lutheran 
Churches are situated in the township. The 
Hilleman Chiu'ch stands one mile southwest 
of the town. The first church was a log 
building, erected about 1802, which served 
until the present frame building was put up, 
in 1S75, at a cost of $2,500. It is a large 
church, and\in a good, healthy condition. 

Bethlehem Lutheran Church is located in 
the southern part of the township, in a large 
German settlement. The church was organ- 
ized prior to 181)0. as soon as there were 
enough families to support it. A building 
was erected in 1860, which served the con- 
gregation until 186S, when the present ele- 
gant church was built. It is said to be the 
finest and best country church in Efiingham 
County, and cost some $8,000. The numeri- 
cal strength of the church is between 500 aud 
600 communicants. A town plat was made 
around the church in 1868, and the ground 
surveyed into lots. A store was opened and 
a post office established, but those have both 
been discontinued, and there are at present 
no buildings here except the church. 

The schools of the township are of as high 
a character as those ir. any part of the coun- 
ty. Every neighborhood has a comfortable 
schoolhouse, and in every schoolhouse good 



184 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



schools are taught each year, by competent 
teach ers. 

The uame of Mound Township was bestowed 
upon it in consequence of what is known as 
the neighborhood of Blue Mound, a slight 
elevation of Section 8, which is nearly all a 
kind of mound, the apex being in the center 
of the section, and having an altitude of sev- 
enty-eight feet above the bed of the Vandalia 
Railroad, which passes near it. Eecently, 
the Government has erected a signal observ- 
atory upon it, some seventy-five to one hun 
dred feet in height, from the top of which 
one may look across the States of Missouri 
and Arkansas and see the cow-boys watching 
their herds on the prairies of Texas. 

Altamont. — The village of Altamont was 
laid out bv J. W. Conolocrue, the original 
plat embracing the southeast part of the 
southeast quarter of Section 9 of Mound 
Township. Mr. Conologue was the first Su- 
periutentent of the Vandalia Eailroad, and, 
owning a tract of land here, he conceived the 
idea that this spot was an eligible and desir- 
able location for a town, and thus had it sur- 
veyed and platted by C, A. Van Allen, an 
engineer of the road, and the plat recorded 
July 19, 1870. The first lot sold was bought 
by Abner Dutton, who erected a storehouse 
and opened a store, the first in the place. 
R. S. Cutter bought the nest lot, and built 
a storehouse and opened a store the very next 
day after Dutton. These two pioneer mer- 
chants are gone from the town — Dutton is 
dead, and Cutter moved West. The next 
lots were bought by Daniel Boyer, Dr. J. N. 
Groves, H. H. Brown, ,T. C. Russell, Broom 
and others. The sale continued until some 
four hundi-ed were sold — lots, not the men 
who bought them, for it proved a good in- 
vestment to the buyers. The lots were all 
sold at private sale, and not at public auc- 
tion. 



Altamont is beautifully situated on a roll- 
ing prairie, at the crossing of the Vandalia 
h Springfield Division of the Ohio & Missis- 
sippi Railroads, and at the southern terminus 
of a division of the Wabash system. Since 
it was laid out, the following additions have 
been made to the original plat: An addition 
by William Buckholtz, April 11, 1871, of a 
part of the west lialf of the southwest quarter 
of Section 10;. an addition by J. W. Cono- 
logue of a part of the southeast part of Sec- 
tion 9, October 26, 1871; an addition by 
Elizabeth Ellis of a part of the west half of 
the southwest quarter of Section 10, January 
8, 1872; an addition by Anna E. Hilleman 
of a part of the northwest quarter of the 
northwest quarter of Section 15, April 4, 
1872; an addition by J. W. Conologue, May 
22, 1874, of the west part of he southeast 
quarter of Section 9; an addition by S. B. 
Chittindeu of a part of the northeast quarter 
of the northeast quarter of Section 16, and 
platted August 15, 1881. These additions 
give the town a broad foundation and plenty 
of room for improvement. 

The name Altamont is derived from the 
same source the township received its name 
— the peculiar mound on the adjacent section 
of land already mentioned; the first part of 
the word meaning altitude, the latter part 
mount or mound, and was given by Mr. Con- 
ologue. He was a widower at the time, and 
supposed to have an eye and an ear for the 
beautiful, and hence gave this romantic name 
to his new town — a name that all must ac- 
knowledge is appropriate. 

The first residence in Altamont was the 
upper part of Cutter's store, which he used 
as a dwelling. Daniel Boyer put up the 
first regular dwelling house; Russell fol- 
lowed with the next. Brown built a store 
and residence combined. Dutton also put 
up a residence soon after erecting his store- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



185 



house. Boyer, in 1871, built the first hotel, 
which is still owned by him, and is known as 
the Boyer House, but is operated as a hotel 
by E. L. BrowD. The Boyer House has been 
greatly enlarged and improved sinco it was 
built, and is now an excellent hostelry. It 
and the Altamont House are the only two reg- 
ular hotels in the town. Of the latter house, 
Heni'y Davis is proprietor. Ben Brazil was 
the first blacksmith, and had there been a 
"spreading chestnut tree" in the village, the 
" smithy " no doubt would have been built 
under it. Brazil is gone from the place, but 
has a number of successors in his line of 
business. 

A post ofBce had been established at a lit- 
tle place called Montville, a mile or so south 
of Altamont, on the National road, but never 
amounted to anything as a town, and when 
Altamont was laid out (in 1870), the post 
office was moved to the new place, and in 
1871 the name was changed to Altamont. G. 
H. Melville was Postmaster at the time of 
removal, and his salary was $36 a year. Mr. 
P. K. Johnson is now Postmaster, and re- 
ceives $900 per annum for handling the mail 
bags. This fact is indicative of the growth 
of the town for the first dozen years of its ex- 
istence. 

Altamont is becoming quite a manufactur- 
ing town, and, with its railroad facilities, is 
admirably situated for manufacturing indus- 
tries. Two excellent steam flouring-mills 
rank among its best enterprises. The first 
was built by Erdman Wurl in 1872. It is a 
substantial frame building, with three run of 
buhrs, and originally cost about $-5,000. Mr. 
Wurl is dead, and the mill is now owned by 
George Goeting, who paid $8,000 for it, and 
has greatly improved the property. The 
second mill was built in 1878, by Weber & 
Co., and is now owned by Louis Vauclair, 
of St. Louis. It is a two-story frame build- 



ing, and cost about $4,500. It was built on 
a much more improved system than the other, 
but smaller in all respects, except that it con- 
tained thfsame number of buhrs — three run. 
The present owner paid something over $5, - 
000 for it. Both of these mills are A 1, and 
do an excellent business. 

In 1879, a furniture factory was started by 
Jacob Stair & Son. A year or so afterward, 
they associated Arthur M. Dawson with them, 
whi( still remains a member of the firm. 
The factory building is GOxlOO feet and two 
stories high. It is operated by steam. All 
kinds of furnitui-e are manufactured, and 
twenty hands are employed. 

A baby wagon factory was established dur- 
ing the past summer (1882), by Spence Bro- 
thers & How(>r. Their building is a frame, 
about 40x50 feet, two stories high, -with, shed 
for boiler and engine. Eight hands are em- 
ployed, and a full line of baby wagons, bug- 
gies, and carriages are manufactured. 

Ortman & Co. commenced the manufacture 
of wagons in 1876 on a small scale. Their 
business is rapidly increasing and they are 
enlarging and improving their works all the 
time, and are now putting up from forty to 
fifty wagons each year. 

The grain business is no small part of the 
town's enterprise. There is probably more 
grain shipped from Altamont than from any 
other po;nt in the county C. A. Van Allen 
commenced buying grain here for Miner & 
Jennings on Monday, August 1, 1870, and 
Boyer commenced buying on Tuesday follow- 
ing. Van Allen piled up a parcel of railroad 
ties, covered them over with boards, and 
this constituted his warehouse. He bought 
from wagons, put it on the scales and weighed 
it, and then loaded it into the ears from his 
rude platform. Miner & Jennings are well- 
known grain-buyers still, not only in the 
county, but in all the surrounding country. 



186 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



There are now four firms handling grain here, 
viz., Miner «& Jennings, Snook & Shoemaker, 
Cooper & Rhodes and Ensign & Co. They 
all do a large business and have good v?fvre- 
houses. The first year, the two firms then 
in the business shipped 176 car-loads of 
grain. Each of the four firms perhaps now 
ship that much annually. 

The Altamont Bank was established in 
July, 1874, by George Mittendorf, and, in 
March. 1876, C. M. Wright & Co. also es- 
tablished a bank. Mittendorf sold out to 
them, and since then the business has been 
conducted by Wright & Co. It is one of the 
substantial banks of the country. 

The railroad station was opened Septem- 
ber 4, 1870. C. A. Van Allen was the first 
agent, and for a time served both roads. 
The Springfield & Illinois South-Eastern 
(now a division of the Ohio & Mississippi) 
ran the first train to Altamont October 1, 
1871; and the first train on the Wabash came 
in on schedule time June 29, 1874. Van Al- 
len was their agent for three years. The 
roads have a kind of union depot, but difi'er- 
ent agents. An immense amount of freight 
is annually shipped fi-om this place, mostly 
grain and stock. 

The Altamont News is a sprightly news- 
paper, edited by C. F. Coleman. The Cou- 
rier was the first newspaper started in Alta- 
mont, and was run by G. W. Grove. As the 
press, however, receives an extended notice 
in a preceding chapter, we omit further 
mention here. 

The first school was taught in Altamont 
by George Poorman, and the first school- 
house, a frame building, wan erected in 1870. 
It soon became too small for the growing 
town, and in 1874 the present school building 
was erected. It is a two-story brick, with 
two rooms, and furnished in the latest ap- 
proved style. The school is large enough to 



employ three teachers, viz.: Prof. J. G. 
WrigTit, Principal, with Misses Portmess and 
Zinn, assistant teachers. 

Altamont is well supplied with church fa- 
cilities. The first religious society organized 
was by the Evangelical Alliance. But it has 
become extinct, and the members have moved 
away, died and joined other denominations. 

The German Reformed Church was organ- 
ized in 1872. It had been established some 
time previously, in the country, about two 
miles from the village. The first pastor was 
Rev. L. M. Kischner, followed by Rev. S. P. 
Myers, and he by Rev. Mi-. Hassler. The 
present pastor is Rev. J. H. Schuford. The 
building is a frame, and was erected in 1872, 
at a cost of §1,800. The original members 
were fifteen. The membership now is about 
thirty-two, with services every two weeks. 
A Sunday school is kept up, with an attend- 
ance of about forty children, under the su- 
perintendence of G. W. Poorman. 

Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 
was organized in 1873, by Rev. G. Waugrin, 
with nine members. The first services were 
held in private residences, when Mr. William 
Krull bought the old puolic school building 
and fitted it up for a church. Rev. Waugrin 
was the first pastor, and served from the or- 
ganization of the church until 1879, when he 
was succeeded by Rev. George Goeswein. 
There are now some thirty odd members. A 
school was established in 1870, which is 
taught by the pastor in the church building. 

The United Brethren Church was organized 
in 1874, and the first preachers were Revs. 
J. A. Smith and Alex Helton. The original 
members were Jacob Yates, Mary Yates, John 
Cole, Sabie Cole, Samuel Kyner, Rebecca 
Kyner, Delilah Kyner, Kate Kyner, Mollie 
Kyner and Laura Ordner. The church was 
erected in 1874, at a cost of about $3,300. 
The present pastor is Rev. S. C. Stewart. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



187 



The membership is twenty fiv& The Sunday 
school has an average attendance of twenty- 
eight, of which John Cole is Superintendent. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church society 
was organized in 1872, and the first preacher 
was Rev. Mr. Crum. Altamont Circuit was 
formed, and originally comprised Altamont, 
Dexter and Gillmore, and at one time Moc- 
casin and Crum's Chapel. The Altamont so- 
ciety is now a station, organized as such in 
1882, and Rev. G. W. Butler appointed pas- 
tor. The chm'ch was built in 1879. costing 
13,000, and is a handsome frame building. 
The membership is eighty. A Sunday school 
is carried on, with a regular attendance of 
125 children, superintended by G. W. Given. 
The society is now engaged in building an 
$800 parsonage. 

St. Clare's Roman Catholic Church was or- 
ganized in 1874, and the church building 
finished in 1875. The church was organized 
by the Franciscan Fathers from Teutopolia. 
The building is a frame, 33x68 feet, and cost 
$3,000. The society has been administered 
to by Rev. Fathers Francis, Michael, Her- 
man, Clementine and Jerome. The last has 
been with them three years. The present 
membership is fifty families. A school was 
established in 1882, in a frame building, two 
stories high and two rooms each, with an at- 
tendance of about fifty children. 

Altamont has one of the most beautiful 
little cemeteries in the country. Mr. Cono- 
logue donated four acres for that purpose 
when he laid out the town. It has been hand- 
somely improved by the people, and is kept 
in the most perfect order. The Board of 
Town Trustees has the supervision. The 
first interments in it were bodies taken up ; 
and brought from other graveyards and re- 
interred in this. Beautiful white stones and 
monuments stand here and there in it, like 
lonely sentinels, and symbolize the affection 



of surviving friends for their loved and lost 
ones. 

Hale Johnson was the first man who ped- 
dled law in Altam'jnt. He came here in 
1873, and remained until 1875, and is now 
Prosecuting Attorney in Jasper County. 
Messrs. W. S. Holme.s and P. K. Johnson 
are young disciples of Blackstone, and attend 
to " law business " for the citizens of Alta- 
mont. 

The Masonic Lodge now held here was 
originally organized in Freemanton, October 
1, 1867. After this town was laid out, the 
lodge was moved here (in 1872), and is now 
known as Altamortt Lodge, No. 533, A., F. & 
A. M. The charter members were Jacob Ba- 
ker, James C. "Walker, H. S. Hook, L P. 
Carpenter, B. W. Eakin, W. F. Ingraham, 
J. F. Hipsher, J. H. Said, J. C. Russell, J. 
Harrison, John Armstrong, "W. A. Broom, J. 
H. C. Smith, S. Cochoran and A. Tipsword. 
The first officers were: J. C. Russell, Mas- 
ter; Jesse H. Said, Senior Warden; Jacob 
Baker, Junior Warden; H. S. Hook, Treas- 
urer; and James C. Walker, Secretary. Ihe 
lodge first met in a small hall for two years, 
and since that time have been meeting in a 
hall belonging to J. C. Russell. It is in a 
flourishing condition; has fifty-seven mem- 
bers, and is officered as follows: George W. 
Gwinn, Master; J. H. Johnson, Senior War- 
den; David Piper, Junior Warden; J. C. 
Russell, Treasurer; and S. S. Rice, Secre- 
tary. 

Altamont Lodge, No. 500, I. O. O. F., was 
instituted by J. F. Bross, Grand Master, Oc- 
tober 14, 1873. The charter members were 
Joel L. Cox, J. W. Hotz, Jr. , Henry Stevens, 
H. P. Simonton and W. A. Jackson. The 
first officers were: Joel L. Cox, N. G. ; Henry 
Stevens, V. G. ; J. N. Groves, Secretary; and 
J. W. Hotz, Jr., Treasurer. Eight more 
members were initiated at the first meeting. 



188 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUKTY. 



The lodge met in Cockenower'a Hall until 
1876, when they moved into Ensign's Hall, 
which they still occupy. It has thirty-two 
members, and $750 in the treasury. The 
present officers are: Jacob Zimmerman, N. 
G. ; H. N. Drewry, V. G. ; T. L. Elliott, Ee- 
cording Secretary; P. K. Johnson, Perma- 
nent Secretary; and S. N. Young, Treas- 
urer. 

Altamont was first organized as a town in 
1871, and as a village in 1872, by a vote of 
the people, ^t which time there were twenty- 
two votes cast for village organization. The 
first Board of Trustees were: Dan Boyer, 
J. M. Huffman, J. Hotz, A. H. Dutton ana 
W. L. Snook The board organized for work 



by electing Boyer President, and J. M. Huff- 
man, Clerk. The present board is as follows: 
S. S. Rice, H. Munzell, M. Reis, S. M. Coo- 
per, W L. Snook and H. Schlotterbeek, of 
which S. S. Rice is President, and T. G. 
Boyer, Clerk. 

The foregoing pages comprise a pretty 
correct and complete history of this growing 
and flourishing little city of the plain. From 
the center of a broad, rolling prairie, the 
church steeples point to heaven, and point 
out to the " wayfaring man," while yet " afar 
off," the way to ehelter and repose. Alta- 
mont has a prosperous 'future, if her citizens 
so will it, and continue, as they always have, 
to exert their wonted energy. 



CHAPTER XVI.* 



M.-VSON TOWNSnir— TOPOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE— SETTLEMEST— BROOM, THE STEWARTS 
AND OTriER PIONEERS— A FOURTHOF JULY CELEBRATION— SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES 
—AN INCIDENT— VILLAGES— GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF MASON- 
ITS BUSINESS IMPORTANCE— EDGE WOOD — LAID OUT AS A 
TOWN— STORES, SHOPS, CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES. 

" he who goes 

In the full strength of years, matron and maid, 
And the sweet babe, and the grayhe.aded man — 
Shall, one by one, be gathered to thy side 
By those who, in their turn, shall follow them." 

Sri/a7it. 

HISTORICALLY, Mason holds a front 
place among the townships of Effing- 
ham County. More than fifty years have 
dissolved in the mists of the past since the 
echoes of the woodman's ax first rang through 
the lofty forests of Mason as he felled the 
trees for his lone cabin, or cleared away the 
timber for a garden, or for a " patch " of 
corn. Its forests and prairies are now fer- 
tile fields, dotted over with prosperous homes, 
and the Indians, who once hunted the deer 
in their midst, have disappeared in the dis- 



• By W. H. PerriD. 



tant West. The young men have grown old, 
and the old men are in their graves, -^vho 
first saw this country in its pristine beauty, 
and joined hands to reduce it from a wilder- 
ness to its present state of civilization and 
prosperity. 

Mason Township lies in the southern pai-t 
of the county, and, according to the Congres- 
sional survey, is Township 6 north, and 
Range 5 east. It is pretty well divided be- 
tween woodland and prairie; the latter is 
rolling sufficiently to drain naturally. The 
woodland is somewhat hilly, with the excep- 
tion of a few post-oak flats, and along the 
river and other streams it rises in places to 
abrupt bluffs. The timber is white, black 
and post oak and hickory on the high lands, 
and in the bottoms, cottonwood, walnut, su- 




aJ^^L^ J3a 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



191 



gar maple, sycamore, hackberry, soft maple, 
elm, etc., with a thick growth of hazel in 
many parts of the township. The water- 
courses are the Wabash and its numerous 
tributaries. The Little Wabash just touches 
the northeast corner as it trends southeast- 
wardly. Fulfer Creek enters the township 
through Section 7, from West Township, re- 
ceiving on its way, in Mason, Limestoae 
Creek and several smaller streams, and finally 
emptying into the Wabash in Section 1; 
Willow Branch in the south part, the North 
Fork of which heads near Mason Village, 
and, flowing southward, unites with the main 
stream in Section 34, when it passes out 
through Section 35 into Clay County; Coon 
Croek has its source in Section 14, and pass- 
es into Union Township, where it empties in- 
to the Wabash. Jackson Township lies on 
the north, Union Township on the east. Clay 
County on the south and West Township on 
the west. The Chicago Branch of the Illi- 
nois Central Kailroad passes diagonally 
through Mason, and the Springfield Division 
of the Ohio & Mississippi passes through the 
southwest corner, crossing the Illinois Cen- 
tral at Edgewood. These roads' furnish the 
township and its inhabitants communication 
with all parts of the country, and bring the 
best markets to their very doors. 

The settlement of Mason Township dates 
back more than half a century. The first 
white people who came here were from the 
South — mostly from Tennessee. The first 
settlements of which we have any account 
were made in 1829. Jonathan Parkhurst 
was one of the first, and caine originally 
from New Jersey, but had lived some years 
in Tennessee before emigrating to Illinois. 
When he came to the State, he settled in 
White County, then an almost unbroken wil- 
derness, and, a few years later, came here and 
located in Mason Township, afterward mov- 



ing over into Jackson. John McCoy, Alex- 
ander Stewart and some of the Lillys also 
came in 1829. McCoy moved to Indiana, 
remained awhile, and then came back here, 
where he lived until his death. The Lillys 
were either from Kentucky or Tennessee. 
William settled on the Bailie place, and af- 
terward moved to the southern part of the 
State. Andrew, a son of William, married 
McCoy's daughter, moved with him to In- 
diana, came back with him, and afterward 
moved down near Cairo, where he died. 
Stewart moved back to Tennessee, remained 
awhile, then came back to Illinois, and, some 
years later, moved to Missouri. 

John Broom came also in 1829. He is a 
native of Tennessee, and he and his father- 
in-law, Benjamin Allen, with their families, 
came to Illinois, arriving Id this township in 
the early part of November, 1829. He set- 
tled on Limestone Creek, some three miles 
west of Mason. He was penniless when he 
arrived, and in debt, besides, to his father-in- 
law; but, nothing daunted, he went to work 
with a stout heart and willing hands. For 
the first years of his wilderness life, he subsist- 
ed on the products of his rifle, deer, bear, 
turkeys and other game being quite abun- 
dant. The first land he owned was an eighty- 
acre tract, which he paid for with money 
earned in blasting rock in the quarries, for 
the National road, when it was in couise of 
construction, and for which he received the 
liberal sum of 37J cents per day. By per- 
severing industry, he has accumulated con- 
siderable property, and now as he is pass- 
ing down the shady side of life, he is enjoy- 
ing the fruits of a well-spent life. For sev- 
eral years he has been a resident of Mason 
Village, his health preventing him from ac- 
tive life on the farm. He has held many 
offices — Constable, Justice of the Peace, As- 
sociate County Judge, etc. In his youth, 

K 



193 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



poverty prevented him from receiving an ed- 
ucation, and thus, realizing the need of it, 
he has always been a zealous friend of 
schools, and an earnest supporter of all meas- 
ures for the benefit of learning. His father- 
in-law, Benjamin Allen, was a good farmer 
and a respected citizen. He died on the place 
where he settled, and the bones of himself and 
wife molder together in the dust upon the 
old homestead, the place now owned by Mr. 
Dovore. Mrs. Charlotte Kepley was a daugh- 
ter of Allen, and a widow. Afterward, she 
married John Allen, who, although of the 
same name of her father, was not related to 
him. 

The first wheat sowed in EiSngham Coun- 
ty was by Judge Broom and Mr. Allen. 
They went all the way to Shelby County, 
and, with their horses, assisted Andrew 
Wakefield to tramp out wheat in the old- 
fashioned way, by laying the wheat on the 
ground and driving horses over it — receiving 
for themselves and their horses a bushel and 
a half of wheat per day. They worked long 
enough to obtain four bushels of wheat. This 
they brought home with them on horseback, 
and prepared a piece of gi'ound, in which it 
was sown. 

Additional settlers in Mason Township 
were John and Josiah Stewart, Andrew Mar- 
tin, John Trapp, a man named Frost and an- 
other named Winkler, Micajah Davidson, 
Wesley Robinson, Vincent McGuire, Gideon 
Louder, etc., etc. John and Josiah Stewart 
were brothers to Alexander Stewart, and both 
finally moved back to Tennessee and re- 
mained there. Martin was from Kentucky, 
and, a few years after settling here, moved 
into Jackson Township, where he died. 
John Trapp lived on the Horton farm, and 
is elsewhere mentioned. Frost was one of 
the first settlers in the township, and moved 
some years later to the Sangamon country. 



Winkler moved into Jackson Township, and 
died. Davidson first settled in Jackson, then 
moved into Mason. He had a horse-mill in 
Jackson, and, after moving here, built one 
in this township. He was a great mechan 
ical genius, and could make almost anything 
he tried to make. Robinson came from In- 
diana in 1830-31 and was unmarried. He 
followed hauling salt from the works and 
selling it to the settlers. He married and 
settled down to business on the place now 
occupied by his son Jonathan. McGuire 
was an Irishman, and had a son named John, 
who was killed while at work on the old Na - 
tional road, by a bank caving in on him. 
The old man was a miser, and a great lover 
of the " crayther." Both he and his wife, it 
is said, used to get gloriously drunk. Judge 
Broom and Uncle Jimmy Tm-ner often cra- 
dled wheat for him. He finally left the town- 
ship and moved to the south part of the 
State, where he died many years ago. Lou- 
der was from Tennessee, and came to Illi- 
nois, ih'st settling in Clay County, and after- 
ward in this county in Jackson Township, 
making his home at Ben Campbell's, whose 
wife was Louder's aunt. He finally moved 
over into Mason and settled in the southeast 
corner of the township, where he died, and 
where his widow still lives. This brings the 
settlement down to a period where emigrants 
were coming iu rapidly and the country was 
fast settling up. 

Among the later settlers we mention a few 
whose names have become prominent in the 
history of the township and the county. At 
the head of the list stands the name of Hon. 
Isaac L. Leith. He came from Ohio and set- 
tled here in 1840, and since that time has 
been closely identified with the interests of 
the county, holding a number of important 
positions of honor and trust. He was one of 
the Commissioners for laying out the county 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



193 



into towBBhipa, and devised a plan of organ- 
ization, which was accepted. He was a 
member of the Constitutional Convention, 
and on the Building and Finance Commit- 
tees for building the present court house of 
EfiSngham. Although the " frosts of many- 
winters " rest upon his head, he is still hale 
and hearty, and good for many years of life. 
James, David and Wilkinson Leith are his 
brothers, and came to Illinois in the same 
year (1840), and are all now dead. 

Stephen Hardin, Dr. Matthews, Martin 
Robinson, Robert Rankin, David Turner, Eli- 
jah Henry, Morgan Wright, Jacob Goddard, 
A. W. Henrj', and a number of others, past 
and present, were early settlers, or at least 
came in from 1840 to 1850. They have 
borne a prominent part in the history of the 
county, and in the development of that por- 
tion in which their lots have been cast. In 
the biographical part of this work they are 
more fully noticed. 

In the pioneer days, the people had their 
sports, which were perhaps as enjoyable to 
them as our more refined amusements are to 
us in this fast age. Log-rollings, house- 
raisings, corn-huskings, usually accompa- 
nied with the old-fashioned quilting parties, 
were common oceiUTences. These gather- 
ings were heartily enjoyed by all. The mus- 
ter and election days, and Fourth of July 
celebrations were important events. Dr. 
Matthews, in his pioneer sketches of Mason, 
thus describes a " Glorious Fourth," which 
is worthy of reproduction in these pages: 
" On the Fourth of July, 1832, a grand bar- 
becue was instituted by Judge Broom and a 
few of the Vaudalia boys, at Ewington. 
Bear meat and venison smoked upon the 
spits, whisky toasts were drunk freely in tin 
cups and gourds, rod-hot speeches were made, 
and the American Eagle flopped his wings 
and ciew with patriotic pride above the hills 



of the Wabash. Judge Broom was selected 
to read the Declaration of Independence, and 
he did so, standing on an old Cottonwood 
log just north of the bridge. He says he 
couldn't spell half the words of the sacred 
document, and to this day is in total igno- 
rance as to how he blundered through it. But 
nobody was competent to criticise him, and 
nobody laughed. The Judge pronounces 
that the happiest day of his life. Of that 
jolly band of celebrators, he is the sole surviv- 
or in Effingham County. They all have 
dropped away, weary of the march, lon^ ago. " 
The above was no doubt the first Fourth of 
July celebration ever held in the county. 

Education was not neglected by the pio- 
neers, and schools were established very early. 
The first school taiight in Mason Tovniship, 
and perhaps the first in the county, was 
taught by Col. Sam Houston. Judge Broom 
signed one scholar, for which he was to pay 
the sum of $2.50. To obtain the money nec- 
essary to liquidate this liability, Mr. Broom 
" pulled fodder " for old Vincent McGuire, 
at 16 5 cents a d:.y. He received the money 
in half-dollars (Hull's, perhaps), without 
holes in them, and paid his tuition on the 
day the school was out. As the country 
prospered and the population — in the way of 
children — increased, schoolhouses were built 
and schools established. Every neighborhood 
now has a good, comfortable schoolhouse, and 
maintains a flourishing school. 

Among the first preachers who proclaimed 
the Word in this neighborhood were Revs. 
Whitely and Surrells. They were Regular 
Baptists, and preached in people's hoiises in 
many parts of the coimty, long lief ore any 
churches were built. The Wabash Church 
(Missionary Baptists) was organized as early 
as 1845. The first building was a log struct- 
ure, put up for both church and school pur- 
poses, and was used until the present frame 



194 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



church was built, about the year 1860. It is 
a comfortable church building with a large 
membership, but no regular pastor at present. 
The Sunday school is kept up. This church 
has been the mother of churches, as a num- 
ber of those in the surrounding country have 
been started with members from this church. 

An incident occurred in the township in 
September, 1857, little to its credit as a com- 
munity — the murder of Martin S. Hammond. 
Although he was a desperado, whose taking- 
off may have proved advantageous to the 
country, yet the manner in which it was 
done was cowardly beyond all question. He 
was riding along one day with a IVIrs. Lang- 
ford, when a shot was fired from ambush, 
by whom has to this day remained a mystery. 
But one shot was fired, and it was a load of 
buckshot. Two shots took effect in Hammond 
— one in his arm and one in his back — from 
which he died some fourteen days after. Mrs. 
Langford received a shot in the left shoul- 
der, which was supposed at first to be fatal, 
but from which she finally recovered. John 
T. Martin and L. Mulinix were arrested as 
suspected parties, tried and acquitted. Ham- 
mond, at the time he was assassinated was 
under arrest and bond for counterfeiting, and 
it was believed that he was shot by those 
interested in his eternal silence. 

As an illustration of the hard times en- 
dured by the pioneers, Judge Broom says 
that, for the first two or three years after he 
came here, he took his plows on horseback, 
and sometimes on foot, four or five miles 
north of Shelbyville, to a blacksmith, named 
Thomas Jackson, who was a Methodist 
preacher, and knew him (Broom) in Tennes- 
see, before they moved to Illinois, and would 
sharpen his plows on a credit. He could not, 
in summer time, travel with horses during the 
day, on account of the " green-head " flies, 
which were such torments the horses became 



almost unmanageable from their annoyance. 
Judge Broom also relates, by way of illus- 
trating the pioneer period, how, when he 
came here, he had nothing, and was in debt 
besides. He went to Vandalia and stated 
his circumstances to a merchant there, who 
sold him on credit a few plates, knives and 
forks, and a pot or two for cooking. The 
next spring, he took beeswax, deerskins and 
venison hams enough to him to pay for the ■ 
things. 

Villages. — The village of Mason is situat- 
ed in the midst of a beautiful rolling prai- 
rie, on the Illinois Central Railroad, about 
twelve miles south of Effingham. The orig- 
inal plat comprised the southeast quarter of 
the northwest quarter, a part of the northeast 
quarter of the southwest quarter, and a part 
of the southwest quarter of the northeast 
quarter of Section 22, of Mason Township. 
It was surveyed and platted February 26, 
1853, by George Wright, surveyor, for Aaron 
W. Henry, Josiah W. Robinson and Robert 
M. Rankin, proprietors of the land. 

A number of additions have been made to 
the town since it was originally laid out, 
some of which are as follows: An addition 
was made by Stephen Hardin, embracing a 
portion of the northwest quarter of the north- 
east quarter of Section 22, and the plat re- 
corded August 9, 1859. An addition was 
made by H. E. Wolcott, of a part of north- 
east quarter of southwest quarter of Section 
22, and the plat dated September 22, 1859, 
An addition was made by J. J. W. Billings- 
ley of a part of the southwest quarter of the 
northeast quarter of Section 22, and platted 
January 10, 1860. An addition was made 
by A. Kimbourt of a part of the southeast 
quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 
22, and submitted to record June 29, 1860. 
An addition was made by S. H. Bailey, of 
what was known as "Bailey's Addition," and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



195 



the plat recorded May 1, 1863. And on the 
29th of Jane, 1868, an addition was made by 
A. J. Starr, of a part of the north half of the 
southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of 
Section 22, all of Mason Township. These 
numerous additions give Mason plenty of el- 
bow room, and plenty of space for spreading 
out her wings. There need be no more ad- 
ditions made until it becomes a city of 5,000 
inhabitants. 

There is a prologue to the history of Ma- 
son, in what was once known as the village 
of Bristol, and in order to get back to the 
commencement of Mason, it will be necessary 
to say a few words of Bristol. It was laid out 
by A. W. Henry and his father, Elijah Hen- 
ry. It was situated about one mile south- 
east of Mason, on the place now owned by 
David Turner. 

A. W. Henry opened a small store about 
the time the place was laid oat. A post 
office was established, of which Henry was 
Postmaster. Elijah Henry had a blacksmith 
shop, and, although not much of a workman, 
he used to hire a blacksmith to carry on his 
shop. This comprised about the sum total 
of Bristol. 

When Mason was laid out, Bristol took it 
into its head to move over and start the new 
town. This little feat is thus described by 
Dr. Matthews in the 'E^ngham Republican : 
" On a lovely morning in the spring of 1852, 
tradition informs us that the town of Bristol, 
Effingham County, was ruthlessly torn from 
its foiindations, loaded upon an ox wagon 
and quietly hauled away. Its departui'e from 
the venerable forests that had so long pro- 
tected it from the howling tempests was her- 
alded only by the rumble of the vehicle that 
bore it away. There was no weeping, no 
sighing, no tender ties broken as the moving 
town passed over the hills and was lost to 
sight, for be it known that the citizens of 



Bristol, one and all, trudged along in the 
rear of their departing metropolis, like in- 
fatuated school-boys after a brass band, re- 
solved to share alike in its prosperity or 
downfall. It was almost sunset when Bristol 
reached its destination. The spot was an 
enchanting one, on a beautiful elevation, just 
over the border of a fertile and rolling prai- 
rie. And there, as twilight darkened upon 
the scene, our pioneer fathers, with little re- 
gard to ceremony, unloaded their much-loved 
town." Such was the existence of Bristol. 
The building of the railroad gave birth to 
Mason, and the laying-out of Mason was the 
death of Bristol. It was, after all, but a 
change of base. Mr. Henry was the proprie- 
tor of Bristol, and, when the railroad went 
through, leaving his town out in the cold, 
he, together with Bankin and ^Robinson, laid 
but Mason on the railroad, and moved his 
town over as a starter. His store was raised 
and put on " skid-poles, " six yoke of cattle 
hitched to it, and hauled over to the new 
town, as described in the extract above made. 
The little storehouse thus moved across the 
prairie is still standing, and is used by Dr. 
P. G. Paugh as an office. 

A. W. Henry was the first merchant of 
Mason, as well as of Bristol. He opened his 
store door in Mason as soon as his store ar- 
rived and was unloaded. He continued in 
business until 1857-58, when he retired, and 
is still living, some three miles from the vil- 
lage. He was the first Postmaster of Bristol 
and of Mason, the post office having been 
moved hither with his store, and its name 
afterward changed to Mason, to correspond 
with the name of the village. Henry Clay 
Henry, a nephew of Aaron Henry, is the pres- 
ent Postmaster. Mr. Henry was a man of en- 
terprise and of considerable business energy. 
He sold gocds to the people, and, in return, 
bought their surplus products, thus keeping 



196 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



trade going and business prospering. The 
next store was kept by Stephen Hardin, still 
a respected citizen of the village, and a man 
who has served not only the people of his 
town, but of the county. He has long since 
retired from the mercantile business, and now 
devotes his attention to other pursuits. He 
moved his store from Georgetown, in Clay 
County, to this place in 1856, and, in part- 
nership with William McCracken, followed 
merchandising for several years. Other 
stores were opened as the increase of popu- 
lation demanded. Shops were established and 
all kinds of business inaugurated as the town 
grew in importance. 

The first residence was built by Mr. Ran- 
kin, one of the proprietors of the town, and 
opened by him as a hotel. He afterward 
sold to Michael Sprinkle. It finally became 
the property of Jacob Goddard, who kept it 
as a hotel. It was owned by him and occu- 
pied as a hotel until Goddard built the pres- 
ent brick hotel, now kept by his widow. 
The next house built after that by Rankin 
was erected by Greenberry Wright. It was 
long known as the Winteringer property, and 
stood on the east side of rhe main street. 
Bat after the completion of these buildings, 
there was a cessation in improvements for a 
few years, and not until 1855-56 did a new 
spirit of industry in this line strike the peo- 
ple. Then buildings sprang up on every 
hand, and the town grew rapidly. 

In this connection, another extract from 
Dr. Matthews' correspondence comes appro- 
priately in place: " To such an extent were 
business enterprises advancing that a lack of 
shipping facilities became apparent, and, 
about the year 1856, Messrs. I. L. Leith and 
Stephen Hardin opened negotiations with the 
officers of the railroad company, and obtained 
the privilege of laying a side-track. In sev- 
en days from the time ground was first brok- 



en, the grading was completed, the ties all 
hewed and hauled, and everything was in 
readiness for the laying of the iron, which 
was done by the request and at the expense 
of the people. " Immediately upon the lay- 
ing of a side track, the shipping of stock 
and grain, and particularly the latter, be- 
came an extensive business. A grain ware- 
house was put up by J. J. Billingsley, which 
is still standing, and was the first erected for 
that purpose in the town. There are now four 
grain warehouses, which are operated by 
Gibson, and Wade, and William Donnelson, 
and Thistlewood. A large amount of grain 
is annually shipped from this point — some- 
times as much as six and eight carloads in a 
single day. 

Mason has never made any pretensions to 
manufactories. A few shops, an occasional 
kiln of brick, a few saw-mills and the pres- 
ent flom'ing-mill cover its manufacturing 
industries. The flouring-mill was built in 
1863 by Luther & Sisson. The latter gen- 
tleman still owns it, and has considerably 
improved it since it was first built. It is a 
substantial frame building, with three run 
of buhrs, worth some |6,000 or $8,000, and 
has all the modern improvements. 

The first school in Mason was taught in 
1853, by Whiting Avery. It was on the sub- 
scription plan, and, owing to the sparsely set- 
tled community and the slimly populated 
village, it was hard work to get enough pu- 
pils to form a school. In 1860, the hand- 
some two-story brick schoolhouse was built. 
The building was put up by the School Board 
and the Masonic fraternity together — the 
lower story for the school and the upper 
story for the Masons. The school, however, 
grew so rapidly and increased in nimibers 
that the board finally bought out the Masons, 
and since then the entire building has been 
used for the school, of which the usual at- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



197 



tendance is from eighty to one hundred pu- 
pils. Three teachers are employod most of 
the time, Mr. Duncan being the Principal of 
the school. 

There are two church buildings in Mason 
— Methodist and Baptist. The Methodist 
Church was built in the fall of 1853, and 
used until the building of the present one, in 
1868-70. The membership is nearly one hun- 
dred, and the pastor (1882) Kev. Mr. Harper. 
The building is a frame, and cost perhaps 
$1,000. A good Sunday school is kept up 
throughout the year. The old church, the 
first one built by the Methodists, was taken, 
when abandoned as a church, for a pork 
house. It was occupied as such a year or 
two, and then it became a saw-mill, later a 
stave factory, and is now standing idle, after 
a long and useful life. 

The Baptist Church grew out of the old 
Wabash Baptist Church, one of the old 
. church organizations of the township. The 
building was erected about 1858, and, a few 
years ago, repaired and much improved in 
appearance. It is now an excellent church 
edifice, barring a little paint which is lack- 
ing, and which would be of considerable 
benefit to it. A goodly number of members 
belong here, but they are without a regular 
pastor. A Sunday school is maintained, un- 
der the superintendence of Mi'. Holbrook. 

A. Presbyterian Church was organized hei'e 
and kept up for several years. They occu- 
pied the lower story of the Masonic Hall, 
but, after a brief existence, it finally died a 
natural death. 

The Masons fii-st met in Goddard's Tavern, 
and afterward in the upper story of Hardin's 
store. After they sold their interest in the 
brick building to the School Board, they built 
a new hall, which they now own. The lower 
story is rented out for any purpose, such as 
meetings, dances, etc., and the upper story 



for a lodge room. The Presbyterians rented 
the lower story and "seated" it, but, after the 
church became extinct, the Masons bought 
the seats and took charge of the room. There 
is a lodge and chapter as follows; 

Mason Lodge, No. 217, A., F. & A. M., 
was organized as a lodge with the following 
charter members: John S. Wilson, J. H. 
Robinson, Morgan Wright, Isham Mahon, 
Owen Wright and Greenberry Wright. The 
last-named was the first Master; John S. 
Wilson, first Senior Warden; and J. H. Rob- 
inson, first Junior Warden. There are now 
fifty members, officered as follows: H. N 
Ruffner, Worshipful Master; T. J. Bowling, 
Senior Warden; J. C. Leith, Junior Warden; 
L. Smith, Treasurer; Isaac S. Reed, Secre- 
tary: C. R. Hanson, Senior Deacon; A. Bai- 
lie, Junior Deacon; and S. H. Bailie, Tiler. 

Mason Chapter, No. 76, R.\A.".M.'., was or- 
ganized March 21, 1865, and the charter 
members were C. B. Kitchell, Isaac H. Elkin, 
Jacob Goddard, J. D. Moody, B. H. Bod- 
well, Thomas H. Heeley, William H. Wal- 
lace, William McNeile and W'illiam B. 
Cooper. The first officers elected were: 
James Claypool, High Priest; I. L. Leith, 
King; and Jacob Goddard, Scribe. There 
are now thirty-five members, and the follow- 
ing are the officers: H. N. Ruffner, High 
Priest; H. B. Turner, King; Stephen Har- 
din, Scribe; T. J. Bowling, Captain of the 
Host; C. R. Hanson, Principal Sojourner; 
J. C. Leith, Royal Ai-ch Captain; John Mc- 
Cloy, W. F. Scott and J. L. Furneaux, 
Grand Masters of the Veils; Laurence 
Smith, Treasurer; J. L. Goddard, Secretary; 
and Henry M. Drewry, Tiler. 

The railroad accommodations of Mason are 
not the best to be seen in the coimty, by any 
means, and scarcely up to what might natur- 
ally be expected of a town from which so 
much shipping is done. In support of this 



198 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



assertion, we make one other extract from the 
Mason correspondence of the Republicmi : 
" There is probably no village on the Central 
Railroad entitled to as much sympathy and 
assistance as our own town, and there is cer- 
tainly none that has received less. We shall 
make no pitiful mouth of the matter, nor 
cherish ill feelings aboiit it, but it is a fact 
that scores of places far less deserving than 
this have been the objects of repeated and 
lavish expenditures by the company. Thus 
far, however, Mason has paddled her own 
canoe successfully, and, thanks to the vim of 
her citizens she can continue to do so, with 
credit to herself and country. ' Never say 
die ' is her motto. But there is one consol- 
ing thought, the people of Mason are inde- 
pendent. Whenever panics drive them to 
'brown jeans ' and ' shoddy,' they lose none 
of their native pride. They dance and have 
festivals and church fairs, and get drunk, 
with as much dignity and regularity as 
though their purses were stuffed. The aver- 
age Masonite is irrepressible. He can play 
billiards and pray and shout and dance with 
equal vivacity." Under this veil of himior 
and sarcasm is concealed a palpable fact, and 
that is, that the old, tumble-down, rickety 
railroad buildings, depots, etc., are a disgrace 
to a great railroad such as the Illinois Cen- 
tral, and the people are justified in grum- 
bling. They certainly deserve a respectable 
depot, if nothing more. 

The history of Mason during the late war 
belongs in part to a distinct chapter. But a 
brief mention of the part taken in the great 
struggle by the town cannot be well avoided. 
In 1861, the village of Mason was a micro- 
cosm. Not a movement of Scott, an order of 
the President nor an editorial of Greeley but 
was discussed and thoroughly ventilated by 
the people here, utterly regardless of what 
others might say or think. A few days after 



the fall of Fort Sumter, a flag, half as big as 
a quarter-section of land, was raised in the 
central part of the town, bearing the pat- 
riotic inscription, "Death to Traitors!" Pol- 
itics was a study for each one, ajid there was 
much whistling to keep up a show of courage 
and hopefulness. Mason was no more loyal 
or disloyal than other portions of the coun- 
try. There were those who opposed the war, 
and those who favored the most vigorous 
measures for prosecuting it until the rebell- 
ion should be crushed out; and this class 
predominated. Excitement was high, and 
the drum was heard daily as it beat for vol- 
unteers. 

In the spring of 18G3, a paper called the 
Loyalist was established, the Ijetter to aid 
the cause of the Union, and its loyal bolts 
were hiu'led at the heads of traitors with a 
boldness and a bitterness unequaled by Pren- 
tice or Brownlow. But these siibjeots are 
fully given in preceding chapters, and are 
merely alluded to here as a part of the his- 
tory of the village, which could not be wholly 
omitted. 

Toward the latter years of the war, and es- 
pecially in 1863, the village of Mason im- 
proved and prospered as it never had before. 
Indeed, at such a rate did it travel on the 
high road to wealth that it really had the 
cheek to set itself up as a rival to Effingham. 
A large number of buildings were erected, 
and some of the best yet put up in the iovvn, 
among them Vey's brick store, and Hai'din's 
and Baker's dwellings. After the close of 
the war, however, and the general stagnation 
of business which followed, together with the 
contraction of the currency, a check — a very 
material one — was put to the prosperity of the 
place. Improvements were few and of an. 
rmimportant character, and for the last dec- 
ade the increase in population and impor- 
tance have been exceedingly small. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



199 



The village was incorporated in 1805, un- 
der an act of the Legislature. Its charter was 
amended by legislative enactment in 1867. 
Since then it has been governed by a Board 
of Trustees who look faithfully to the inter- 
ests of its citizens. The present board is as 
follows, viz. : Stephen Hardin, Ross Bil- 

lingsley, James Drewry, Goddard, 

James Richmond and D. S. Turner. Of this 
board, Stephen Hardin is President; Willis 
Richmond, Clerk; George Mills, Treasurer; 
and Joseph Donnelson, Marshal. 

The business of Mason at the present time 
may be thus summarized: Seven dry goods 
and grocery stores, by R. G. Gibson, A. Con- 
oway, Henry Hoggs, H. Tyner, Lawrence 
Smith, Ross Billingsley and Wiley Bivrk; 
one hardware store, by Henry Rankin; two 
drug stores, by R. S. Miller and J. P. Hutch- 
inson; and two millinery stores, three black- 
smith shops, three wood shops, two butcher 
shops, two shoe shops, one harness shop, one 
copper shop, one hay-press, one saw-mill, one 
gristmill, one livery stable, four grain ware- 
houses, a post office, 8choolhou8e,two churches 
and two lodges. 

Edgewood is situated about three miles 
south of Mason Village, at the crossing of 
the Illinois Central and the Springfield Di- 
vision of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroads. 
It is located on the south half of the north- 
east quarter, the north half of the southeast 
quarter, the southeast quarter of the north- 
west quarter, and the northeast quarter of 
the southwest quarter, of Section 32, of Ma- 
son Township. It was surveyed and plat- 
ted December 24, 1857, for the Illinois Cen- 
tral Railroad. The first house built was a 
dwelling erected by James Buckner; the next 
was put up by Byron Woodhull. The first 
store was a general assortment of goods kept 
by Ichabod Stedman in the station house, 
and was opened in 1859. A storehouse was 



erected in the latter part of 1859 by Stephen 
Balcom, and is now occupied by the hard- 
ware store of T. A. Schefflin. Mr. Balcom 
was in business for two years, and was one 
of the most enterprising businuss men ever 
in the town. He built the " Balcom Corner" 
in 1861, on Broad and Chestnut streets, con- 
sisting of four large storerooms, offices. Ma- 
sonic Hall, etc His death, in 1863, was a 
severe loss to the little town. Stedman & 
Emery built the tine store now occupied by 
Dr. Joseph Hall as a drug and jewelry store. 
In 1864, J. N. Faulk put up a large building 
in the east part of town. A. Goodnight was 
the first blacksmith. 

The post office was established in 1858, 
and Byron Woodhull was appointed Postmas- 
ter. Joseph Hall is the present Postmaster. 
The first school-teacher was Malissa Sted- 
man. The schoolhouse was erected in 1864, 
and is a frame building. Miss Lilly Land- 
enberg now teaches the young idea to shoot — 
paper wads. 

Ichabod Stedman erected a flouring-mill, 
saw mill and carding machine combined in 
1862, which was quite a mammoth establish- 
ment. He operated it until 1862, doing a 
largo and profitable business, when it was 
destroyed by fire. Charles Heilgenstein built 
a steam fiom-ing-mill in 1868, which was 
also burned. It was rebuilt by Kay & This- 
tlewood some five years ago, and is a large 
three-story building, containing three run of 
buhrs, and does a fine business. 

The first religious organization was made 
by the Methodists several years before any 
church building was erected. They built a 
house iu 1870, at a cost of §1,800, but were 
unable to pay for it, and had to give it up. 
It is now used as a public hall, and the 
chiu-ch occupies the schoolhouse. Rev. 'Mi. 
Mall is the present pastor. 

St. Ann Roman Catholic Church was built 



200 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



in 1866 by the Franciscans. There were 
originally about thirty families, and Father 
Kellin was the first rector. The church cost 
about $3,000, and the membership comprises 
forty-three families, under the pastorate of 
Eev. Father Eeisin, who has been with them 
three years. 

Edgewood Lodge, No. 484, A., F. & A. 
M., was organized October 3, 1866, and the 
charter issued by Most Worshipfiil H. F. H. 
Bromwell, Grand Master. The charter mem- 
bers were B. W. Burk, Thomas Hamilton, 
John McDonald, John S. Kelly, Jonathan 
Hooks, Thomas A. Austin, Jay N. Faulk, 
James L. Gillmore, F. G. Healey, David 
Dyer, William McNeile, A. Stedman, John 
Harrison, F. H. Belm, John Broom, M. A. 
Broom, G. W. Gary, L. D. Coonly, E. Pesk, 
J. A. Nevins, James McCaflrey and John 
Scasefl. The first officers were: John S. 
Kelly, Master ; Jonathan Hooks, Senior 
Warden; and Thomas A. Austin. Junior 



Warden. The present officers are: Joseph 
Danks, Master; John McCloy, Senior War- 
den; George Charlotte, Junior Warden; 
John McDonald, Secretary ; and Henry 
Tookey, Treasurer. 

The village of Edgewood was incorporated 
in 1869, and a Board of Trustees elected, as 
follows: E. Barbee, James Johnson, J. F. 
Erwin, Joseph Fiechs and Joseph Hall. E. 
Barbee was President of the Board, and Jo- 
seph Hall, Clerk. The present board is J. 
C. P. Vandervort (President), Joseph Hall 
(Clerk), Charles Kay, H. Tookey, H. Peterson 
and A. Goodnight. 

At present, the town presents the following 
business outlook: One dry goods store, two 
gi'ocery stores, two general stores, one hard- 
ware store, one drug and jewelry store, one 
furniture store, one restaurant, two mills, two 
churches, one schoolhouse, two hotels, sev- 
eral shops, three warehouses, two physicians, 
two railroads and one depot. 



CHAPTER XVII.* 



WATSON TOWNSHIP— SURFACE AND PHYSICAL FEATURES— COMING OF THE WHITE SETTLERS- 

THEIR LOCATIONS AND CLAIMS— SKETCHES OF SOME OF THE NOTED ONES— MILLS AND 

OTHER PIONEER INDUSTRIES— SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLHOUSES— CHURCHES 

—VILLAGE OF WATSON— ITS GROWTH AND BUSINESS. 



"DECUERENCES of the past, with the 
-*- *' recollections and associations which 
make it pass in life-like review before our 
mental vision, will continue to be, as of yore, 
a source of satisfaction, especially when they 
connect themselves with incidents reflected 
back from our own experiences. These re- 
minders vanish with the life of the partici- 
pants, when no landmarks remain to save us 
the pictures faintly delineated in the tablets 
of memory. To preserve these from forget- 
fulness before they have lost their distin- 

*By G. N. Berry. 



guishing originality is the work devolved 
upon the historian. History fails in its great 
mission when it fails to preserve the life 
features of the subjects committed to its 
trust. 

Local history, more than any other, com- 
mands the most interested attention, for the 
reason that it is a record of events in which 
we have a peculiar interest, as many of the 
participants traveled the rugged and thorny 
pathway of life as our companions, acquaint- 
ances and relatives. The township of Wat- 
son, which forms the subject of the following 



HISTOEY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



201 



pages, is a somewhat diversified and broken 
bod}" of land, lying a little east of the cen- 
tral part of the county. The following town- 
ships form its boundaries : Douglas and 
Teutopolis on the north; Bishop on the east; 
Union on the south; Jackson on the west; 
and comprising, under the Congressional 
survey, Township 7 north. Range 6 east. It 
was named in honor of a prominent official 
of the Illinois Central Railroad, at whose 
suggestion the village of Watson was laid 
out and improved. The sm-face of the coun- 
ty is considerably varied, being high and roll- 
ing in the north and east, while the central 
part and the land lying along the several wa- 
ter-courses is mnch broken, and in some 
places rugged, hilly, and almost wholly unfit 
for cultivation. The southeastern portion 
consists of a gently undulating prairie land, 
interspersed with a number of small groves, 
and contains some of the most valuable 
farming lands in the township. Along the 
eastern border from the northern boundary 
south to the village of Watson, there is a 
stretch of level prairie varying from a mile 
and a half to two miles in width, the major- 
ity of which is very fertile and in a high 
state of cultivation. North of Bishop Creek, 
in the eastern part of the township, is a 
small tract of prairie also, but of more irreg- 
ular surface, the greater poriion of it being 
rather uneven, though very fertile. 

Originally, about three- fourths of the 
township's area consisted of timber land, 
much of which has of late years been cleared 
and brought into cultivation, while a great 
deal of the most valuable timber was cut and 
sawn into lumber at an early day, that busi- 
ness at one time being carried on quite ex- 
tensively. The largest and best growth now 
standing is found in the central part of the 
township, on the broken region alluded to, 
and along Salt and Bishop Creeks, and con- 



sists mostly of the following varieties: Wal- 
nut, oak of several different kinds, elm and 
sycamore in the low ground along the 
streams, where they often grow to gigantic 
sizes; hickory, ash, maple, locust, etc., with 
a thick gi-owth of underbrush, chiefly hazel, 
intervenincr on the high lands. The soil on 
these high and broken lands is rather thin, 
chiefly a white clayey nature, but, by proper 
tillage, it has been made to yield some very 
fair crops, especially wheat and oats, while 
it seems well adapted to fruit. Salt Creek, 
Little Salt Creek and Bishop Creek, with 
their several tributaries are the water-courses 
by which the township is watered and drained. 
The Illinois Central Railroad passes through 
the township, and has been the means of de- 
veloping the country's resources in a very 
marked degree by bringing its rich farming 
lands into easy and direct communication 
with the flourishing cities lying along that 
line. 

In 1830, a man by the name of Davenport, 
from Tennessee, emigrated to the wilderness 
of Illinois, with the hope of securing a home 
for himself and children. He located a little 
north of the present site of Watson Village, 
and improved a small patch of ground, which 
he afterward entered. Here for several 
years this lone pioneer family lived, in their 
little pole hut, uncheered by the presence of 
friends or neighbors, toiling in the meantime 
for a scanty existence, which the wild condi- 
tion of the country at that time could scarce 
afibrd. The region siuTounding the rude 
domicile abounded in gray wolves, large, 
gaunt and fierce, while an occasional black 
one was to be seen, and was much more to be 
di-eaded. The right of Davenport to the few 
pigs and sheep which he brought with him 
was hotly contested by these denizens of the 
woods, and, in order to maintain his claim, 
a tight inclosure was made, in which the 



202 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



stock -was penned and carefully guarded 
every night; yet, in spite of this precaution, 
a number of unlucky porkers were nabbed up 
and carried off by the alert enemy. 

Davenport lived here until the year 1840, 
and made, during the period of his residence, 
a number of improvements, chiefly in the way 
of building, clearing and fencing. His death, 
which occurred in the above-named year, was 
the first event of the kind in the township, 
and his grave, marked by the 8imj)le epitaph 
of his life and death, can still be seen in the 
old cemetery which he set apart for the bui'- 
ial of the dead. The next settler was John 
Hutson, who came from the far-off State of 
Alabama, and located in the southwest cor- 
ner of the township about the year 1835. 
He made but few improvements, aside from 
a small cabin; sold his claim about two years 
later, to a man by the name of Hart, and 
went to the State of Missouri, where he after- 
ward died. The place is now in possession 
of Edmund Loy, an pearly settler near the 
town of Ewington. 

An early settlement was made on Salt 
Creek, near the northeastern part of the town- 
ship, by Benjamin Bryant, a short time after 
Hutson came to the country. Bryant was 
from Kentucky, and apjaears to have been a 
man of rather reckless character, and not 
particularly noted for piety. His residence 
in the township will cover a period of per- 
haps eight years, the greater part of which 
was spent in hunting, trapping, etc., but lit- 
tle attention being given to his improve- 
ments. On account of some domestic troub- 
les, he left the country rather abniptly, and 
took up his residence in Missouri, near St. 
Louis. His family remained here, where 
numerous descendants still live, and are of 
the substantial citizens of the county. 
Among the early settlers of Watson was a 
man of the name of Browning, a relative of 



the Davenports, who came into the present 
limits of the township as early as the year 
1838, and opened a little farm on Section 29. 
He sold his claim shortly afterward and left 
the community, and the farm is now in pos- 
session of J. V. Bail, of Watson Village. A 
man named Hafhill was one of the early pio- 
neers of this section, having located near the 
northeastern part of the township some two 
years after Hutson made his appearance in 
that neighborhood, but he does not seem to 
have made any permanent improvement. 

One of the most noted characters in the 
early settlement of this part of the county 
was an old hunter known as " Ci " Blansett. 
The date of his arrival was not ascertained, 
but he probably hunted over every acre of the 
township when there were but two or three 
scattering settlements in it. He built a 
rude log cabin near the Hafhill place, ai'ound 
which he cleared a little garden spot, where 
he raised a few vegetables. His chief sup- 
port, however, was derived from his rifle, 
and many stories are told of his encounters 
with wild beasts and his wonderful success 
in hunting. When he had killed a sufiicient 
number of deer to make a load, he would 
jjack the hams and skins in his wagon, and, 
with an ox team, start for St. Louis, where 
an exchange would be made for groceries, 
ammunition and other commodities. As the 
country settled up and game became scarce, 
Blansett concluded that, like Daniel Boone, 
it was high time for him to leave; so, load- 
ing up his few household eflects, and turn- 
ing his face toward the setting sun, took his 
departure for the far West, where he could 
find a home more to his tastes, away from 
the fetters of civilization. John Funk came 
from the South about the year 1840, and set- 
tled near the central part of the township, 
where he resided for five years. He earned 
the reputation of being a good citizen, and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



203 



did much, in a quiet and xinobtrusive way, 
toward advancing the material interests of 
the community in which he lived. 

Prominent among the early settlors was 
Michael Sprinkle, a man well known through - 
ont the township, and universally respected, 
and who came in the year 1841. He located 
near where Watson now stands, and after- 
ward Bold out to his son and moved to Ew- 
ington. Several years ago, he moved back 
into this township, where he still resides, one 
of the oldest settlers now living within its 
limits. From the year 1841 to 1846, the 
following settlers made their advent into the 
township and settled in different portions of 
it: Daniel Rinehart, William Moody, Alex- 
ander McDuester, Thomas Hillis, John Tay- 
lor, Daniel Le Crone, William Le Crone, and 
the Loy family. Rinehart was prominently 
known in the early settlement as a man of 
more than ordinary intellectual abilities, and 
to him the citizens were wont to look for their 
instruments of writing, legal advice, and 
other items of knowledge generally belong- 
ing to the legal profession. He settled on 
the farm where Michael Sprinkle now lives, 
to whom he sold the place after he had occu- 
pied it about twelve years. From this town- 
ship he went to Ewington in the year 1853, 
but moved back again, and died in Watson 
some nine years ago. For a number of years, 
he served the people of the county as County 
Clerk, and discharged the duties of that 
office in an acceptable manner. A son of 
Erastus N. Rinehart is the present State 
Senator from this district, and a prominent 
man of Effingham. Moody entered the land 
where William Le Crone now lives, which he 
occupied about five or six years, when he dis- 
posed of the place and moved to Missouri. 
McDuester improved a tract of land near the 
northern boundary of the township, which is 
still in possession of his family. Hillis and 



Taylor both came from Ohio and purchased 
claims in the northeastern part of the town- 
ship. Daniel Le Crone came also from Ohio, 
about the year 1842, and settled where his son, 
William L., now lives. The family originally 
came from Pennsylvania, but had been resi- 
dents of Ohio a short time before moving 
here. One son lives in the city of Effing- 
ham, where for a number of years he has 
been a leading physician. 

The Loys were an important family in pio- 
neer times, and the name continues to hold a 
respectable place in the county. They were 
from Alabama, and made the long journey to 
this part of the country with teams — an un- 
dertaking at that time quite formidable, and 
fraught with a great deal of peril. It would 
compare well with the embarkation of the 
Pilgrims, who left their native shore two 
hundred years earlier to make their way 
across the deep, to find a home in the New 
World. Indeed, the hardships of the wilder- 
ness road which lay before them were nearly 
as great as those experienced by those on 
board of the Mayflower, while the length of 
time required to complete the journey was 
almost as great. The roads in the South at 
that time were but poor, and, after crossing 
the Ohio, consisted of mere trails, through 
sloughs, over hills, fording creeks and ferry- 
ing rivers. There were but few bridges 
across the streams then, especially on this 
side of the Ohio, and during the journey 
many of the water-courses were so swollen by 
rains that the emigrants were compelled to 
go into camp for several days to wait for the 
flood to subside in order to cross over. Their 
little stock of provisions soon gave out, but 
they did not suffer for food, as the limber and 
prairie were full of game, and the rifle sup- 
plied them with plenty of meat. The cattle 
easily subsisted on the grass that grew along 
the road. In this manner, the long, weari- 



204 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNT \. 



some journoy was at length completed, much 
to the relief of all concerned. The original 
place of settlement was in Shelby County, 
wh(!re tlie family remained but a few years, 
and afterward moved to this county and lo- 
cated in Jackson Township. From the lat- 
ter, John Henry Loy came into Watson about 
the year 1845. He had several sons, all of 
whom were prominently connected with the 
early history and development of the coimty. 
Joseph Loy, the oldest, came to this town- 
ship from near Ewington, about the same 
time his father settled here, and located a 
farm a short distance east of the village of 
Watson, where he still lives. John and De- 
witt C, brothers of Joseph, selected their 
homes in the northern part of the township, 
where each has a very handsome prof)erty, 
and are among the well-to-do citizens of the 
county. Another brother, Thomas Loy, was 
a prominent settler also, and figured rather 
conspicuously in the early politics of the 
county, having been called to fill the offices 
of County Treasui'er, Surveyor and Rejare- 
sentative at different times during his life. 
This comprises the early settlement of Wat- 
son Township as far as we have been able to 
learn, though there may be other names 
equally entitled to a mention in these pages. 
Their early struggles and hai'dships, and 
trials incident to the pioneer's life, are but a 
repetition of those experienced by all settlers 
in a new and uninhabited region, and is il- 
lustrated by the Loys' trip to the country. 
Many daring deeds by these unknown heroes 
have passed into oblivion, and many of the 
foregoing list who labored hard to introduce 
civilization into this part of the country now 
lie in obscure graves, unmarked by the sim- 
plest epitaph. Those of the number who 
still live little thought, as they first gazed 
upon the broad waste of prairie, the unmo- 
lested groves, dense and tangled with brush 



and brier, that all this wilderness, in their 
own day, would be made to blossom as a 
garden. Little thought had they of seeing 
beautiful homes, waving fields of golden 
grain, green jiastures and grazing herds, 
where the bounding deer, crouching and 
howling wolf, held unmolested sway. 

"All honor then to these gray old men, 

When at last they are bowed with toil; 
Their warfare then o'er, they battle no more, 
For they've conquered the stubborn soil." 

The majority of the early pioneers of South- 
ern Illinois were men of moderate cirL'um- 
stances, and came here desirous of bettering 
their fortunes. Like all pioneers, they were 
kind to a fault, and ever ready to do a favor. 
They came with but a meager outfit of this 
world' 8 goods, but, strong in faith and hope, 
expected to increase their worldly store, and 
provide a home where to pass their declining 
years. The emigrant, upon his arrival, be- 
gan at once preparations for a «helter. Dur- 
ing this period, the family lived in a wagon, 
or occupied a temporary hut made of poles, 
with no floor except that of mother earth, 
and no windows except the interstices be- 
tween the logs forming the walls. Should 
the time of arrival be in the spring, this 
simple structure sufficed for a house until the 
crops were sown, when a more comfortable 
abode was prepared for winter. The crops 
were principally corn and a few p)otatoes. 
Wheat and the other cereals were not raised 
for a number of years after the firs: settle- 
ments had been made, on account of the poor 
condition of the soil, which, at that time, 
was very wet and ftiarshy, especially oli the 
prairies. A serious difficulty was experienced 
in raising corn, owing to the early frosts, 
which were sometimes so severe as to com- 
pletely ruin the entire crop, thus bringing 
upon the people a great many hardships. 
Edmund Loy speaks of one of these frosts. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



205 



which occurred about the year 1847, as hav- 
ing entailed a great amount of suflfering upon 
the community. It happened so late in the 
season that replanting was out of the ques- 
tion, and the corn for family use had to be 
purchased at the exorbitant price of $1.25 per 
bushel, equivalent to about three times that 
amount at the present day. The wheat used 
was purchased from the older settlements 
further south and east, and formed but an in- 
significant part of their diet, white bread, 
cakes, pies, etc. , being luxuries enjoyed only 
at rare intervals. Wild game of all kinds 
was numerous, deer being so plenty that ^hey 
would come into the stable yards, and feed 
with the domestic stock; during the cold win- 
ters, wild turkeys were more common than 
chickens are now. An incident is related of 
a family that kept a pile of corn in one room 
of the house, and were compelled to keep the 
door tightly closed in order to save it from a 
di'ove of these birds that flocked on the porch. 
Wolves were everywhere to be seen, and 
proved such a trouble to the farmers' live 
stock that systematic hu.nls had to be planned 
for the purpose of ridding the country of 
them. 

The first improvement to which the pioneer 
looks after having procured a habitation for 
himself and family, is a mill, a piece of ma- 
chinery that always accompanies civilization. 
Meal was first obtained by crushing the corn 
when di-y in a kind of rude mortar made by 
chiseling out a hollow in the top of a round 
oak stump. The pestle was an iron block 
made fast to a sweep, and with this simple 
contrivance a coarse article of meal could be 
manufactured. A still simpler means was 
often resorted to before the com had become 
hard enough to shell, namely, the common tin 
grater. The first mill patronized by the early 
residents of Watson stood on the Little Wabash 
in the northern part of what is now Union 



Township, and was operated by Frederick 
Brockett, one of the earliest pioneers of 
Effingham County. It served as a source of 
supplies for a number of years, until a small 
horse-mill was erected in the southwest part 
of the township, near the village of Watson. 
The name of the perscm who built and oper- 
ated this mill is unknown, and the time it 
was in operation could not be ascertained. 
Each person who brought a grist was obliged 
to furnish his own team, wait his turn and do 
his own grinding. On one occasion, when 
there was quite a crowd at the mill waiting 
their respective turns, two men got into an 
angry discussion with the proprietor about 
their time, and several sharp epithets were 
bandied back and forth. The crowd inter- 
fered and prevented a tight, but the two bel- 
ligerent farmers swore that they would be 
even with the " d — d miller, and that riglit 
early." On going to start the mill the fol- 
lowing morning, the miller found no buhrs, 
they having disappeared during the night. 
A number of persons had by this time arrived 
at the mill with their grists, and among others 
the two parties that tigiired in the quarrel 
with the miller the previous day. After 
searching the place for some time and not 
finding the buhrs, a strong two-fisted giant 
of a farmer got upon a stump, and said he 
knew who took them, and added with a sig- 
nificant look in the direction of the two sus- 
pected parties, that if " them air stones ain't 
brung back before another day, I'll kick the 
everlasting stuffin' out of the fellers that 
carried 'em off." These words had the de- 
sired effect, for on the following morning the 
mill was in readiness for iiinning. Thomas 
Loy built a horse-mill in the northern part of 
the township about 1851, and operated it for 
several years, and did a very good business. 
Aside from these two there were no mills 
built in the township until the year 18(57, 



206 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



when a combination mill was put in operation 
at the village of Watson. 

The subject of education has from an early 
date received a good deal of attention in this 
township. Long before the law authorizing 
a system of public schools was in force, the 
pioneers of Watson took steps toward the 
education of the youth in the primary branches 
of learning. Comparatively few of the 
first settlers were men of letters, most of them 
having been children when the matter of 
book learning in the States where they were 
brought up was yet considered a matter of 
minor importance. And yet these j'^ople 
seemed to fully realize the losses they had 
sustained in the neglect of their own school- 
ing, and were therefore anxious to do the 
next best thing, by making amends in the 
case of their own childi-en. The first school 
was kept in a little pole building that stood 
near the northwestern part of the township 
about the year 1846. The second school- 
house was built a few years later, and stood 
about one hundred yards west of the place 
occupied by fi e one alluded to. The teacher 
who conducted the first school in this build- 
ing was a man named James Leavitt, but we 
are unable to state from whence he came or 
whither he went. No certificates of qualifi- 
cation were at that time granted, so we are 
unable to enlighten our readers as to Prof. 
Leavitt's scholastic attainments. One of the 
early schoolhouses was built near where Hen- 
ry Loy now lives, in the northern part of the 
township. It was erected by the neighbors 
for a young man who had come into the com- 
munity a short time previous for the purpose 
of securing a school. After he had canvassed 
the neighborhood and gotten the names of 
nearly all the settlers on his subscription 
list, a very bad rejiort concerning him was 
circulated. It was stated that he was a gam- 
bler, pickpocket, blackleg, and had run away 



from his wife, who was at that time living in 
Ohio. He denied the report and branded it 
as a villainous lie, but many of the people 
gave it credit, and swore he should not teach 
the schools, while those who did not believe 
it, were as determined that the school should 
go on. The feeling of the neighborhood 
waxed hot over the affair, but the opposition 
carried the day, for a party of men met one 
night, proceeded to the schoolhouse and tore 
it to the ground. Among those who gloried 

: in the part they took in the transaction were 

i James Loy, Robert and William McCannon. 

! The teacher left, and it was afterward ascer- 
tained that the reports concerning him were 
tinged considerably with the truth. The 
fii'st frame schoolhouse was built in the sum- 

j mer of 1859, and is known as the Boggs 
Schoolhouse. It was in this building that 
the first public school of the township was 
taught the winter following its erection. 
Th3 present schoolhouses are in the main 

! good and well furnished. The schools are 

i ably conducted by competent teachers, and 
the advantages of a liberal education are 
within the easy reach of all. 

Among the early pioneers of Watson were 
many pious men and women, and its religious 
history dates from the period of its settle- 
ment. The first preachers were Methodist, 
and came as one crying in the wilderness, 
and wherever they could collect a few of the 
pioneers together, they proclaimed the glad 
tidings of salvation " without money and 
without price." The first religious sei'vices 
held within the present limits of the township 
were conducted at the residence of John Loy 
shortly after he came to the countiy. A 
class was organized at^the place which after- 

'. ward grew into a flourishing church known 
as " Loy Chapel," where services are still 
held. John Loy was the first Class Leader, 
and Revs. Allen and Williamson among the 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



309 



earliest pastors. Among the original mem- 
bers can be named Elizabeth Funk. Catharine 
Bi-yant, Mahal a Loy, Thomas Loy and wife 
and John Loy and wife. Loy's residence 
served as a preaching place about two years, 
when meetings were held at a neighboring 
Bchoolhouse. Their present neat church edi- 
fice was erected in the year 187-4, and is^a 
very comfoi'table and substantial house of 
worship: it is frame and cost the sum of $1,- 
100. The membership has fallen off consid- 
erably of late years, there being only about 
thirty- five members now belonging, under 
the pastorate of Kev. J. Harper. Connected 
with the church is a flourishing Sunday 
school, under the superintendency of a very 
worthy gentleman. 

A Lutheran Church was established sev- 
eral years ago, which is at this time a flour- 
ishing organization. They have a neat tem- 
ple of worship in the northern part of the 
township, where services are regularly held. 
Few facts or statistics, however, relative to 
this church were obtained. 

The Village of TFa^so?i.— This thriving 
little town is situated near the southeast cor- 
ner of the township, and dates its history 
proper from the 26th day of October, 1857, 
at which time it was sui'veyed into lots by the 
Deputy County Surveyor for John L. Bar- 
nard, proprietor of the land. The necessity 
of the town was ci-eated by the Illinois Cen- 
tral Railroad, which had been completed 
through the country a short time previous, 
and it is to the suggestion of one of the offi- 
cials that the town was laid out. The first 
building erected was a small storeroom, in 
which a general stock was kept by David 
Trexler, who, after one year, sold out to 
Martin LeCrone. The latter increased the 
stock, built up an extensive trade, and for 
about one year did a verv flourishine: busi- 
ness. The building was burned about the 



year 1S60, entailing quite a heavy loss on 
the proprietor, as the greater amount of the 
goods was destroyed. A second stoic was 
started in the year 1859, in a building erect- 
ed for the purpose by C. T. Bun-oughs, who 
did a good business with a general assort- 
ment of goods for about six years. Kire 
Bradley started the third store some time 
diu-ing the year ISGO, and continued in busi- 
ness four years, when he was succeeded by 
Moore & Greenleaf. who in turn disposed of 
the stock to J. F. Bartley. Some time later, 
Barkley & Abraham opened a store and erect- 
ed a substantial building, a short time after- 
ward, and sold goods as partners for about 
eight years, when the entiie stock was pur- 
chased by the latter, who still runs the busi- 
ness. The large frame storehouse near the 
central part of the village was bixilt in the 
year 18G4 by Hvmies & Howe, who stocked it 
with a line of goods representing a capital of 
$6,000 or $7,000, and for five years contin- 
ued the business together, when the firm was 
changed to Hvmies & Cooper. Cooper bought 
Humes' interest one year later, and conducted 
a very flourishing trade for two j'ears, when 
ho closed out the entire stock, and for some 
time the building stood idle. It is at present 
owned by W. M. Anderson, and occupied by 
the Schooley Bros, as a fumitm-e store. H. 
A. Vance opened a hardware store in the year 
1867, but closed out his business after run- 
ning it for two years. The room in which he 
kept his stock was afterward occupied by F. 
Lloyd & Co.'s general store. The last named 
was succeeded by W. T. Jaycox, who pur- 
chased their goods, although he occupies 
another building at this time. 

A steam saw-mill was built in the year 
1867 by A. J. Vance, to which a set of buhrs 
was afterward added. It has been in opera- 
tion ever since, and is at present run by W. 
M. Anderson, the proprietor. Dr. G. S. 



212 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



The following parties represent the present 
business interests of Watson: W. T. Jaycox 
and W. M. Abraham keep general stores; 
Schooley Bros, handle all kinds of furniture; 
J. A. Spinkle has a neat drug store; Flem- 
ing & Selby, wagon and carriage makers; C. 
C. Smith, boot and shoe maker; J. V. Bail, 
blacksmith. The railroad business is man- 



aged by Mr. Claar, while Miss Lidy deftly 
manipulates the telegraph keys. The first post 
office was established about the year 185(5, 
and John Irwin was appointed Postmaster. 
It was known as Salt Creek Post Office until 
the year 1868, when the name was changed to 
Watson upon petition of the citizens. W. 
M. Abraham is the present Postmaster. 



CHAPTER XYIII. 



JACKSON TOWNSHIP— INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION— TOPOGRAPHY, ETC.— SETTLE- 
MENT OF WHITE PEOPLE— PIONEER IMPROVEMENTS AND BUSINESS INDUSTRIES— SOME 
EARLY INCIDENTS— BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES— MILLS, ROADS, ETC. 
SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES— VILLAGES, ETC., ETC. 



" Build yet, the end is not; build on, 

Build for the ages unafraid; 
The past is but a base whereon 

These ashlars, well hewn, may be laid, 
Lo, I declare I deem him blest 

Whose foot, here pausing, findeth rest." 

THE world in its onward rush is now taking 
time to look back, and the story of the 
pioneer is becoming one of absorbing inter- 
est. Illinois was for years considered ' ' out 
west," and its people, scarcely out of the 
brush, took little interest in those traditions 
relating to a condition of society but little 
removed from their own. But the grand 
march of civilization has pressed back the 
Western frontier, until, instead of bordering 
the Mississippi River, it rests upon the shore 
of the Pacific, and has made the once North- 
western Territory the central link in the brill- 
iant chain of States. This awakening to the 
true value of the early history of this coun- 
try comes, in many respects, too late. Most 
of the pioneers have been gathered to their 
fathers within the last decade, and one by 
one the old landmarks have decayed and 
passed away with those who reared them, 
while that period is fast rolling on when 

*By W. H. Perrin. 



none can truly say, "I remember them or 
their works." Thus while we may, we will 
rescue from oblivion the facts and reminis- 
cences, so far as attainable, of this section. 

Jackson Township is largely taken up 
with the Wabash bottoms, and hence has 
much broken and hilly timbered land, with 
a very little level prairie in the western part. 
It is southwest from Effingham, and is 
bounded on the north by Summit Township, 
on the east by Watson, on the south by Ma- 
son, on the west by Mound and the Congres- 
sional survey lies in Township 7 north, 
and Range 5 east, of the Third Principal 
Meridian. Its principal drainage is through 
the Little Wabash and its numerous tribu- 
taries. The Wabash fl^ows in a southerly di- 
rection through the eastern part of the town- 
ship, receiving the waters of Big Creek, 
Second Creek and Funkhouser Creek ; 
Brockett and Coon Creeks are tributaries of 
Big Creek. These numerous streams form 
an excellent system of natural drainage, af- 
ford an ample supply of stock water, and if 
properly utilized would furnish power to 
numberless mills and other machinery. The 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



213 



original timber was similar to that described 
in Summit and other townships of the coun- 
ty, and in the bottoms consisted of walnut, 
papaw, Cottonwood, sycamore, sugar maple, 
buckeye, soft maple, etc., etc., and upon the 
plains and ridges, the different oaks, hickory, 
and other hardy growths. The township 
comprises considerable good land, and along 
the river bluffs and hills there may be found 
some that possesses little value, except for 
the timber. 

The early settlers, the men who first flocked 
to the hills and plains of Jackson Township; 
the men whose voices rang first through its ! 
heavy forests while yet the footprints of the 
red man lingfered in the sands; the men 
whose bullets first pierced the bounding deer 
that played and hid among the trees, are 
those around whom linger the most thrilling 
interest. The most of them are gone to that 
country where there are no pioneer trials 
and hardships. Some of the first settlers in 
the county located in this township; here 
dwelt and figured some of the most distin- ' 
guished characters the county has known, 
and here was the familiar " stamping ground" 
of Ben Campbell, to whom Mr. Bradsby 
has paid a fine tribute in a preceding chap- 
ter. To these pioneers and early settlers we 
will now devote a few pages. 

The first settlement in what now forms 
Jackson Township was made by Isaac Fau- 
cher in 1825, and is one of the earliest settle- '• 
ments made in the county. His brother, 
Byrou Fancher, settled a year or two later. 
They were from Tennessee, and Isaac settled 
on the place where Judge Ciillenwaters after- 
terward lived. Byron was in the Black Hawk 
war, and was a good and upright man. He ] 
afterward sold out and moved to Texas. 
Isaac died in the township many years ago. 
Ben Campbell — the David Crockett, the 
Daniel Boone of the back woods — ^was the next 



settler in this township. He came about the 
year 1826-27, and for many years took an 
active part in opening up the country and 
paving the way for the tide of immigration 
sweeping over the country from the East to 
the A\'est. He is so fully written up, how- 
ever, elsewliere, that we can add nothing 
without repetition. Jesse and Jack Fulfer 
came also in 1826. They were from the 
South, but it is not known from what State. 
They were not very pushing or energetic, 
but lived mostly by " days' works." They 
are dead and have no descendants now living 
in the county. Thomas I. Brockett came in 
1828, and was the nest addition to the set- 
tlement. Two brothers, Fred and William, 
were also early settlers in the county. They 
were all from Tennessee. Fred lived on the 
road to Blue Point, and William lived near 
the line, but probably in Union Township. 
Fred had a grist mill and saw mill on the 
Little Wabash, in Union Township. Thom- 
as was instrumental in having the tii'st school 
taught in the township. They are all dead 
and gone years ago. 

Among the aiTivals of 1829 were Samuel 
Bratton, Andrew Lilly, Henry Tucker, Will- 
iam Stephens, Jacob Nelson and his sons. 
Bratton came from some one of the Southern 
States. He settled in Jackson, but afterward 
moved into Douglas. He has no descend- 
ants in the county. Lilly was also from the 
South, and is long since dead. He used to 
"shove the queer," it is said, and was a 
great "chum" of Hull, who was finally sent 
to the penitentiary for making and passing 
counterfeit money. Tucker was from Ten- 
nessee, and settled down in the river bottom, 
where he died. He has two sens, John and 
James, still living in the township, both of 
whom were in the Mexican war. Mr. Tucker 
was an honest and honorable man, and high- 
ly respected in the community. William 



214 



HISTORY OF ErriNGHAM COUNTY. 



Stephens settled in this township, then moved 
into "Watson, and later moved away from the 
State. Nelson came from Tennessee and 
settled in White County, 111., in 1828, and 
the next year came here. He^iirst settled on 
Limestone Creek, and then in this township, 
on the place where Calvin Mitchell now lives. 
He "ciit the first stick" on that place, im- 
proved it and afterward entered it. He had 
a son named Peter and another named Wash. 
All of them are dead — Peter probably ex- 
cepted. He moved up north, came back, and 
finally moved away again, and was living the 
last known of him. 

The year 1830 brought a few more set- 
tlers to the township, among whom were 
Jesse White, Alfred WaiTon, Hemy P. 
Bailey, George and Enoch Neaville, Micajah 
Davidson and James Tui-ner. White was 
from Tennessee, and was a single man when 
he came. He man-ied soon after, however, 
and settled down on the river, but afterward 
moved out on the prairie. Bailey was also 
from Tennessee, and was the first Sheriff of 
the county He still has quite a number of 
descendants in this and the suiTOunding 
townships. Neaville was a Frenchman, and 
came from Alabama George, who was the 
father of Enoch, moved to Missouri, and 
finally died on the Gasconade River. Enoch 
moved into Watson Township, and died there. 
Davidson fii'st settled here and built a little 
mill, then sold out and moved over into 
Mason. Warren settled on the place where ' 
Ben Campbell died. He then moved across 
the Wabash onto the place where Tom Aus- 
tin now lives, and there died. 

James Turner, one of the last members of 
the old guard, and with Judge Broom, Judge 
Gillenwaters, and Mr. John Scott, the oldest 
settlei's now living in the county, is a native 
of Virginia. He emigrated to Tennessee in 
1823, and in the fall of 1830, came to Illi- 



nois, locating in Jackson Township. He still 
lives on the place where he originally settled, 
and can tell many stories, and relate many 
interesting incidents of frontier life; of how 
the pioneer left the civilization of the older 
States behind him, located in this wild 
region, far removed from the influence of the 
schoolhouse and the chiu'ch, drove back the 
savages, and paved the way for the blessings 
of to-day. "Uncle Jimmy," or "Grand- 
pap," as his intimate friends call him. will 
tell you how for years he tanned his own 
leather m troughs, and made the shoes for 
his own family and children. And a large 
family he had — nine sons and two daughters. 
The sons all grew to manhood, and sis of 
them are still living; one of the daughters 
lives in the township, and the other in Cali- 
fornia. Mr. Turner is the only one of the 
early settlers of this township, except Mr. 
Scott, now living. His memory is excellent, 
and his descriptions of pioneer life vivid 
and interesting. To him we are indebted 
for much valuable information, not only of 
this township, but of other portions of the 
county. 

The Gallants settled in the township in 
1831, but of them few facts were obtained. 
John O. Scott came here in 1832. He was 
a single man, but a few years later he mar- 
ried, as all true men should, thus carrying 
out the divine injunction to "multiply and 
replenish the earth." He and his good wife, 
who was Martha Parkhiu-st, are both living, 
honored citizens of the city of Effingham. 
Their recollection of early times and hard- 
ships is clear, and has been the means of 
preserving many historical facts from obliv- 
ion. Mrs. Scott's father, Jonathan Park- 
hui'st, was a native of New Jersey, but had 
ived some years in Tennessee, some years 
before moving to this State. He first settled 
in White County, 111., where he remained 



HISTOKY OF EFriNGHAM COUNTY. 



215 



some years, then came to this county, and 
settled in Mason Township; a few years later, 
he moved into Jackson. Thus, slowly the 
settlers came in, until all the available land 
was taken up and occupied. 

While the pioneers had many sources of 
pleaeirre and pastime, their early years here 
were years of toil. They had no mills near 
by, no agricultm-al implements, except a few 
of a very crude character, and, indeed none 
of the luxuries and but few of the comforts 
of life. Their clothing was made at home, 
of cotton and flax, grown by themselves, and 
of the skins of wild animals, moccasins in- 
cased their feet, and their food, if not "lo- 
custs and wild honey," the latter at least was 
included in the bill of faro as one of the 
main staples of food, and was plenty in the 
forest. Wild beasts were plenty, and some- 
times dangerous to cope with, if ravenously 
hungry, add to this the insects and reptiles, 
which were as thick as the leaves upon the 
trees, and the reader will conclude that 
pioneer life was not all sunshine. But with 
the increase of settlements, and the advance 
of civilization, improvements were made in 
the way of living from time to time, better 
implements and tools were brought in, and 
life became more endurable and enjoyable. 

The incidents that gave zest to frontier 
life were frontier weddings — these were 
times of general rejoicings, and ail with- 
in a large circle was invited and attended 
as punctually as when the occasion was 
a hoase-raising or a corn-husking. Sev- 
eral weddings occun-ed in Jackson Town- 
ship while it was yet in the pioneer 
period of its existence. Of those were 
Enoch Neaville and Laura Pugh, Mike 
Robinson and Delilah Pugh, .Jesse White 
and Kate Neaville and John Scott and 
Martha Parkhurst. We cannot, like the 
modern Jenkins, give a full description of 



these fair brides, their trousseaus and wed- 
ding traps generally, but have no' doubt it 
corresponded with the happy events celebrat- 
ed. Ever since that wonderful triumph of 
millinery art long ago, of manufacturing an 
entire feminine wardrobe from fig leaves, 
female ingenuity has been equal to any oc- 
casion when a display of brilliant costumes 
was required, and it would be superfluous 
to say that her resources did not fail upon 
these occasions. 

An incident to the point, and illustrative 
of the times, is related by Judge Gillenwa- 
ters: Fred. Brockett's wife died, and some 
years ■ afterward he made up his mind to 
marry again, and began to cast about him for 
a suitable helpmeet. He went into the mat- 
ter much as he would have embarked in any 
other business enterprise. He mounted his 
horse and traveled from neighborhood to 
neighborhood, and everywhere his inquiries 
were for some " good looking, middle- iiged 
widow 'oman, who wanted to marry," that he 
was " out on the hunt of a wife, and would 
like to find such a 'owan. " Some distance 
south of here he made his usual inquiries, 
and was informed that about twenty miles 
back was the very woman who would fill the 
bill; that she was sensible, practical, and had 
plenty of the world's goods. He turned and 
retraced his steps, and went to see the wo- 
man. Afterward, when asked why he did 
not man-y her, he said " she wouldn't do at 
all," that he " didn't want any such a little, 
crooked, di'ied-up 'oman as that." But we 
are told that " time, patience and persever- 
ance will accomplish all things," so he finally 
succeeded in finding a woman to suit his 
tastes in all respects. 

In the regular coiu-se of human nature, 
births follow marriages, and the lirst birth 
in the township was a pair of twins with 
different fathers and mothers. They were, 



316 



HISTOKY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



however, born in the same house, on the 
same night, and was a son of Stephen Austin 
and a daughter of Thomas I. Brookett. The 
circumstances attending this " phenomenon " 
are detailed in a preceding chapter. They 
were soon followed by others. With so many 
pioneer weddings as we have accredited to 
Jackson, an increase of popalation is but a 
natural consequence. We were informed 
that the crop of children in the community 
was sure and large, hence it follows that 
these new married couples essayed to follow, 
or rather to carry out, the Biblical injunction 
— to " multiply and replenish the earth." 

The first death in the township was the 
result of an accident. Isaac Fulfer, in cut- 
ting a bee tree, was caught in some manner 
by a falling limb and crushed to death. The 
accident was a melancholy one, and the vio- 
lent death it involved cast a gloom over the 
entire settlement. The first person who died 
a natural death was a young man named 
Ciunmings, a nephew of Eod Jenkins. He 
came to the neighborhood with the intention 
of making it his home, and was taken sick 
soon after his arrival and died. He was 
buried at Jenkins', in a quiet spot where no 
graveyard had been laid out then, nor has 
beau since. The first graveyard was near 
Freemanton, and was laid out in a very early 
day. A number of private graveyards, or 
family burying grounds, have been made and 
peopled by the the " pale nations of the 
dead." 

Mills were one of the first improvements 
in which the people took an interest, after 
becoming settled down to work. Brockett 
had a mill down on the river, but there is some 
question as to whether it was in Jackson, 
Mason or Union Township. Funkhouser 
had a horse mill a little east of Freemanton. 
It would be thought a poor excuse as a mill 
at this day, but then it was considered a 



grand improvement. Tucker had a mill 
very early. It was on the Little Wabash, 
and had what was called a tub wheel. A 
man named Meeks built it for Tucker. * He 
was a sort of a millwright, and an early set- 
tler of the township, but no one knows now 
what became of him. Jonathan Parkhurst 
had a little horse mill, with stones about fif- 
teen inches in diameter. Some mischievous 
fellows, without the fear of God before them, 
stole them one night, and carried them off 
by running their arms through the hole in 
them, and they were not found for three 
months. It happened that this mill was the 
only " dry weather " mill then for a circuit 
of many miles. Mr. Turner says that during 
all that time they had to "grit" meal; and 
when the corn got too dry for that process, 
they would boil it in water until it got tight 
enough on the cob to enable them to " grit " 
it into meal. 

Eoads and highways were not laid out for 
several j'ears after settlements were made in 
the townshijis. The first roads were trails 
through the forests and prairies, made by 
the Indians. These were improved upon by 
the white people, and served as highways 
until roads were laid out and made by county 
authority. The old National road passes 
through a corner of Jackson, and is fully wi-it- 
ten up in preceding chapters of this work. 

When the county was organized, one. of 
the fii'st voting places was at the house of 
Thomas I. Brockett, and even before the 
county was formed, while it was yet a part 
of Fayette County, it was a voting place. 
The last election, before the organization of 
Effingham County, there were but thirteen 
votes polled at Brockett's — and they were 
solid for Gen. Jackson. We may add, that 
a majority of the voters in that neighbor- 
hood are still voting (figm'atively) for Old 
Hickory. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



217 



The first goods sold in the township was 
by John Funkhouser, about the year 1833. 
He opened a store on the place where he 
settled, which is claimed by many to have 
been the first one established in the county, 
while others reject the authority. If Funk- 
houser's was not first, it was among the first. 
It certainly was the first in Jackson Town- 
ship< He carried on an extensive business 
in early times. Besides his store and mill, 
he was a great trader, and bought all the 
surplus products of the people. But so 
much has already been said of this pioneer 
business man that we can add nothing with- 
out repetition. 

By reference to the chapter on education it 
will be seen that the first school in the county 
was taught in this township by Elisha Park- 
hurst, then a boy but twelve years old, and 
that his schoolroom was a quarter section of 
Thomas I. Brockett's stable. Brockett was 
the sponsor or godfather of this school, and 
what the boy Elisha could not do in man- 
ageing it, Brockett did for him, and between 
them they carried on a pretty good school 
for the time. 

Another of the pioneer schools, and which 
Judge Broom believes to have been the first 
in the county, wr.s taught by Col. Houston 
in the south part of the township, near the 
line between it and Mason Township. It was 
taught in the first regular schoolhouse 
erected, perhaps, in the county. Mr. Turner 
says he helped to build it, and that it was 
constructed of round logs and had a wooden 
chimney, puncheon floor, etc. As population 
increased, and children likewise, other 
schools were established in the different 
neighborhoods, and schoolhouses built to ac- 
commodate them, lentil, at the present time, 
the township enjoys the most liberal educa- 
tional facilities. 

Churches were established coeval with the 



settlement of the township by white people. 
The Baptists were the pioneers of religion in 
this neighborhood, and mingled their hymns 
with the screams of the pimther and the 
howl of the wolf. The first preacher here, 
and probably the tii-st, at least among the 
first, in the county, were Elders Whitely and 
Surrells, regular Baptists, or as they are 
sometimes irreverently called "Hardshells," 
or "Ironjackets." Rev.' Sui-rells was the 
gi-andfather of Mr. W. P. SuiTells of Efl3ng- 
ham. They preached at people's houses long 
before there were any churches built in the 
county. James Turner's house was for years, 
a preaching place for these and other 
pioneer ministers. Old Sulphur Springs 
Baptist Chui'ch, and the old Methodist 
Church at Freemanton were the first churches 
built in the township. Sulphur Springs 
Baptist Church stood near the center of the 
township, and was built very early. It was 
burned in 1879. Its destruction resulted 
from a defective flue; there had been services, 
and scarcely had the people reached their 
homes, when the house was discovered to be 
on ffre; many rushed back but were too late 
to save the building, or anything else, except 
a few benches and other little things. A 
young man, at the risk of his life, entered 
the burning building, and saved the church 
bible, which was a very fine one, and highly 
prized by the congregation. 

The Sulphur Springs Baptist Church was 
rebuilt, and is now known as the First 
Baptist Chiu-ch. It stands on what is called 
"Little Prairie, " near the site of the old one, 
and was built during the winter of 1881-82, 
at a cost of about $1,000, It is a comfortable 
and substantial frame building. The pre- 
sent membership is Over one hundred and is 
under the pastorate of E14er T. M. Grifiith. 
A Sunday school is kept up all the year 
around. 



218 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



Salem Methodist Episcopal Church South 
is located in the southwest corner of the 
township, and was built some twenty years 
ago. It has a strong membership and a good 
but plain frame chm'ch building. Rev. 
Herbert Reed is the present pastor. A 
Sunday school is kept up regularly. 

Union Ba,ptist Church, a kind of offshoot 
of the Sulphur Springs Baptist Church, is 
located on Section 9, and the building was 
put up in the spring of 1882. The organiza- 
tion of this church resulted from some 
dissensions which arose in the parent church, 
and the dissatisfied members withdrew and 
built this church. It is a union church, free 
to all orthodox Christians; is a substantial 
frame building and was put up at a cost of 
about S700. There is no regular preaching 
at present, but a good Sunday school is 
maintained. These, with the church at 
Dexter, and the one that formerly stood in 
the village of Freemanton, comprise the 
religious history of the township. The 
people have never wanted for church facil- 
ities, and if they are not moral and religious, 
it must be their own fault, and not for lack 
of Christian influences; neither was it for lack 
of these that the early years witnessed mu.ch 
dissipation and wickedness in the country. 

The village of Freemanton was laid out 
June 21, 1884, on the east half of the north- 
west quarter of Section 7, of this township. 
It was surveyed and platted by William J. 
Hankins, surveyor, for the proprietors of the 
ground. William and John Freeman were 
early residents and business men of the 
place, and from them the town took its name. 
It was originally called "The X Roads," 
and if all the reports in cii'culation concern- 
ing it are true, then Nasby's " Confedrit X 
Roads, wich is in the State of Kentucky," 
was a moral, dignified and circumspect place, 
as compared to Freemanton in its palmy 



days. It was a great place for drinking and 
fighting, and its reputation abroad was any- 
thing but enviable. Men were killed in 
Freemanton, but such incidents are better 
forgotten than perpetuated on the page of 
history. It was on the old National road, a 
few miles west of Ewington, and when that 
great thoroughfare (the road) was in the 
course of construction, the hands engaged 
upon it would Assemble regularly at Ewiug- 
ton and Freemanton, and filling themselves 
with the "craythur," the lively "scrim- 
mages" of Donnybrook would be re-enacted 
with compound interest. Many of the deni- 
zens, too, of the Little Wabash Bluflfs and of 
"Fiddler's Ridge" would come out semi- 
periodically, and then the fun between them 
and the road hands would be lively, and 
carried on in earnest. But as the coimtry 
grew older, society improved, the rough and 
lawless characters that frequented Freeman- 
ton, to the terror of the more quiet people, 
left for other fields and for the country's 
good. 

As will be seen from the date of its sm-vey, 
Freemanton is an old place, or was, for, like 
several other towns of Effingham County, it 
has passed away and is " numbered among 
the things that were." But it was once quite 
a business point, as well as a noted place 
morally, and — socially. The first store is 
believed to have been kept by Mr. Johnson. 
A store was opened very early by Toothacre 
and one by Bishop. A man named Jenks 
had a blacksmith shop, and later there were 
several other shops opened of diflerent kinds. 
"Dr." Bishop had a carding machine, which 
was run by horse-power. He afterward put 
in mill machinery and had a grist and saw 
mill, carrying on quite an extensive busi- 
ness. A post office was established at Free- 
manton, and Milton Flack was Postmaster. 
This was afterward discontinued, or removed 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



21» 



to Dexter. A tavern was kept by Toothacre; 
he also kept the stage stand, when those ve- 
hicles (the stage-coach) got to running over 
the National road. 

A church was built here very early, by the 
Methodists. It was a log structure, and 
stood down by the graveyard. It was never 
used by any other denomination regularly 
except the Methodists, who once had a strong 
chui'ch here. When the schoolhouse was 
built, it was used for church purposes by all 
sects who so desired. Rev. Mr. Lowry was a 
local Methodist preacher ?ibout Freemanton 
in an early day. 

The village of Freemanton flourished as all 
such places do, until the Iniilding of the 
railroads. The building of the National 
road gave it birth; the building of the Van- 
dalia Railroad sounded its death-knell. The 
construction of these modern internal im- 
provements has overwhelmed many a puny 
village, as earthquake.^ and volcanic eruptions 
overwhelmed cities of old. When the Van- 
dalia Railroad was built and opened for 
business, Freemanton ' ' wrapped the drapery 
of its couch ' ' about its " disgruntled " shops 
and stores and "laid down to unpleasant 
dreams." The site vtpon which it stood is 
now a flourishing farm. Quantum .sufficit. 

The village of Dexter, if a collection of 
half a dozen houses can be called a village, 
is on the Vandalia Railroad, but a few hun- 
dred yards from the original site of Freeman- 
ton, and is merely a railroad station. It has 
never been laid out as a town, and probably 
never will be. The first store was opened by 
H. H. Brown, soon after the completion of 



the railroad. Brown sold out to Joel Blake- 
ly, and he to J. H. Said, and the latter sold 
to McClure & Pope. There are now two 
stores in the place; one kept by J. W. Mc- 
Clure, and the other by Pantry. A hotel, 
the "Ohio House," and a few shops, com- 
prise the business of the place. The post 
office was moved from Freemanton. 

A Methodist Episcopal Church was built at 
Dexter in 1S75, and is a handsome frame 
building, costing about SI, 500. The present 
pastor is Rev. Mr. Walker. The church is 
strong and flourishing, with an interesting 
Sunday school, which is kept up all the 
year round. A district schoolhouse has 
been built here, and is occupied for the us- 
ual school term. 

Granville, to which reference has been 
made elsewhere, is one of those towns that 
has disappeared from the very face of the — 
map. The exact place of its location is 
somewhat doubtful, and it is claimed both 
for Summit and Jackson Townships. From 
the records, however, it appears to have been 
situated on Sections 4 and 5, of Township 7, 
and in Range 5 east, which places it in Jack- 
son, near the Summit line. It was surveyed 
by Samuel Houston for John Funkhouser 
and W^illiam Clark, the proprietors. As to 
whether the town covered the two sections 
named, the records are indefinite, but we 
venture to give it as an historical fact that 
it did not, and that it never got beyond a 
few shops and stores, and a half dozen or so 
of dwellings. It was finally vacated by legis- 
lative enactment, when "its glory depai-ted 
forever," and its sun went down in darkness. 



220 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XIX/ 



UNION TOWNSHIP— INTRODUCTORY — BOUNDARIES AND TOPOGRAPHY— WHITE SETTLEMENT- 
FREDERICK BROCKETT — OTHER PIONEERS — INCIDENTS OF EARLY LIFE— THE FIRST 
ROADS — EDUCATIONAL — SCHOOLHOUSES— CHURCHES, ETC.— FLEMSBURG 
VILLAGE— A TRAGEDY AND ITS RESULTS. 



" The wolf and deer are seen no more 
Among the woods, along the shore ; 
And where was heard the panther's scream. 
The farmer drives his jocund team. 
Where once the Indian wigwam stood, 
Upon the border of some wood. 
The stately mansion now is seen. 
Amid broad fields and pastures green." 

f" I "'HE history of this township dates back to 
-*~- the advent of the first pioneers in Effing- 
ham County — not the very first solitary strag- 
gler who wandered into the wilds, as aimless 
in his movements as the Argonaut of old in 
his quest for gold over the face of the earth 
— but the first real pioneer, who came hunt- 
ing game as well as the fabled mines of pre- 
cious metal, game being the one supreme 
thing of life. This section of country is 
mostly heavily timbered, and its numerous 
streams suj^ply it with abundance of water, 
as well as give it a moat excellent drainage. 
It was these that, ages ago, made this point 
in the county the resort of many wild ani- 
mals, and the rendezvous of Indian tribes. 
The hoary trunks of tall, majestic trees, the 
commingling of their variegated foliage, 
their deep and dense shades, the wild fruits, 
bubbling springs, with their cool and grate- 
ful water, the natm-al beauties aud the pro- 
tection from storms and the elements, all 
combined to make this the home of birds, 
beasts and men. All this was sufiicient evi- 
dence to the pioneer hunter that here he 

•By G. N. Berry, 



could find that which he sought — game; and 
when he beheld these, he stopped, kindled 
his camp-fires, sat down on his log seat, and, 
in happy content, cooked his frugal meals. 
And as the blue smoke struggled up through 
the branches and leaves of the trees, and the 
fire threw its glaring light upon the weird, 
surrounding objects, the story was first told 
to the wild denizens of the woods that man, 
civilized man, with his death-dealing weap- 
ons, was come among them. 

• Union Township lies in the south central 
part of the county. It is considerably un- 
even and broken, and was originally about 
three-fourths heavily timbered, though of 
late years much of tlie timbered land has 
been cleared and brought into cultivation. 
There is a considerable tract of i^rairie in the 
southern and southeastern parts, and a very 
beautiful scooe of level land extending into 
the timber in the northeast corner; but, aside 
from these portions, the township surface is 
very rolling and hilly, with numerous ra 
vines traversing it in various directions. 
The banks of the Little Wabash, the princi- 
pal water-course, are very high, rugged and 
precipitous, and in places are composed al- 
most wholly of large masses of shelving rock 
and huge bowlders. Back from the stream a 
short distance, the land stretches away into 
a broad, flat bottom, especially in the north- 
ern part, which are covered with a dense for- 
est of the largest timber to be found any- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



321 



where in the county, consisting mostly of 
olm, sycamore, ash. walnut, and a variety of 
other growths, while the uplands are covered 
principally by forests of large oaks, the best 
timber in this section of the country. The 
Little Wabash enters the township near the 
northwest corner, in Section 7, and flows in an 
easterly course about two miles, when it 
makes an abrupt turn in a southward direc- 
tion, crossing the county line about two miles 
from the western boundary in Section 32. 
This is a running stream all the year, and, 
during certain seasons, it becomes a raging 
ton'ent, frequently overflowing its banks for 
considerable distances on either side, doing 
a gi-eat deal of damage to the country. The 
chief tribiitary of the Little Wabash is Bish- 
op Creek, the second stream in size in the 
county. It flows through the township in a 
westerly direction, and empties in the for- 
mer, Ramsey Creek, a stream of consider- 
able size and importance, traverse? the east- 
ern part of the township and empties into 
Bishop about one mile east of the place where 
the latter unites with the Wabash. The 
other water-courses worthy of mention are 
Coon Creek, in the southwestern part of the 
township, and Little Bishop, in the northern 
part. As an agricultural district, this divis- 
ion of the county is not so good as some of 
the sister townships more recently settled, as 
the soil is not so fertile as that of the prairie. 
By proper tillage, however, it yields very 
fair crops of corn, wheat and other cereals 
commonly raised in this part of the ooimtry, 
and produces the best varieties of fruits, to 
which the soil seems well adapted. The bot- 
tom lands that have been cleared and brought 
into cultivation are much more fertile than 
the higher wooded portions, the soil in some 
places being several feet in depth, and of a 
rich vegetable mold. Union is bounded on 
the north, east and west by the townships of 



Watson, Lucas and Mason, in the order 
named, while Clay County forms its southern 
boundary. 

The first white man who broke the solitude 
of natiu'e within the present limits of Union 
was Frederick Brocket, one of the earliest 
pioneers of Effingham County. He settled 
in the northeastern part, on the Little Wa- 
bash, about the year 1829, and cleared forty 
acres of land in Section 18. A few years 
later, he erected a small " tub " mill on the 
river, the first piece of machinery of the kind 
ever operated in the county, and for several 
years the only flour and meal supply nearer 
than Vandalia or Terre Haute. Brocket op- 
erated it about eight years, when it was com- 
pletely destroyed by fire. The life and char- 
acter of this noted pioneer demand more than 
a mere passing notice. He was born in Ten- 
nessee, and his youth and early manhood 
were passed amid the genial, bracing airs of 
his mountain home, where he acquired, by 
following a life of constant exercise, a stock 
of that rugged vitality so necessary for a man 
who locates in a new and wild country. He 
came to this State when it was in the infancy 
of its existence, when there were but one or 
two sparse settlements within the present 
bounds of this county, and passed the vigor 
of his manhood in helping to build up and 
develop the country, in which he always took 
great pride. Unlike many of the first set- 
tlers on the frontier, he was a man of charac- 
ter, sterling integrity, a true Christian, and 
was widely and favorably known throughout 
the entire country during the early days of its 
history. He was first to take an interest in 
the cause of education in the township, and, 
as soon as there were children sufficient to 
start a school, fitted up a part of his resi- 
dence at his own expense, which he gener- 
ously donated for that purpose. When the 
school was in readiness, no one could be found 



222 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



in the neighborhood sufficiently well quali- 
fied to act the part of instructor, so he took 
upon himself the labors of that position, also, 
and taught the first school in the southern 
part of the county. 

At the first election held in the precinct of 
which Union was formerly a part, he was 
■ elected Justice of the Peace, which office he 
discharged very creditably for several consecu- 
tive terms. He accumulated a very hand- 
some property during the period of his resi- 
dence here, and built one of the fii'st frame 
houses in the county. His death occurred in 
the year 1856, at a ripe old age. The old 
place where his first little cabin stood is now 
owned by Henry Bushue and the Robinson 
heirs, and the mill site is in possession of 
"William Bradley. 

Martin K. Robinson, a son-in-law of Brock- 
et, was the next settler who came into this 
township. He arrived about one year later 
(1830), and the place whei-e he settled is a 
short distance east of the Brocket farm, on 
the same section. He cleared forty acres of 
ground, and, some six years later, purchased 
the mill site of his father-in-law, rebuilt the 
mill, which he operated for eight or ten 
years, and made, while running it, consider- 
able money. This he afterward invested in 
lands in the vicinity. His mill was de- 
stroyed by fire also, after having been in op- 
eration for some eleven years. It was after- 
ward rebuilt by a Mr. Bra,dley. At the time 
of Robinson's death, in 1857, he was in afflu- 
ent circumstances, and one of the largest 
land-owners in the coiinty. Two of his 
daughters are at this time living in the coun- 
ty — Mrs. Bradbury and Mrs. McManaway — 
the former in this township, and the latter in 
the village of Mason. About this time, a 
number of transient settlers, or, as they are 
generally called, squatters, located in the 
timber along the Little Wabash and Bishop 



Creeks, and built several cabins, around which 
small garden patches were cleared. They ap- 
pear to have been a very thriftless, do-nothing 
set, and spent the greater part of their time 
hunting and trapping, and, when the lands 
were entered by the settlers who came in af- 
terward, they left and moved on further 
West, all the time keeping just in the ad- 
vance of civilization. 

From this time until the year 1835, there 
does not appear to have been any additional 
settlements made in the township, as far as 
we have been able to learn. The latter year was 
signalized by the advent of a family of five 
brothers by the name of Gordon, who settled 
temporarily on the Little Wabash, a short dis- 
tance south of whereWillianiWilsonnow lives. 
Their names were William, Pleasant, Abra- 
ham, Joseph and Nelson, the last-named be- 
ing the only one that made any permanent 
improvements. The others were rather care- 
less, thriftless fellows, who spent most of 
their time in hunting and watching their 
large droves of wild hogs, which, at that 
time, required no feeding, as the abundance 
of mast found in the woods was their chief 
subsistence. In the fall of the year, these 
hogs would be hunted down and butchered, 
and the meat hauled to the nearest market 
place, or traded to the other settlers in the 
neighborhood. Nelson Gordon sold his land, 
in 1S47, to William Wilson, and, with his 
family, moved to Texas, where he was soon 
after joined by the rest of the brothers. 

The first legal entry of land in the town- 
ship was made in the year 1836, by Isaac 
Gordon, near Flemsburg Mill, in Section 30. 
He was an uncle of those already named, but, 
unlike them, was a man of considerable pub- 
lic spirit and enterprise, and did as much, 
perhaps, toward developing his township as 
any other man in it. The farm was pur- 
chased about ten years later, by a man 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



over twenty 



named Samilson, a Dane, who laid out the 
village of Flemsburg and built the second 
mill in the township. Hastings Hughes, a 
colored man, was an early settler, having 
come to the county as early am the year 1836, 
and settled in the northern part of the town- 
ship, where he entered and improved about 
eighty acres of land. He was the first black- 
smith in the township, and worked at his 
trade in connection with, his farm labor for 
several years. He afterward sold his land 
and moved to Flemsburg, where he built a 
shop which he, operated for 
years. 

"William and Redding Blunt, two brothers, 
and Kitchie Robinson, located near the cen- 
tral part of the township, on Salt Creek, in 
the spring of 1838, and were followed a lit- 
tle later by William and Joshua Moody, who 
settled near the northeastern part of the 
township, where they entered and improved 
about forty acres apiece. They were young 
unmarried men, and, after having erected a 
couple of small cabins on their respective 
claims, and cleared a few acres of ground, 
seemed to realize the full force of that Script- 
ural injunction that " it is not good for man 
to be alone." Their respect for this partic 
ular portion of Holy Writ having been in- 
duced by the presence in the neighborhood 
of two daughters of William Blunt, who 
found much favor in their eyes. A double 
marriage, in which the above parties were 
the chief actors, took place at the residence 
of the brides' father in the fall of 1840, and 
was the first ceremony of the kind solem- 
nized in Union Township. Squire Leith, of 
Mason, was ,the dignitary who gave legal 
sanction to the contract on that occasion, and 
it is to be presumed that another command 
of the Divine Word — to " multiply and till 
the earth " — was obeyed by the two happy 
couples, as the younger editions of Moody's, 



who became numerous in this locality in af- 
ter years, testified. 

A list of Union's early settlers would be 
incomplete without the name of John Trapp. 
He came into the township about the year 
1838, and located a farm in the eastern part, 
near the place where Marion settled. He 
moved near Ewington a few years later, and 
figured rather prominently in the early poli- 
tics of the county, having been elected to the 
position of (!!lerk in one of the most hotly 
contested elections ever held in the county. 

Josiah and Martin Hull settled in the 
township, near Salt Creek, in the year 1842, 
and found, in addition to those previously 
mentioned, a man named Evans, who had 
preceded them, but of him we could learn 
nothing further than that he was accounted 
a very worthy man and an exemplary citizen. 
The Hulls were among the substantial pio- 
neers of Union, and cleared good farms, and 
were identified with everj' movement calcu- 
lated to advance the township's prosperity. 
Martin was elected Justice of the Peace about 
four years after coming to the county, and 
filled the office one year, when he sold the 
farm to a Mr. Sperling and moved from the 
township. Josiah disposed of his place in 
1849 aud moved to Marion County, whore he 
is still living. In 184G, there were living in 
the town-ship, in addition to the families 
enumerated, Warren Neal, William M. Wil- 
son, Ahert Simmerman and Stephen A. W^ill- 
iams. Neal settled in the southeastern part 
of the township, where his widow, a very old 
woman, still lives. Wilson came to Illinois 
from Ohio in the fall of 1845, and located in 
Section IS, where he still resides, the oldest 
settler in the township. He served the peo- 
ple as Justice of the Peace from 1849 until 
1872. Simmerman settled in the southern 
part of the township, where Charles Wilson 
now lives. He came from Virginia, and was 



334 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUXTY. 



among the prominent citizens of the county. 
Williams was the tirst preacher in the town- 
ship, and organized the first religious society, 
at the residence of Simmerman, abotit the 
year 1848. He was a man of superior intel- 
lectual attainments, a gifted orator and a 
thorough business man. At the breaking-out 
of the late war, he entered the army as First 
Lieutenant, and participated in many of the 
hardest battles in the Southwestern cam 
paigns. He came home in the winter of 
1862, on furlough, and died. 

The names of other early settlers could be 
added to the list already given, but the dates 
of their settlement, and facts concerning their 
early life have been obscured by the lapse of 
time. Many of the pioneers have passed 
away " as a tale that is told. " Others re- 
moved to distant lands, but by far the great- 
er number have passed into the " wiudowless 
palace of the dead, whose doors open not out- 
ward." For many years during the early 
history of this section of the country, the 
lives of the pioneers were not enviable. 
Their trials were numerous, and the obsta- 
cles they were called upon to encounter would 
discourage the bravest-hearted of the present 
day; yet, hard as was their life in the wil- 
derness, it had its seasons of recreation, if 
such could be called recreation. Raisings, 
log-rollings, etc., when the settlers from far 
and near would meet, and, while working, 
would recount various incidents, talk over 
old times, and thus relieve the monotony of 
their isolated situation. Light hearts, strong 
constitutions and clear consciences made the 
toilsome hours pass pleasantly, and old men 
now living, whose youth was spent among the 
stirring scenes of those times, look back with 
pleasiu"e to the old days as the most enjoya- 
ble period of their lives. Their fii-st duty 
was to provide a shelter, and their rude cab- 
ins were hastilv built, daubed with mud; the 



floors were often nothing but mother earth, 
made smooth and compact by constant usage, 
or of rough puncheon; and the bedsteads and 
tables, with a chair or two, were almost the 
sole furniture. Pewter plates and cups were 
common, and the huge, open-mouthed fire- 
place, surrounded by pots, skillets, ovens, 
pans, etc., were used for cooking, as stoves at 
that time were not in vogue on the frontier. 
Corn-dodgers, baked in an oven or skillet, 
and johnny-cake, baked on a board before a 
fire, with venison prepared in various ways, 
were considered food fit for the gods. 

The early roads through the woods and 
over the hills of this township were mere 
trails, that had originally been made by the 
Indians, and afterward improved by the peo- 
ple and made into highways. The first road 
that was surveyed and regularly established 
in the southern part of the county passed 
through the western part of this township, in 
a southerly direction, and known as the 
Louisville & Ewington road, as it connected 
those two places. The original route has been 
greatly changed during the last twenty years, 
and it is still one of the most extensively 
traveled highways in the county. Another 
early road was the one leading west from the 
Brocket Mill to Mason, where it connected 
with an important highway which ran to 
Vandalia. The Clay County & Mason 
road was established many years ago, and 
passed through the central j)art of the town- 
ship, from east to west. When first laid out, 
there were no bridges where these roads 
crossed the streams, and hence, in time of 
high water, travel had to be suspended. 
Now there are several good bridges over the 
principal water-courses, so that overflows are 
no impediment to travel. 

In educational matters Union Township is 
not behind her sister townships of the coun- 
ty. Her citizens have always taken special 




^,^^ii0^' 





.m 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



227 



interest and pride in the public schools, 
which have been well sustained and patron- 
ized. The first school, as already stated, was 
taught by Frederick Brocket, at his resi- 
dence, about the year 1846. The second term 
was taught at the same place, the following 
year, by William Ventis. Emoline Little 
taught about the same time, in a little log 
cabin that had formerly been occupied as a 
dwelling by John Trapp, and that stood a 
short distance east of the Brocket farm. A 
small hut. that had been abandoned bv a 
squatter by the name of Johnson, was fitted 
up for school purposes, and occupied by 
Dempsey Hamilton, who taught a three- 
months subscription school in the winter of 
1847-48. The first regular schoolhotise was 
built in the fall of 1848,, and stood near Nel- 
son Gordon's residence, in Section IS. It 
was a good house, made of hewed logs, well 
furnished, and was supplied with a stove — 
probably the fii'st building of the kind in the 
country heated by such an appliance. 

The first public school in the township was 
taught by David Phelps, in this building, 
about the year 1849. It was used for school 
pm-poses for a little more than twenty years, 
when it was purchased by Samuel Leith, 
who moved it to his farm, and at present oc- 
cupies it as a residence. A frame school- 
house was erected near the same place in 
1870, and is knovni as District No. 1. Among 
the early pedagogues who wielded the birch 
in Union were Minnie Anderson, John An- 
derson, James Anderson, Thomas Vanderver 
(now a prominent physician and druggist of 
Efiingham), Vincent Wyth and Dr. Allen. 
The township is well supplied with good 
frame schoolhouses at proper intervals, in 
which schools are taught about eight months 
of the year. 

The New-Lights, or Christians, as they 
call themselves, organized the first church in 



the township, at the residence of Ahart 
Simpson, as has already been stated, and 
met for worship there for a number of years. 
A building was afterward erected near the 
southern limit of the township, known as 
Bethsaida Church, where a small congrega- 
tion still meet. The' building is frame, and 
cost about $600. Among the early pastors 
were Stephen A. Williams, to whose labors 
the church owes its existence; Andrew Ho- 
gan, and a man by the name of Patterson. 
There have been religious services held in 
the schoolhouses throughout the township by 
ministers of several denominations at difier- 
ent times, but aside from the organization 
alluded to, no other church ever had an ex- 
istence in Union. 

Dr. James Long was the fu'st person to 
practice the healing art among the pioneers 
of Southern Effingham, and moved into the 
tovrashijj from Mason about the year 1846, 
and located near FlemsbiU'g. His profes- 
sional life in this part of the county extend- 
ed over a period of five or six years. The 
second maiTiage in the township took place 
in about the year 1846, at the residence of 
John Trapp, when his daughter, Catharine, 
and John Gordon, took ujjon themselves the 
responsibilities of matrimony. Rev. Stephen 
Williams officiated at the ceremony. It was 
in the month of November when this impor- 
tant event transpired, and the smiling groom 
app.eared before the guests gayly attired in 
his shirt sleeves, linen pants and, a pair of 
cow-hide shoes. Another early marriage was 
that of Calvin Broekett and ]\Iiss Rowena 
Hall, this year. The ceremony was per- 
formed by Squire Martin Hull, at the resi- 
dence of Joseph Hull, where the couple went 
for the purpose, the bride's father being kept 
in blissful ignorance, in the meantime, on 
account of his decided objection to the match. 
The first birth taking place in Union was a 

M 



328 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



child of Martin K. Robinson, which was born 
shortly after the family moved to the town- 
ship. The old Brocket Graveyard was the 
first place consecrated to the burial of the 
dead, and is at this time so overgrown with 
brush and weeds that it could not be distin- 
guished, save for a slight paling around one 
little grave, where the child of some unknown 
stranger lies buried. 

The Flemsburg Mill was built by Hartwig 
Samilson, in the year 1850, on the Little 
Wabash, from which it received the power 
that operated it. It stood in Section 30, and 
was in operatinn about four years, when it 
was torn down and rebuilt on a much more 
improved plan, and has been doing a very 
good business ever since. Mr. Samilson laid 
out a small village at this point in the year 
1851, and a store was opened soon after by 
Messrs. Thole & Ruse, who conducted busi- 
ness for about two years. A few residences 
were erected and a blacksmith shop built, but 
the village was destined to be of short dura- 
tion, as there were no inducements for busi- 
ness men or mechanics to locate here. The 
store was closed out by Mr. Ruse in the year 
1854. aad the dwellings gradually disap- 
peared, until now there is nothing of the 
town except one blacksmith shop and the 
mill. 

A horrible murder was committed near the 
place in the year 1860, under the following 



circumstances: A man by name of Shep- 
herd, living about one mile east of the river, 
entered a piece of land adjoining his farm, 
on which a couple of squatters by name of 
"Shell" and "Dick" Russell had settled 
some time previous. They refused to leave 
the land, and the rights of property were 
tried before Squire Wilson, who retiu'ned a 
verdict in favor of Shepherd, whereupon 
the Russell brothers took an appeal from the 
decision to the court. Satui'day before court 
convened. Shepherd went to the village of 
Mason to do some trading, where he remained 
till dark, and started home after night. He 
was met on the Flemsburg bridge by the 
Russell boys and two associates, Scott How- 
ell and Jacob Booher, knocked off his horse 
with a heavy club, dragged down the stream 
a short distance and thrown over the bank 
into the water. The horse was found the 
following Monday by some neighbors, who 
went out to look for Shepherd. The saddle 
was covered with blood, which at once aroused 
suspicions of foul play. Upon further 
search, the body of Shepherd was found on a 
sand-bar, on which it had fallen when thrown 
over the bank. The murderers were arrest- 
ed, tried, their guilt established, and they 
ware sentenced to be hanged. A short time 
before the day set for their execution, they 
broke jail and escaped, since which nothing 
has been heard of them. 




HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



229 



CHAPTER XX.* 



ST. FRANCIS TOWNSHIP— DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY— THE FIRST SETTLERS AND THEIR 
HARDSHIPS— A TRAGEDY— MILLS, ROADS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS— EARLY RELIG- 
IOUS HISTORY— CHURCHES AND PREACHERS— SCHOOLS, SCHOOLHOUSES, ETC. 
—THE VILLAGE OF MONTROSE— ITS GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, ETC. 



AS we travel along the highways that 
traverse this beautiful prairie township, 
it is difBcult to realize that less than tifty 
years ago these luxuriant plains and fertile 
fields were the hiding i:)laces of the wolf and 
formed part of a vast unbroken wild which 
gave but little promise of the high state 
civilization it has since attained. Instead of 
the rude log cabin and diminutive boai-d 
shanty, we now see dotting the land in all 
directions comfortable and well built farm- 
houses, many of them of the latest style of 
architecture — graceful, substantial and con- 
venient. We see also neat church edifices 
lifting their modest spii-es heavenward and 
good schoolhouses at close intervals. The 
fields are loaded with the choicest cereals, 
pastures are alive with numerous herds of 
fine cattle and other stock of improved 
quality, while everything bespeaks the thrift 
and prosperity with which the farmer in this 
fertile region is blessed. 

St. Francis lies in the extreme northeastern 
part of the county and embraces within its 
area thirty-sis sections of land, which, for 
agricultural and grazing purposes, are unex- 
celled by any similar number of acres in this 
part of the State. Topographically, the 
township may be described as of an even sur- 
face in the central and eastern portions with 
occasional undulations of a somewhat 
irregular character in the northwest corner. 
It is principally prairie, and when first seen 



by white men was covered with a dense 
growth of tall gi'ass, which attested the fertile 
quality of the soil beneath. This soil is similar 
to that of the prairies of the suiTounding 
townships, being a rich, dark loam resting oji 
a clay subsoil, and everywhere noted for its 
great productiveness. The timbered districts 
are confined chiefly to the southern and south- 
western portions, though there is some verj' 
fair timber in the northwest corner and 
skirting Salt Creek, which traverses that p:u-t 
of the tjwnship. In the forests are found 
most of the varieties indigenous to this lati- 
tude, principally hickory, oak, elm, sycamore, 
maple and walnut in limited quantities; the 
country is sufficiently well watered and 
drained by Salt Creek and Little Salt Creek, 
and several small tributaries that flow into 
them from many points. 

St. Francis lies in the great wheat belt of 
Illinois, and this cereal is the principal staple, 
though corn, rye, oats, barley, flax, etc., to- 
gether with many of the root crops, are 
raised in abundance. Nowhere is there better 
encouragement afforded the fi'uit gi'ower than 
here. A soil of jjeculiar adaptability and a 
climate equally favorable insiu-e a large yield 
almost every year — facts many of the citizens 
have taken advantage of, as is evinced 
by the numerous fine orchards to be seen in 
different parts of the township. 

The first settlers in the present confines of 
St. Francis Township located in the year 



230 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



1840 or 1845, but just where cannot now be 
definitely determined, nor can we say defin- 
itely who the first settler was, though it is 
generally supposed to have been a German, 
by the name of Taela. The place of his im- 
provements was in the timber near the head 
of Little Salt Creek, a spot around which 
quite a number of the early pioneers located 
their homes. Taela came with his family 
from Cincinnati, traveling all the way with 
an OS team, spending several weeks on the 
road before reaching his destination. The 
condition of the prairie at that early day al- 
most precluded the possibility of traveling at 
all, the country being covered with a soft, 
oozy mud, into which the large, heavy wagon 
wheels sank almost to the hub, and, to add to 
the discomfort, millions of the green-headed 
flies, which in summer time were so numer- 
ous, proved such a torment to the cattle that 
traveling by day was all but impossible. 
Much of the joui-ney was therefore made by 
night, the driver guiding his course through 
the mud and dense prairie grass by the stars, 
as there were but few roads at that time in 
the country, and none in what is now St. 
Francis Township. 

After reaching his destination and select- 
ing a site for his future home, this old 
pioneer hastily improvised a temporary shel- 
ter for his family out of brush and poles, 
which answered very well the purposes of a 
habitation until a more comfortable and con- 
venient cabin of logs was erected. The 
country at that time was in a very wild state, 
neighbors few and far between, and many in- 
conveniences were experienced by the family 
before much headway coald be made toward 
raising anything, as the soil was very wet 
and muddy, and much time was required to 
bring it into a fit condition for cultivation. 
Wolves were numerous, and proved a terror 
to the live stock, which had to be guarded 



carefully against their depredations, and not- 
withstanding all precaution for safety much 
damage was done by them to the hen-house 
and pig-pen. Taela, by dint of hard work 
and plenty of that spirit called perseverance, 
succeeded in bringing order out of the chaos, 
by which he was surrounded, and soon had 
a nice little farm under successful tillage, to 
which he added other acres until in time he 
became the possessor of a considerable tract 
of land, all of which was well improved. He 
died on his farm on which he passed his de- 
clining years in peace and comfort, about 
ten years ago. His son, Henry Taela, now 
owns the old place. 

Abraham Marble was probably the next to 
locate in the township. He was from Ohio, 
and came to Illinois about the year 1845, lo- 
cating east of where the vihage of Montrose 
now stands, on the old stage line or National 
road, where for several years he kept a relay 
house. He also kept a little hotel here for 
the accommodation of the few travelers that 
passed his place, which was one of the first 
public houses in the country. Becoming 
tired of his occupation, he quit the business, 
and moved a little further west into what is 
now St. Francis Township, and entered a 
piece of land lying in the southeast quarter 
of Section 3. He lived on this place until 
the year 1858. when he sold his improve- 
ments and with his family moved to the 
State of Minnesota, where he died about a 
dozen years ago. Marble had two sons, 
young men, both of whom can be called early 
settlers, as they married and located in the 
township, making some improvements a short 
distance south and west of where the old 
man's house stood. William Marble did but 
little toward improving the land by farming, 
devoting the most of his attention to cattle- 
raising, and in time became the possessor of 
several large herds which returned him a 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



231 



great deal of wealth. Owing to some 
domestic diflSculty, he left his family aud 
went to Minnesota, where ho remained for 
some time, afterward sending for his wife, 
who refused to go to him. He still lives in 
Minnesota, or was living there when last 
heard from. John Marble purchased land 
in Section 13, the year after the family came 
to the township, which he sold to a man by 
the name of Greek, after having occupied it 
until the year 1864. He appears to have 
been a man of veiy decided character, inde- 
pendent in his manners and a strong Repub- 
lican in politics. He made no attemjat to 
conceal his political principles, but on the 
contrary gloried in giving them full expres- 
sion whenever an occasion presented itself, 
sometimes talking in such a manner as to 
offend his neighbors, the great majority of 
whom were radically Democratic. Dui'ing 
the war, he informed on a couple of deserters 
who came into the neighborhood, which led 
to their attempted arrest, and for this piece 
of intelligence his hay-stacks, wheat-stacks, 
and very neai'ly all of his fencing were 
burned to the ground. The incendiaries 
were pursued, but not captured, being, as was 
generally supposed, hidden away in the 
house of some neighbor who had no .particu- 
lar love for Marble. He left the country 
shortly after the war, and like the rest of the 
family went to Minnesota, his present homo. 
In an early day, a small settlement, was 
made on the National road, near the central 
part of the township, by " Kit" Radly, as he 
was familiarly called, who kept, or pretended 
to keep, a hotel, but in reality, as it was 
afterward proved, kept a gambling den, 
which was for years the rtndezvous of a 
gang of blacklegs and cutthroats as rough 
and worthless as himself. The locality came 
to be dreaded far and near, and it has been 
stated that a number of travelers stopped 



there at different times and were never seen 
or heard of afterward — circumstances that 
naturally gave rise to suspicions of foul play. 
The general supposition seems to be that a 
systematic plan of robbery and murder was 
pursued for years on the unsuspecting passers 
by, but, as liadly was universally feared, no 
efforts toward an investigation were, at that 
time. made. The old man died at this place, 
and the j)roperty came into possession of his 
son Nick, who inherited all his father's " cub- 
sedness " in a tenfold degree, without the 
fairtest tinge of a redeeming quality. He 
seems to have been connected with a large 
number of quaiTels, disturbances, and was 
arrested upon several occasions for complicity 
in some very bold thieving scrapes. At one 
time a warrant for his apprehension was 
placed in the hands of a neighbor of his, 
deputized for the purpose, as the regular 
officer was afraid to attempt his arrest. 
When called for, Radly was at work on the 
top of a frame barn, that had just been 
raised, and, when told that he was wanted, 
answered with the ejaculation, " All right, by 
G — d,Just wait till I come down," at the 
same time throwing the large, heavy hatchet 
he had in his hand full at the officer's head, 
which barely missed him, and buried itself 
in the hard oak sill at his feet. Seeing that 
he had missed his aim, and having no other 
weapon at his command, he descended fi'om 
the building, with many apologies for his 
carelessness, as he called it, for letting the 
hatchet drop, which apologies were made 
after seeing the officer's large revolver held 
ready for use. Radly accompanied the officer, 
stood his trial, aud was acquitted on account 
of technical discrepancy in the indictment. 
Upon another occasion, while at a gathering 
of some kind, in the western part of the 
township, he got into an altercation with 
several Germans, and being a man of fiery 



232 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



temper, at ouce " peeled his duds," as the 
saying went, and challenged the whole crowd, 
which challenge met with a hearty response 
on the part of two or three burly fellows, 
any of whom was much more than his equal 
physically, and the result was that Radly 
received such a severe pummeling that he 
was unable to get out of his bed for several 
days, vowing vengeance in the meantime. 
He met one of the parties a short time after- 
ward, at a barn-raising, and at once became 
very abusive, calling him all manner of bad 
names, in such strong and bitter language, 
that the man, who, by the way, was no cow- 
ard, sprang at him, whereupon Eadly turned 
and made a feint toward trying to get away, 
calling at the same time to the bystanders to 
take the man off, who, by this time, was on 
his (Radly's) back. Drawing a long, sharp 
dirk; he stnick backward several times, and 
cut his antagonist in a shocking manner — 
literally carving him to pieces. The man 
was picked up, carried to his home, and for 
several weeks liis life was despaired of, but 
he finally recovered. Radly escaped on the 
ground of self-defense. He afterward left 
the county and nothing has since been heard 
of him. 

The same yeai- that brought the Radlys 
here, H. B. Hobbings found his way to this 
part of the county, and settled a short dis- 
tance west of the former's place, on the 
National road. He was originally from Penn- 
sylvania, but had lived in Cincinnati several 
years before removing to this place. He 
sold his farm to a Mrs. Thoele, after having 
occupied it for about eight years, and moved 
to a distant State. In the fall of 184S, John 
H. Wernsing, a German, came from Cincin- 
nati, and settled near the head of Bishop 
Creek in Section 30, where he made extensive 
improvements, and where he lived a number 
of years, an upright citizen, highly respected 



by all who knew him. Several members of 
his family still live in the county, one of 
whom, Henry Wernsing, is the present Treas- 
urer of Effingham County. About the year 
1848, B. H. Dryer came to the township and 
located near the Wernsing settlement. He 
came from Cincinnati also, as did many of 
the original settlers of the eastern jaart of 
the county, and was prominently identified 
with the early history of this community. 
The place where he originally settled is now 
owned by Henry Hierman. Henry Rump 
came here about the same time that Dryer 
made his apisearance, and, like the former, 
sought a place in the timber near the creek. 
He was a fine, straightforward man, and by 
industry and good management accumulated a 
large tract of land, which is at present owned 
by the Hutrip heirs. A man by the name of 
Thare, a Presbyterian preacher, probably the 
first minister in the township, bought and 
improved a piece of land lying west of the 
town of Montrose, on the National road, 
where he built what was afterward known 
as the " white house," a large two story build- 
ing, and one of the first frame structures 
erected in the township. He held religious 
services at this place, and at other points in 
the country, preaching wherever he could 
obtain a room sufficiently large lo accommo- 
date an audience. In 1849, he moved to 
Ewington, where, for a number of years, he 
was considered one of the leading preachers 
of his faith. A son-in-law of Thare, John 
Lorkins, took possession of the j)]ace, to 
which he added considerable improvements, 
and resided there until the year 1860, at 
which time he disposed of the property and 
moved to the State of Iowa. The Hartlips 
were an early family in St. Francis; the exact 
date of their arrival was not learned, al- 
though it was several years prior to 1850. 
They located farms near Bishop Creek, in 



HISTORY OF EFFliSIGHAM COUNTY. 



233 



the Wcrnsing nei<:jLiborhood, where several 
descendants are still living. 

Among those who came in 1849, 1850 and 
1851, and later, may be mentioned William 
Wallace, James Kolfo, Thomas Gibbon and 
Newton Gibbon. Wallace settled abou.t one 
mile west of Montrose, where he made a few 
slight improvements, the chief of which was 
a email cabin he had moved from the old 
Marble farm, having piu'chased it for a mere 
trifle. He sold the place to Thomas Gibbon, 
who came about one year later (1851), and 
with his family moved out of the township. 
Gibbon improved this farm quite extensively, 
and still occupies it. He came from Greene 
County. Ind., and for a number of years has 
been one of the leading citizens of the com- 
munity in which he resides. Newton Gib- 
bon, hi? brother, located a short distance 
west of Montrose, where he still lives. He 
was the first Justice of the Peace elected by 
the people of St. Francis, and has filled sev- 
eral other oifices of trust at different times. 
James Rolfe came to Illinois, from Indiana, 
in the year 1848, and settled in Cumberland 
County, from which place he moved to St. 
Francis Township two years later, and located 
a home lying west of the Thomas Gibbon 
farm. He is a native of Maryland, and 
claims to be a regular descendant of the 
John Rolfe who married the Indian princess 
Pocahontas. 

Through all the years of which we have 
been writing, settlers had been steadily com- 
ing into the townshij); numerous claims had 
been made and improved, cabins built, 
prairies broken and in many places more 
comfortable and substantial farm buildings 
erected. The National road, to which allu- 
sion has already been made, was laid out 
through the township, and other highways 
were soon after established and improved. 
The crop raised by the first settlers was 



generally corn, to which they looked for their 
chief support; other cereals were but little 
grown until the country began to settle more 
thickly. The soil at that time was poorly 
adapted to raising small grain, and it was not 
until several years had elapsed from the first 
settlement that any wheat was grown in the 
township at all. For a number of years, 
there were no mills in the eastern part of the 
county, and to obtain meal and other bread- 
stuffs the citizens of St. Francis had to go to 
the little horse mills in and around Ewington, 
an undertaking which sometimes required 
two or throe days, not that the distance was 
so great, but the machine ground so slowly, 
that delays were often experienced in waiting 
for the respective turns. 

Some of the first settlers went as far as 
Terre Haute for groceries and dry goods, and, 
as there were good mills there, they took 
advantage of the occasion to lay in a supply 
of flour and meal sufficient to la.st them 
several months. 

An important adjunct to the pioneer's exist- 
ence, and one that often entered largely 
therein, was the enjoj-ment or necessity of 
hunting, wild game of all kinds being very 
plentiful. The settler was often obliged 
to quit his work and join with his neighbors 
in a kind of crusade against wolves, which 
were very destructive to young pigs and to 
domestic fowls which might stray far away 
from the house. 

In St. Francis, the solitary settler rejoiced 
to hear the early messengers of God proclaim 
the glad tidings of joy, or weep at the story 
of the crown of thorns and the agonies of 
Golgotha and Calvary. It is a fact highly 
commendable to the first residents of this 
township, that, with all their trials incident to 
a settlement in a new and undeveloped 
country — naught but hardships and poorly 
compensated labor to weai-y and burden both 



234 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



mind and body — they never failed to discharge 
those higher obligations due their Creator. 
Religious services were often held at private 
residences by itinerant ministers of the 
Methodist Church, and were attended by all 
the citizens far and near. Those who lived 
in the northern part of St. Francis attended 
divine worship with the congregations in the 
adjoining county of Cumberland, and it was 
not until recent years that any religious 
society had an existence in this township. 
The Lutherans are very strong here, and have 
a flourishing ohurcli a few miles southeast of 
the village of Montrose. This church was 
organized in the year 1868 by Eev. H. H. 
Holtermein, at the schoolhouse in that' 
neighborhood, and had an original member- 
ship of thirteen. For three years, the con- 
gregation used the schoolhouse as a jilace of 
worship, when steps were taken to erect a 
more commodious edifice, as the congregation 
had increased so in numbers that a lararer 
house was a necessity. In the fall of 1871, 
their present structure was erected, which is a 
credit to the church and an honor to the 
community; it is a frame building, 25x40 feet, 
and cost about $1,100. The church owes 
much of its prosperity to the untiring labors 
of Rev. Holtermein, who for eleven years was 
its faithful pastor; his chief aim seems to 
have been its good and all his efforts for its 
advancement were crowned with success. 

He was succeeded in the year 1879 by the 
present pastor, Rev. H. Kouerst under whose 
charge the congregation has been steadily 
increasing in membership and influence. 
There are at this time on the records the 
names of forty five members in good standing. 
Connected with the church is a denomina- 
tional school, which was established by Rev. 
Holtermein in 1872. A vacant room in the 
pastor's dwelling was used for this until 1879, 
when their present neat little house was 



erected. This is a frame building and cost 
about $600. The school has been well 
attended since its organization, and, under the 
charge of the two pastors mentioned, has ac- 
complished much good in the neighborhood. 

The early school history of St. Francis is 
limited. The first settlers in the northern 
part of the township sent thoir children to 
the schools of Cumberland County, which 
had been established in a very early day, 
while those who located along the Southern 
border patronized the schools of Teutopolis. 
It is thought that Miss Lizzie Rolfe taught 
the first school in St. I'rancis about the year 
1854, using for the purpose what was then 
known as the Fair building. It stood a 
little west of the village of Montrose and 
was in use as a schoolhouse about two years, 
and was formerly a dwelling. Newton Gib- • 
bon built the first house expresslj' for school 
purposes in the year 1856. It was a frame 
building and stood a little north of Mont- 
rose. It was moved to the village when the 
place was first started, and is at present used 
for a cooper shop. Like other parts of the 
county, this township is now well supplied 
with good frame schoolhouses, all of which 
are well fm-nished with modern appliances, 
and the advantages of intellectual culture are 
open and free to all. Schools last about 
seven months of the year and generally begin 
the first Monday in October. 

The Vandalia Railroad passes through the 
township in a southwesterly direction, and 
has been the means of advancing the ma- 
terial interests of the people in many ways. 
Since its completion in the year 1868, the 
real estate of the township has steadily ad- 
vanced in value. Much of the vacant land 
that was formerly regarded as almost worth- 
less, has been bought up and improved and 
good grain and stock markets have been 
brought near. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



335 



The only mill of any kind in St. Francis 
was erected about twenty years ago by John 
F. WaBchefort, and stands in the soutbern part 
of the township, near Teutopolis. It was 
built as a combination mill, and for a number 
of years sawed a great deal of lumber and 
ground an immense amount of grain. It 
was afterward rebuilt, the saws removed, 
two buhrs added, and since then has been 
run exclusively as a flouring mill. It is op- 
erated by steam, has a capacity of forty or 
fifty barrels per day, and is owned by Ferdi- 
nand Waschefort. 

The following account of a bloody tragedy 
that occurred in the northern part of the 
township several years ago was related by 
Mr. Eolfe: "Two brothers by name of 
Hetcher owned a farm near where Montrose 
now stands, and rented a part of their ground 
one year to a young German to put in corn. 
They were to have one third of the crop as 
rent, that share to be left in the field when 
the corn was gathered. About the time the 
corn was ready for cribbing, the young man 
sold it to two parties by name of Thomas 
Duckworth and George Shindle. and made 
no mention of the portion to be paid as rent. 
When they came to gather the crop,the Hetcher 
boys told them to let the one-third remain, 
which the others very positively refused to 
do, saying that they had bought the entire 
crop, paid for it and were going to gather 
the same. Hetcher then forbid them the 
field until the difficulty could be adjusted. 
Duckworth and Shindle carried the matter 
to a lawyer by name of Donnet, who advised 
them to go. back and gather the corn, and 
gather it all, as it justly belonged to them. 
Upon Duckworth asking him what to do in 
case the Hetchors came out and objected, re- 
ceived the reply, ''Why, kill them, to be 
sure;" not thinking, as he afterwad said, 
" that the d— d fools would do it." Shindle 



and Duckworth armed themselves with re- 
volvers and went back to the field next morn- 
ing, where they had been at work but a short 
time before the Hetcher boys came out. A 
few hot words were passed, when Duckworth 
and Shindle drew their weapons and shot 
their antagonists dead on the spot. The 
boys were arrested and tried, but, owing to 
some quibble, were acquitted. They left the 
country, however, before gathering the crop. 
Montrose, the only village in the town- 
ship, a place of about 300 inhabitants, is 
situated in the southeast quarter of Section 
3, on the Vandalia Raikoad, and was laid 
out by J. B. Johnson, proprietor of the land, 
July 19, 1870, the plat being made by Cal- 
vin Mitchell, County Surveyor. The first 
building in the town was a store house 
built by Browning and Schooley, a short time 
after the survey had been made. They 
stocked it with a miscellaneous assortment of 
merchandise and for two years conducted a 
flourishing business, when they sold the stock 
to other parties and left the village. The sec- 
ond building was a storehouse also, moved 
here from a little place known as Bowen, 
about two miles east of the township 
line in the adjoining county, by Dr. H. G. 
Van Sandt. The house stands near the cen- 
tral part of the tovra, and is at present occu- 
pied by the store of Stephen Smith, to whom 
the doctor sold it after he had been in the 
place a couple of years. A third store was 
started in the town, in the year 1871, by P. 
H. Wiwi, who erected a very neat business 
house, which, like the stores already alluded 
to, was stocked with a general assortment of 
goods. In addition to his mercantile busi- 
ness, Wiwi erected a grain house, which he 
operated very successfully, handling more 
grain during the year than was shipped from 
any other point on the road of the same size. 
He opened a market for live stock also, and 



236 



HISTORY OP EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



for the past ten years has been considered 
one of the heaviest shippers of cattle and 
hogs in the county. In the year 1872, a third 
store was put in operation by James John- 
son, who moved a building to the place from 
the little village of " Jim Town," as it was 
called, in Ciunberland County, where for sev- 
eral years he had been a very successful mer- 
chant. After locating here, his business in- 
creased so rapidly that a larger and moi'e 
commodious building became a necessity, so 
he erected another house a few years since, a 
large two story, which he stocked with goods 
valued at about $6,500, by far the most com- 
plete store in the town. The old building 
is at present used for a freight-room and 
granary. Eoss Twedey erected a business 
house about the same time that Johnson 
came, and for two years sold goods, when 
he disposed of his stock to William McGin- 
nis, who in turn sold to Stephen Smith, the 
present proprietor, after running the busi- 
ness until the year 1874. Dr. Van Sandt 
erected a very commodious storeroom and 
dwelling house in the western part of the 
town several years ago, where he still does 
business in the general line, with a line as- 
sortment of drugs, also, the only store of the 
kind in the place. 

The Montrose Anchor Flouring Mill was 
built in the year 1871, by "William Weigel & 
Son, and is one of the best mills in the east- 
ern part of Effingham County; it is three 
stories high, frame, and cost the proprietors 
/ the sum of $6,000. It is 0f)erated by steam, 
has three run of buhrs, and a grinding 
capacity of about forty barrels per day. 
Weigel & Son operated it three years, doing 
a flourishing custom and merchant trade, 
when they sold to Newhouse & Co., who 
ran it for a short time. Weiss & Doeken- 
dorf were the next proprietors; they operated 
the mill as partners a couple of years, when 



Weiss bought the entire interest and is the 
present owner. A blacksmith shop was 
built in the town, about 1871, by James 
Tubert, who worked at his trade here for two 
years, since then there have been several 
shops operated by different parties; at present 
there are two shops in operation. The Brazil 
House, fii'st hotel of the place, was built 
about 1872, by Nelson Shull, who still runs 
it. Evan James built a second hotel about 
six years ago, the James House. H. G. Van 
Sandt was the first physician in the place, 
and has practiced his f>rofes8ion here con- 
tinuously since 1870, having at this time a 
large and lucrative practice. Dr. John John- 
son located in the town about one year after 
the place had been started, and for two or 
three years ministered to the ills of the vil- 
lage and surrounding country. Drs. Hallen- 
becjk, Gladwell, Schefner, Minter and Park 
have at different times practiced medicine. 

After the village had made considerable 
progress in its business, and the population 
had increased, efforts were made to induce 
the railway company to lay a side track 
through the town and voluntary subscrif)tions 
to the amount of $700 were raised toward 
that end. This mark of public enterprise pre- 
vailed and a switch was accordingly laid, and 
afterward a neat substantial brick depot 
erected. Since the switch was laid, the 
business of the company has so increased that 
there are no points on the entire line of the 
size of Montrose where as much shipping 
of grain and live stock takes place. 

The citizens of the town early took an 
interest in educational matters, and a school 
was in progress, taught by Miss Eva Gilmore, 
one year after the first house had been 
erected in the village. The house in which 
this first school was taught was moved to the 
town from a point two miles in the country, 
and served for educational purposes until 



HISTORY OF EFFING II A.M COUNTY. 



237 



1876, at which /time the fine brick house now 
in use was erected. The present building is 
22x54 feet, one story high, and cost $1,600 to 
erect and complete it. 

The religious history of the town dates 
from its first settlement, a fact which ought to 
speak well for the morals of the community. 
There are at present two religious organiza- 
tions in the town, with as many houses of 
worship — the Southern Methodist and the 
Roman Catholic — neither of which seems to 
be doing that amount of good for the Master 
which the great founder of Christianity mani- 
festly designed that they should do. In 
close proximity to these temples of the living 
God stand two black plague spots in the 
shape of gin shops, from which radiate bale- 
ful influences counteracting the good which 
the churches ought to exert, and spreading 
over the place a moral malaria which we 
must confess does not present a very agreeable 
commentaiy on its character. 

"Wherever God erects a house of prayer, 
' The devil's sure to build his chapel there; 
And t'will be found upon examination 
The latter always has the biggest congregation." 

The Methodist Church was organized 
about the year 1868 one mile north of the 
town, by Rev. P. D. Vandeventer, with a 
membership of twenty persons, the majority 
of whom have since left the country. The 
organization was effected in a little log 
schoolhouse which for six years afforded the 
congregation a place of worship. The or- 
ganization was moved to the town of Montrose 
in the summer of 1870, and the present edifice 
erected, which is a frame building and cost 
about §1,600. Since its organization, the 
church has been ministered to by the follow- 
ing pastors in the order named: P. D. 
Vandeventer was the first pastor; he remained 
with the congregation one year; J. A. 



Beagle succeeded Vandeventer and preached 
one year also; J. F. Hensley came next and 
remained two years; he was followed by W. 

B. Lewellyn, who was pastor one j^ar; J. A. 
Greeing was the regular supply for one year; 

C. T. McAnally succeeded the last named and 
remained the same length of time; N. A. 
AuJd preached one year; W. A. Cross one 
year; J. M. McGrew one year; J. C. Bird 
had charge of the congregation two years; 
then J. F. Hensley served a second time as 
pastor for one year. The present pastor is 
Rev. H. K. Jones, who is now on his second 
year's labors. Connected with the chui'ch is a 
flourishing union Sunday school, which is 
well attended with an average of about fifty 
scholars, of which the pastor is the superin- 
tendent. 

The St. Rosa Roman Catholic Church of 
Montrose dates its organization from the year 
1879. Prior to that year, the Catholics of 
this village, of whom there were a goodly 
mimber, met with the chm-ch at Teutopolis, 
to which they were attached. In November 
of 1870, Father Francis, of the latter place, 
upon request of the members at Montrose, 
organized them into an independant congre- 
gation and steps were taken to erect a house 
of worship forthwith. The building was 
completed in the spring of 1880, the 
membership at that time numbering some 
twenty-five families. Like all their church 
edifices, this house displays a great deal of 
taste, and money was not used sparingly in its 
erection. It cost the sum of $3,000, and is 
an ornament to the town. There are about 
twenty-five families connected with the 
chiu'ch at present under the charge of the 
same priest who brought about the organiza- 
tion. 

We will conclude this brief sketch of 
Montrose with the following exhibit of its 



238 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



business interests. There are now five general 
stores, kept respectively by G. H. Van Sandt, 
James Johnson, Stephen Smith, P. H. Wivyi 
and George Sturtzen; two warehouses, two 



hotels, two blacksmith shops and express 
office. The present Postmaster is H. G. 
Van Sandt, who was also the first Postmaster 
of the place. 



CHAPTEK XXL* 



LIBERTY TOWNSHIP— ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES— TIMBER GROWTH, ETC.— EARLY SETTLEMENT- 
PIONEER HARDSHIPS— INDUSTRIES AND IMPROVEMENTS— THE STATE OF SOCIETY— EDU- 
CATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS— BEECHER CITY— A VILLAGE OP LARGE PRETENSIONS 
—ITS BUSINESS, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES, ETC. 



"My country 'tis of thee, 
Sweet land of Liberty, 
Of thee I sing." 

''T^HERE is no history more eagerly sought 
-*- after than that which truthfully delin- 
eates the rise and progress of the State, coun- 
ty or community in which we live. There is 
pleasure as well as profit to every well-edu- 
cated and inquiring mind in contemplating 
the struggles of the early settlers in all ijor- 
tions of the Great West; how they encoun- 
tered and overcame every sjaecies of trial, 
hardship and danger to which human beings 
were ever subjected. But these things strike 
us more forcibly, and fill our minds with 
more immediate interest, when confined to 
our own county or township, where we can 
yet occasionally meet with some of the now 
gray-haired actors in those early scenes, with 
whom life's rugged day is almost over, whose 
'bravery in encountering the perils of front- 
ier life has borne an important part toward 
making our country what it now is, and 
whose acts, in connection with the hundreds 
of others in the first settling of oiu- vast do- 
main have compelled the civilized world to 
acknowledge that the Americans are an in- 
vincible people. 

To some of our readers it may appear rath- 
er small and insignificant work to record the 

* By W. H. Pen-in. 



history of a single county or township. But 
it must be remembered that our vast Repub- 
lic is comprised of States, the States are di- 
vided into counties, and the counties into 
townships, each of which contributes its 
share toward the general history of the coun- 
try. And the little township of Liberty, 
occupying so small an extent of territory — 
only about eighteen square miles — has a 
histoiy fraught with interest to its own citi- 
zens, at least, if to none others. 

The township of Liberty lies south of 
Shelby County, west of Banner To^vnahip, 
north of Moccasin Township, east of Fayette 
County, and comprises the south half of 
Township 9 north, in Range 4 east. About 
two-thirds of this township is prairie, alter- 
nating between level and rolling. The tim- 
ber is confined to the water-courses, and is 
principally oak, hickory, walnut, elm, syca- 
more, sugar tree, Cottonwood, etc., and the 
land upon which it grows is mostly broken 
and hilly. The principal stream is Wolf 
Creek, which passes diagonally through the 
township from northeast to southwest, with 
several small tributaries. Moore Creek flows 
through the east part, and empties into Wolf 
Creek. The Springfield Division of the Ohio 
& Mississippi Railroad passes through the 
southwest corner of the township, and has 
one station and shipping point — Beecher 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



339 



City — which has proved of great advantage 
to the people. 

The first white man, perhaps, that ever 
set foot upon the soil of Effingham County — 
Griffin Tipsword — figured conspicuously in 
Liberty Township. He has descendants still 
living here and when he died he was biu'ied 
in the Tipsword Graveyard on Wolf Creek. 
One or two of his sons spent their whole lives 
in Liberty and are also buried in the quiet 
graveyard that bears the family name. But 
as Mr. Bradsby has devoted considerable 
space to the Tipswords in a preceding chap- 
ter, we will pass them here without further 
mention. 

No township in the county or perhaps in 
any of the sun-ounding counties can boast a 
greater diversity of nationality among its 
early inhabitants than Liberty Township. 
Many portions of oui' country, as well as 
different countries, contributed to its early 
settlement. In this little division we find 
the grave New Englander, the enterprising 
Buckeye, the hot-blooded Southerner and the 
awkward Hoosier, as well as the plodding 
German, the phlegmatic Englishman and the 
warm-hearted son of the " Ould Sod. " Like 
the small streams that unite in forming the 
great river, these different kinds and races 
of people have blended into a population 
without an equal, in point of intelligence, 
enterprise and industry. 

A family of very early settlers in Liberty 
was the Coxes. There were three brothers 
of them — William, John and Josiah Cox — 
and they came from Tennessee. They had 
emigrated to Illinois in an early day, and 
settled in Shelby County, and, about 1838- 
40, moved over into this township. William 
died more than twenty years ago. John died 
about a year ago. Josiah is still living in 
the neighborhood where he settled. 

FVom Ohio, the land of Buckevp states- 



men, came Thomas Dutton and a man named 
Starner. The latter was a German, and died 
in the township. Dutton came with his 
mother. Both are still living, the old lady 
at a very advanced ago. Tom had a brother 
who went into the Mexican war, and died 
while in the service. 

George Eccles came in 1841, and John 
Allsop in 1847. They were both from Eng- 
land. Eccles is still living in the township, 
and, though he is now eighty-four years of 
age, he is hale and hearty, and has recently, 
according to the divine declaration that " it 
is not well for man to be alone," married his 
third wife. Allsop is dead, but has two sons 
living in the township, and one in Effingham 
City. 

Poland furnished to the settlement Alex- 
ander Bylaski and George Superoski, who 
came in 1840. Bylaski finally removed to 
Washington City, went into the late war, 
and fell at the battle of Belmont. Superoski 
is still living, across the line in Shelby Coun- 
ty. Another addition to the settlement in 
1840 was Thomas Tennery, who is still living 
in the township. 

The old Granite State sent out Lansford 
and Dennis Stebbins, who settled in the 
township in 1840. Lansford went back to 
Massachusetts in a few years. Dennis went 
to sea, made a whaling voyage of three years' 
length, returned to the township and got 
married, as a good man should. He after- 
ward moved down into the southern part of 
the State, where he died. Another addition 
was made this year by a man named Hedge, 
who moved in with three stalwart sons — 
John, A. J. and Jabez. A. J. (which stands 
for Andrew Jackson) moved away; John is 
still living where he first settled; and Jabez 
and his father are dead. George dinger 
also settled here in 1840. He was from 
Ohio, and. like Hedge, brought three sons 



240 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



with him — John, Peter and George. The 
old man died about the commencement of the 
war; George and Peter are also dead, and 
John lives iu Cowdon, Shelby County 

Samuel Lorton, the oracle of Liberty 
Township, and a regular encyclopedia on 
legs, is a native of Ai-kansas, and came to 
Illinois with his father's family in 1824, set- 
tling in Shelby County. This is one in- 
stance, at least, in the history of our country, 
in which the star of empire reversed the eter- 
nal fitness of things by moving east instead 
of west. He moved into Liberty Township 
in 1843, and has lived here ever since. He 
knows the history of the surrounding country, 
and can reel it off as one reads from a printed 
book. We are indebted to him for many of 
the facts pertaining to Liberty, and any im- 
perfections in its history we lay to his 
charge, while all the good things it contains 
we claim as our own undisputed property. 
Mr. Lorton has grown up and grown old in the 
county, and is familiar with its growth, prog- 
ress and development. This brings the settle- 
ment down to a period when the new-comers 
could scarcely be termed old settlers, and 
we here drop the record of their settle- 
ment. 

The present generation, as they behold the 
"old settler," can scarcely realize or aj)pre- 
ciate the hardships through which he passed, 
or the part he performed in reclaiming the 
country from savage tribes that roamed at 
will over all parts of it. "Young America," 
as he passes the old settler by, perhaps unno- 
ticed, little dreams that he has sjaent the 
morning and the noontide of his life in help- 
ing to make the country what it now is. and 
in preparing it for the reception of all those 
modern improvements which surround us on 
every side. The old settler should be hon- 
ored, and his deeds should be remembered 
and revered by all. 



"Their forest life was rough and rude, 
And dangers clos'd them round, 
But hei'e, amid the green old trees, 
, Freedom was sought and found." 

Education was not neglected by the people 
of Liberty Township. Schools were early 
established, and have always been supported 
liberally. It is not known now who taught 
the first school, nor the exact spot where it 
was taught. There is at present a good, 
comfortable schoolhouse in every neighbor- 
hood of the township, which supports a first- 
class school each year. 

When the county adopted township organ- 
ization, and it came to forming the Congres- 
sional townships into civil townships, this 
was called Liberty, in honor of that boon for 
which our fathers " fought, bled and died " 
in our Revolutionary war. The officers of 
the (dvil township are a Supervisor, Treas- 
urer, Clerk, Collectoi', etc., etc. At the pres- 
ent time, the principal officers of Liberty 
Township are James Allsop, Supervisor; C. 
Parkhurst, School Treasurer; William All- 
sop, Collector; and A. Clark and George 
Brown, Justices of the Peace. 

Villages. — Beecher City, the only village 
in Liberty Township, is a rather pretty little 
town, pleasantly situated on the Springfield 
Division of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, 
some ten miles north of Altamont. It was 
laid out on the southwest quarter of the 
southwest quarter of Section 29; the east half 
of the southeast quarter of the southeast 
quarter of Section 30; the north half of the 
northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of 
Section 31; and the north half of the north- 
west quarter of the northwest quarter of Sec- 
tion 32, of Liberty Township. The survey 
and plat were .made by the engineer of the 
railroad, for Edward Woodrow, of St. Louis, 
proprietor of the land, and the plat recorded 
on the 8th of April, 1872. The j)lace was 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



241 



not named, as many might suppose, for the 
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, the cranky pastor 
of Plymouth, but for one of its principal 
business men, who bears the same name. 

The first store in Beecher was opened by 
Miller & Nelson, who moved the house in 
■which it was kept here fi-om an adjacent 
place. H. L. Beecher then kept a small 
stock of goods at the depot. 

The Jennings Brothers had the next store. 
William H. Jennings is still in business here, 
but sold out and was away for awhile, then 
retiu-ned and again engaged in merchandis- 
ing. The business of the place now consists 
of three stores — William H. Jennings, H L. 
Beecher and William Swazy; one grocery 
store, by A. Tally; one drug store, by John 
Allsop; two blacksmith shops, one butcher 
shop, wood shops, one shoe shop, hoop-pole 
factory, etc., etc. A large grain business is 
done. George Brown buys for Brumbach, 
and ships Targe quantities of grain from here 
every month. 

A post office was established soon after the 
town was laid out, and H. L. Beecher was 
appointed Postmaster — a position which he 
still retains. 

The schoolhouse, which is one of the best 
in this part of the county, was built a few 
years ago. It is a two-story brick structiu^e, 
and cost about $3,000. The school is a large 
and flourishing one, employing two and some- 
times three teachers. 

Churches. — There are two churches in the 
village, with neat and substantial edifices. 
The United Brethren built a chiu-ch about 
1874:-75. It is a good frame building, which 
cost from $800 to $1,000. The church is 
not numerically strong, but tui'ns out a good 
congi-egation. There is regular monthly 
preaching and a flourishing Sunday school. 

The Universalist Church was built in 1880, 
and is a neat and tasty frame building, put 



up at a cost of about $1,200. It has some 
twenty members, under the pastorate of the 
Rev. David Williams. A good Sunday 
school is kept up all the year. The ehiurch 
has a comfortable hall over it, which is used 
as a lodge room by the Masons and Odd Fel- 
lows. The church ei-ected the building, and 
then sold the upper part of it to these socie- 
ties for a meeting-place 

The Masonic Lodge, which is known as 
Greenland Lodge, No. 665, A., F. & A. M., 
was moved here from Greenland, in Fayette 
County, under a dispensation from the Grand 
Lodge, on account of this being a more fa- 
vorable location. It has been held here since 
the completion of the church building. It is 
quite a flourishing young lodge, and at pres- 
ent has the following officers : Ben F. Mark- 
land, Master ; Orlando Campbell, Senior 
Warden; William H. Anderson, Junior War- 
den; Thomas D. Tennery, Treasurer; James 
H. Allsop, Secretary; Isaac Tipsword, Sen- 
ior Deacon; John F. W'ood, Junior Deacon; 
and Thomas R. Dutton, Tiler. 

Beecher City Lodge, No. 690, I O. O. F., 
was instituted March 25, 1881, by the Grand 
Lodge of Illinois. The first officers were: 
J. W. Hotz, N. G. ; Azariah Larimore, V. 
G. ; George C. Eads, Secretary; and Albert 
Larimore, Treasurer. The lodge has at pres- 
ent twenty-four members in good standing, 
and is officered as follows: George C. Eads, 
N. G. : George W. Brown, V. G. ; Will H. 
Richards, Recording Secretary; John Cook, 
Secretary; and Henry Hunt, Treasurer. 

This comprises a history of the beautiful 
and flourishing little village of Beecher. It 
has an intelligent population, and, with a 
continuation of the energy and industry 
hitherto evinced, there is a brilliant future 
in store for their lovely town. Time, pa- 
tience and perseverance will waft it on to 
wealth and prosperity. 



242 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XXIL* 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP— INTRODUCTORY— TOPOGRAPHY AND BOUNDARIES— PIONEER OCCUPATION— 
WHERE THE SETTLERS CAME FROM— THEIR EARLY LIFE HERE— GROWTH AND IM- 
PROVEMENT OF THE COUNTRY— MILLS. ETC.— EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES- 
CHURCHES AND PREACHERS— VILLAGES, ETC., ETC. 



" All the world 's a stage. 
And all the men and women merely plaj'ers. 
They have their exits and their entrances." 

— Shakespeare. 

FIFTY years ago the portion of territory 
now known as Lucas Township was a 
wide, unsettled expanse, wild in every sense 
of the word, inhabited by wild men aad in. 
fested with wild beasts. The lands now oc- 
cupied by fertile, well-tilled farms, where the 
cereals and luscious fruits of all varieties 
grow in abundance, and where blooded stock 
loll and graze, were less than threescore years 
ago a luxuriant wilderness, where the timid 
deer fled from its crouching foe, the panther, 
only to be pursued by that gaunt scourge of 
the prairie, the wolf. Fields now jocund 
with the merry song of thu happy and con- 
tented farmer were once in the long ago lurid 
with the glare of the red man's camp fires or 
made hideous by the discordant yells of the 
savage war-dance. But these deep, fertile, 
prairie soils held abundant food for civiliza- 
tion, and needed but stout hearts, strong wills 
and sinewy arms to develop and set it free. 
The pioneers at length came, and stout-heart- 
ed, strong-willed and heavy-armed they were, 
both from nature and necessity. 

Lucas is the southeastern township of the 
county and possesses a pleasant diversity of 
surface and soil. Large tracts of level and 
undulating prairie occupy the central, west- 
ern and southern portions, which form a strik- 

•Bt O N. Berrv. 



ing contrast to the wooded and more broken 
surface that lies along the creeks in the north 
and east. The only water-courses of any 
note are Ramsey's Creek, which rises in Sec- 
tion 15 and flows in a westerly direction 
through the central part of the township, and 
Little Bishop Creek, a small stream that has 
its source in Section 3, from which it also 
takes a westerly course . These streams afford 
an excellent system of drainage, and are ne- 
cessities that could not easily be dispensed 
with. The only timber in the township, save 
a few scattering groves, is found skirting 
these water-coui'ses, and consists mostly of 
walnut, ash, hickory, sycamore, elm, several 
varieties of oak and a dense growth of hazel 
and other undergrowths in the districts from 
which the lararer trees have been removed. 

Fifty years have served to change the ap- 
pearance of these wooded tracts, the greater 
part of the timber having been cut and sawed 
into lumber by the first settlers. The atten- 
tion of the farmer has of late years been 
called to the necessity of supplying himself 
with timber, as the native growths have dis- 
appeared, and artificial groves have been set 
out in different parts of the township. The 
soil of this section is a strong, deep loam, 
with a slight mixture of sand in some places 
and clay in the more elevated wooded por- 
tions. 

Liicas is noted chiefly for its agricultural 
excellence, and hence was eagerly sought by 
the earlv settlers. Taken as a whole, its 





(^-^n^- 



mSTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



245 



territory presents as fine a tract of farm land 
as there is to be found in the county. As a 
wheat district, it is probably unexcelled, the 
peculiar nature of the soil being adapted to 
that cereal, though corn and all other grain 
crops are raised in abundance. The culture 
of fruit, also, has, of late years, received a 
groat deal of attention from the farmers. 
The boundaries of Lucas are St. Francis 
Township on the north. Union Township on 
the west, Clay County on the south and Jas- 
per County on the east. 

William Morris is believed to have been 
the first permanent settler within the jiresent 
limits of Lucas Township. The date of his 
arrival is fixed at the year 1830, though not 
given as definite. It is not known from what 
State he came, nor how long he remained a 
resident of the township. He .settled on Sec- 
tion 18, and the place is known as Morris' 
field, and is at present owned by N. T. Cat- 
terlin Several transient settlers came into 
the counfry about the time Morris made his 
appearance, erected a few temporary shanties 
along Lucas and Bishop Creeks, where they 
lived for a year or so, when, becoming dis- 
satisfied with the country on account of the 
prevalence of ague and fever, they harvested 
their little crops and departed for other lo- 
calities. The next actual settler of whom we 
have any knowledge was a man named Mar- 
ion, who came from Kentucky, and entered a 
piece of land lying in Section 17, near Lucas 
Creek, in the year 1831, where he improved 
about twenty acres in the timber. He was a 
true type of the pioneer, rugged, strong as a 
Hercules, and generous to a fault. The 
greater portion of his time was spent in hunt 
ing, in which he was a great expert and 
which he loved as he loved his life. For 
twenty years Marion lived where he first set- 
tled, and accumulated during that time a fine 
body of land, which was brought to a suc- 



cessful state of cultivation, chiefly by the la- 
bors of his two sons, " Wash " and Daniel. 
He died in the year 1849 at a good old age. 

In the year 1831, Presley Funkhouser came 
into this part of the county and made a tem- 
porary settlement in the timber on Lucas 
Creek, about one mile west of Wayraack >rer- 
ry's farm. He remained here but one or two 
years, and made no permanent improvements, 
nor does it appear that he made any entry of 
land. From this place he went into Jackson 
Township, and as the country grew older be- 
came a very prominent citizen, and seems to 
have been publicly identified with much of 
the county's development. A son lives in 
the city of Effingham and is one of the lead- 
ing merchants of that place. 

No other settlements were made here until 
about the year 18-10, when James Holt and 
Thomas Stroud made improvements near the 
same place where the first-named parties lo- 
cated. Holt came from Indiana and« made 
his first entry of land in the northern part of 
the township, in Section 4; he improved the 
place here and occupied it for about twenty 
years, when he sold out and purchased land 
in Union Township, where he still lives. 
Stroud located his home in Section 4, also, 
and occupied it about twelve years, when he 
sold to Joseph Barkley. The place is owned 
at present by Uriah. 

The spring of 1845 saw the following per- 
sons, in addition to those mentioned, located 
in Lucas as permanent settlers: James Ben- 
nifield, Elijah Poynter, Smith Elliott and 
George Barkley. The first named located in 
Section 17, where he improved about twenty 
acres of land, which he sold about one year 
later to Edward Sanderson, and, with his 
family, moved to Indiana. Sanderson re- 
mained in the place about eight years, when 
he disposed of it to a man by the name of 
Buss, the present owner. Poynter came from 



246 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



Kentucky and settled in the timber near the 
creek, but did not enter the land. He sold 
his improvements to a man named Marion, 
and moved near the central part of the town- 
ship, where he lived until his death, about 
tea years ago. Mr. Poynter was a man of 
unblemished character and a substantial citi- 
zen. A son, W. H. Poynter, is the present 
Treasurer of the township. Elliott settled 
south of the village of Elliottstovvn, about 
one mile, and entered land in Section 5, 
where he resided until the year 1854, when 
his death occurred. Mr. Elliott was a man 
of much more than ordinary intelligence and 
a sincere Christian. Though dead, he still 
lives in the influence which he formerly ex- 
erted upon the community he was instru- 
mental in founding. Daniel Merry, brother 
of Waymack Merry, was a prominent settler 
of Lucas, having come here when the pioneer 
cabins were few and far between. Mr. Merry 
came from Bond County, but was originally 
from Kentucky. He entered land in Section 
17, which is now owned by his sons, John 
and George Merry. George Barkley was an 
old settler also, and the first blacksmith to 
work at his trade in the township. He set- 
tled in Section 5, where he imjjroved land, 
and in addition to his farming carried on a 
blacksmith shop for a number of years. At 
the first election for Justice of the Peace, the 
honors of the office fell to him, a position he 
filled acceptably for several consecutive terms. 
Among other settlers who came here in an 
early day may be mentioned W. C. Davis, 
William and Henry Lake, John L. Baty, 
Waymack Merry, Isaac McBroom, Til- 
ton and a man named French. Davis came to 
the township about 1846, and settled on land 
then owned by the Highland Company, in 
Section 18. The Lake brothers came here 
from Clark County, about the same time, al- 
though the land on which they settled had 



been entered in their names several years 
before. Baty located in Section 6, where he 
lived until about six years ago. Merry en- 
tered the land where Elijah Poynter first set- 
tled, and is at present engaged in business at 
Elliottstown. McBroom came from Indiana 
and settled where Joseph Lidy now lives, in 
Section 4, about the year 1845 or 1846. 
French made a temporary settlement in the 
northern parb of the township at a very early 
day, and improved a few acres of ground, 
which were afterward purchased by Tilton. 
The last named was the first physician in this 
part of the county and practiced his profes- 
sion for several years among the sparse set- 
tlements of Lucas and adjoining townships. 
The pioneers of Lucas found no royal 
highway to affluence, but, like all settlers in 
a new country, had to brave many formidable 
obstacles, encounter many difficulties and ex- 
perience many hardships, which would appall 
their descendants whose lives have fallen in 
more pleasant places. The> nearest markets 
where groceries, dry goods and other com- 
modities could be obtained were Greenville, 
Terre Haute and St. Louis, and to reach any 
of these places, a long journey of several days 
was required, oftentimes a week or longer 
were consumed in the trip, if the weather 
proved wet, as the prairies at that time were 
almost impassable, owing to their muddy 
condition. The first plowing of the settlers 
was done by night, on account of the flies, 
which were so numerous on the praii'ies, and 
which rendered the stock almostirantic. Dr. 
Field says that in crossing the prairies a 
man would have to keep his horse on a dead 
run in order to leave the swarms of flies be- 
hind; that if they once lighted upon the horse 
he became unmanageable, and would in a 
short time lie down in agony and roll over 
and over to rid himself of his tormentors. 
From this and other causes, but small crops 



HISTORY OF EFFINUUAM COUNTY. 



247 



were raised during the early years of the 
country's settlement. Corn was the most 
practical crop; the early families in fact had 
to subsist in the main upon this product va- 
riously prepared, and to which they added 
deer, turkey, prairie chickens and other game 
that thronged the woods and prairies, tish 
that filled the streams and honey that was 
obtained in large quantities from hollow 
trees in the forests. 

The first mill patronized by the pioneers of 
Lucas was the small horse-mill that stood in 
Bishop Township, a little north of Elliotts- 
town, and operated by a Mr. Armstrong. 
White's Mill, at Bishop's Point, was also ex- 
tensively patronized by farmers of this sec- 
tion until better machinery was put in opera- 
tion at Teutopolis. The nearest mill at pres- 
ent is the one at Georgetown, in Clay County, 
a distance of about fifteen miles. 

It has been asserted, and wisely so, that 
the avenues of communication are an un- 
doubted evidence oE the state of society. 
Savages have no roads because they need 
none. The Indian trails through Lucas were 
the marks by which the first highways were 
run. As time passed, the old routes were 
changed, and the roads properly established. 
The first thoroughfare through tliis township 
was known as the Teutopolis road, and ran 
almost parallel to the eastei'n boundary for 
several miles, when it angled toward the 
southeast. The original course has been 
greatly changed, the road improved, until 
now it is one of the most extensively traveled 
and best highways in the southern part of the 
county. Another early road run through the 
northern part of the township, from east to 
west, and is known as the Douthard road. 
A road leading from Elliottstown south 
through Lucas was laid out and improved in 
an early day, but was not legally established 
until a few years ago. The greater number 



of highways which traverse the township in 
all directions have been established in recent 
years, and the majority of them are well im- 
proved and in good condition. Like the 
thoroughfares in all parts of Central and 
Southern Illinois these roads during certain 
seasons of the year became well-nigh impass- 
able on account of the mud, but the porous 
nature of the soil is such as to cause this 
mud to dry up rapidly, and within a com- 
paratively short time after the frost leaves 
the ground. 

The first marriage that took place in Lucas 
was solemnized in the fall of 1846, the con- 
tracting parties being Jesse Marion, son of 
Richard Marion, and a Miss Greenwood. 
The first death occurred about the same time, 
but the name of the person was not learned. 

In the early settlement of the county one 
of the greatest disadvantages under which 
the pioneer labored was the almost entire ab- 
sence of facilities for the education of his 
children. When the question of keeping soul 
and body together had once been solved, the 
settler's attention was turned to the necessity 
of schools and means of supplying the want 
earnestly sought, and buildings for the pur- 
pose were erected. The first school in the 
township was taught by Dr. Field in a little 
rude cabin that formerly stood on Section 5, 
and was for a term of three months. He 
appeal's to have given universal satisfaction, 
as he was at that time in the vigor of man- 
hood, and could strike a blow that never 
failed to bring the most reckless pupil to 
speedy terms — main strength being in those 
days a requisite qualification in a teacher. 
The school generally commenced as early in 
the morning as teacher and scholars could 
get to their work, and closed when the sun 
went down. The second school was taught 
by James Gibson, about the year 1850, in 
the same building. The second house erected 



248 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



especially for school purposes was situated in 
Section 18, and was a small improvement on 
the one first mentioned, having been better 
finished and furnished. It was first used by 
John Hanly, who taught a three months' 
teiTD in the year 1853. The first public 
school in the township was taught by Eliza- 
beth Tayloi' about 1857. A frame house was 
erected in 1858 by Honry Kershner, and 
stood in the northern part of the township. 
The first teacher who occupied it was Henry 
Russ. There are now five district schools 
taught annually in as many good frame 
houses, and last from six to nine months of 
the year. During the school year of 1881-82, 
there was paid for tuition the sum of $800. 
The township board is composed of the fol- 
lowing gentlemen: Noah Merry, Matthew 
McMurry and W. H. Poynter. 

The old stoi-y of the Cross will ever be new 
from its first annunciation to the shepherds 
of Judea by the angelic choir that sung, 
" peace on earth, good will to men, " down 
through the ages to the present it has been a 
consolation and solace to the millions who 
have yielded to its gentle influences. It was 
fii-st told in this township by Rev. George 
Monical, who conducted religious services at 
the residence of Edward Sanderson as early 
as the year 1846. He was a Methodist 
preacher, and had charge of a church at that 
time in Georgetown, Clay County. Alexan- 
der Ortrey was an early minister of the town- 
ship, also, and held public worship for sev- 
eral years at the private residences of Daniel 
Merry and Edward Sanderson, both of whom 
were zealous Methodists and sincere Chris- 
tians. These meetings were largely attended 
by the early settlers, who often came to them 
for several miles, and were the means of ac- 
complishing a great amount of good in that 
community. The first church was organized 
at the residence of Edward Sanderson, about 



the year 1850, and for several years his house 
was the only preaching place. The organi- 
zation was afterward moved to a neighboring 
schoolhouse, where public worship was held 
until the year 1866, at which time steps were 
taken to erect a more convenient structure, in 
keeping with the growth of the congregation. 
A log house was accordingly erected that 
year, and has served the purpose of a meet- 
ing-house ever since. The chiu-ch is not in 
a very flom-ishing condition at present, there 
being but fifteen or twenty names on the rec- 
ords, though at one time the congregation 
was very strong, and numbered among its 
members many of the best and most substan- 
tial citizens of the township. 

The Lutherans have a strong organization 
near the village of Winterrowd, and own in 
connection with their house of worship about 
twenty acres of land. Their building is a 
substantial frame edifice, and the membership 
will number probably sixty. 

The Missionary Baptist Church at Elliotts- 
town was organized in this township at the 
residence of Smith Elliott and afterward 
moved to that village; its history will be 
found in the chapter devoted to Bishop 
Township and Elliottstown. A small Pres- 
byterian Church was in existence at one time 
in the town of Winterrowd, but was short- 
lived, having beea disbanded after their pas- 
tor' s death occurred, several years ago. There 
is, in addition to those already enumerated, a 
church organization in the northeastern part 
of the township, but of its history nothing 
definite was ascertained. The little hamlet 
of Winterrowd, scarcely aspiring to the dig- 
nity of a village, is situated in the southeast 
corner of the township, and consists merely 
of a store, post office, blacksmith shop, an un- 
finished church building and some ten or a 
dozen residences. It was surveyed and laid 
out in the year 1863 by Washington Winter- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



249 



rowd, on ground that had formerly belonged 
to Thomas Scott. The only store in the place 
is carried on by James McCorkle, who keeps 
a very fair stock of miscellaneous merchan- 
dise and does quite an extensive business for 
so small a place; bo also keeps the post oflSce 
in his establishment, where the citizens of 
the surrounding country get their mail daily. 
The physician of the village — Dr. Jayne — 
has a large and lucrative practice. The 
manufacturing interest of the place is repre- 
sented by the blacksmith and wagon shop of 
Joseph Goslawn. There is one church build- 
ing partially completed, where the Methodists 
hold services occasionally, though they have 
no regularly organized .society. 

The Eberle Post Office was established in 
the year 1867, and Dr. Allen appointed as 
Postmaster; it is now kept by W. H. Poynter, 
at his residence in the sonthwestern part of 
the township. 

Lucas is the only Republican township in 
this strong Democratic county, and generally 
gives that ticket majorities ranging from 
forty to sixty at important elections. At an 
election held in the year 1863, one Demo- 
cratic vote was cast, a fact so seldom beard 
of that we venture to give the lonesome voter's 
name. Mr. Baty will pardon us for making 
mention of him in this public manner. 

Perhaps but few sections in the State mani- 
fested their loyalty during the great rebellion 
in a more substantial manner than did Lucas 
Township. The alarm of war and the cry 



that the country was in danger was but ut- 
tered when brave and true men were seen fly- 
ing to the nearest recruiting office to proffer 
their services, and lives, if need be, in defense 
of the Union they had been taught to love. 
The idea that 75,000 could crush the rebell- 
ion in three months was soon found to be a 
very grave mistake, and no locality seemed 
more fully to realize this fact. Almost every 
man, whether able-bodied or otherwise, was 
inspired with the idea that his services were 
needed by the Government for this trying 
occasion. Farmers left their plows, work- 
men their shops and hurried to the front to 
assist in the great struggle that was to decide 
the nation's existence. The following list 
comprises the brave boys who donned the blue 
during the dark days of war: 

Ner Stroud, S. J. Stroud, N. S. Stroud, E. 
J. Stroud, J. F. Barkly, Henry Barkly, A. L. 
Elliott, G. S. Elliott, Waymack Merry, J. R. 
Merry, Fred Merry, Mack D. Meny, G. W. 
Merry, J. T. Poynter, George Adamson, J. 
A. Evans, Henry Lake, W. P. Halloway, D. 
H. Halloway, Marshall Lown, Manassah 
Jones, Benjamin Coi, Henry Evans, Andrew 
Dunn, T. J. Dunn, W. C. Baty, Robert Baty. 

Those of the above number who went but 
never returned — who laid down their lives to 
uphold the honor of an insulted flag will al- 
ways be remembered. May the mold which 
covers their inanimate forms never again be 
disturbed by the tramp of soldier nor the 
iron hoof of war-horse. 




250 



HISTORY OP EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XXIII.* 



TEUrOPOLIS TOWNSHIP— ITS DESCRIPTION AND FORMATION— TOPOGRAPHY— THE PRAIRIE AND 

TI.VIBER SOILS— GERMAN EMIGRANTS— VILLAGE OF TEUTOPOLIS— THE GERMAN COLONY 

—GROWTH OF THE VILLAGE— SCHOOLS — ST. .lOSEPH'S COLLEGE— SISTERS OF 

NOTRE DAME— THE CHURCH— VILLAGE INCORPORATION AND OFFICERS. 



" O Sprecht! warum zogt ihr von dannen? 

Das Neckarthal hat Wein und Koru; 
Der Schwarzwald steht voll finstrer Tannen, 
Im Spessart Klingt des Alplers Horn." 

The Germam Emigrant. 

rpEUTOPOLIS is not a full Congressional 
-*- township, but a part of the Congressional 
township of Douglas. In the year 1862, a 
strip of the east half of Douglas was cut ofi, 
being from east to west three miles, from 
south to north six miles, and it is designated 
as Town 8 north, Range 6 east, of the Third 
Principal Meridian. The name was derived 
from the village of Teutopolis, which is situ- 
ated in the eastern part of the township. 

The history of the formation of Teutopolis 
into a township is as follows: During the 
late war, this part of the old township had 
furnished a large number of volunteers for 
the army, and, as the Government was making 
a draft for soldiers, a just credit could not be 
given to this section, unless they were di- 
vided fi'om the old township. Proper steps 
were taken for a change, and a now town- 
ship was created. Another reason for the 
separation was, that this part of the township 
had a voting precinct, and when the county 
adopted township organization the voting 
precinct was set aside, all voters being re- 
quired to go to Effingham, a distance of four 
miles, to vote. This was put forth as strong 
ground for a new township, which would give 
the people a vottng place nearer home. Af- 
ter the township was set off, a proper distri- 

* By Charles Everdmana. 



bution of volunteers was made, and it was 
found that the new township had more volun- 
teers than its ratio of draft called for, and 
hence no draft was made here. 

Teutopolis Township is bounded on the 
east by St. Francis, on the south by Watson, 
on the west and north by Douglas, and has 
eleven thousand five hundred and twenty 
acres; of this area about five thousand acres 
is timber land, running in a belt through 
the township, and is composed of white oak, 
ash, walnut, hickory, elm, burr oak, black 
oak, pin oak, cottonwood, etc. The land, 
when cleared, is unexcelled for farming pur- 
poses. The soil is of a more durable nature 
than the prairie land, and many fine farms 
have been made by some of the first settlers. 
Most of them settled in the timber under the 
impression that jarairie land could not be 
cultivated, and that it would not produce 
crops. Through this belt of timber, two 
streams run — Salt Creek enters the township 
about a half mile north of the National road 
and flows west some three miles, thence south 
for about one mile, where it passes into Dong- 
las Township; Willow Creek enters the 
township at the northeast part, and runs in a 
southwestern direction to the center, where 
it empties into Salt Creek. There are a 
number of other small streams which serve 
as a drainage to the low lands. 

The prairie land is of a rolling nature, and 
its soil is of a deep black. In the year 1847, 
the settlers commenced to cultivate the 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



251 



prairie land and adjacent to the timber. 
Most of the prairie is now under cultivation, 
and farms can bo made at much less expense 
than in the timber. The prairie land is well 
adapted to raising wheat, oats, corn, barley. 
The average yield of corn is forty-five bush 
els to the acre; of wheat, about fifteen bush- 
els, and oats, thirty-five bushels. The average 
price paid for this land by the early settlers 
waB $1,25 per acre. The price has steadily 
increased to $35 per acre. More or less of 
the land is swamp, very low and wet, but of 
later years it has been reclaimed by a system 
of drains; when drained, which can easily 
be done, it produces better crops than the 
high land, and is equal to the timber soil. 

The village of Teutopolis is situated in 
the eastern part of the township upon 
Sections 13 and 14. In th'^ year 
1837, it was laid out and incorporated, 
February 27, 1845, a company was formed 
by Germans at Cincinnati, consisting of the 
following members: Bernard Arusen, Henry 
Art, B. H. Brockmann. Joseph Bussmann, 
John F. Boving, Joseph Bockmann, Frantz 
Brinkmann, J. H. Buddeke, Joseph Beans, 
J. H. Bergfeld, Franz Bergmann, G. H. 
Berg f eld, J. H. Brummer, Joseph Brock- 
mann, Franz Betentom, John Berus, Joseph 
Brockamp, J. H. Baving, B. N. Deters, G. 
N. Deters, H. Determann, John Frilling, 

F. Frommeyer, Joseph Feldhake, Joseph 
Frey, J. M. Goos, E. Garobmeyer. H. Grob- 
meyer, J. H. Grunkemeyer, Anna Mary Hille, 

G. H. Hahnhorst, B. H. Hille, Anton Hos- 
mann, J. H. Hille, G. Hulle, D. Hahuhorst, 
Henry Hursmann, H. H. Hardmann, H. A. 
Hollfogt, Henry Hackmann, J. W. Humler, 
Henry Imwalde, J. H. Imbush, B. Inkrot, 
B. Jonning, Henry Kempker, Franz Kramer, 
J. H. Kabbes, Arnold Kreke, Joseph Keyser, 
Joseph Ki-ieg, Henry Renter, John G. Korf- 
hagen, Joseph Klein. Allert Kunen, J. H. 



Klone, John Kark, Joseph Kemppe, B. 
Schub, B. Kriog, N. Lugers, G. Lugers, H. 
Losekamp, Franz Meyer, Joseph Mesch, F. 
Nacke, Joseph Moritz, C. Moritz, G. Meyer, 
Franz Meyer, J. H. Mindrup, Joseph Met- 
ten, Joseph Meyer, C. Meyer, J. II. Newhaus, 
B. Nurre, Joseph Ostendorf, F. H. Pudhofi', J. 
H. Plaspohl, Elizabeth Pudick, "William 
Pirbach, F. Rumpling. C. Rabe, William 
Ruckener, J. H. Runebaum, C. Ruckener, 
William Rolfer, H. H. Rehkamp, G. Eocken, 
J. H. Renscher, H. H. Rickelmann, B. 
Riesenbeck, J. H. Rabe, Joseph Rabe, R. 
Schutte, Joseph Stukenborg, G. Schutte, 
Joseph Schwegmann, Christine Schonhoff, 
J. H. Schurbesk, Henry Shmidt, David 
Springmeyer, Anton Sudbeck, Casper Schwe- 
deck, J. G. Schelmoller. C. Sleper, Franz 
Sleper, Henry Stolteben, C. G. Sander, Franz 
Schriver, Theodor Thies, John Wessel Tobe, 
Peter Thole, B. Tangemann, Anton Thole. D. 
Thole, Allert Volking. W. Uthell, J. H. 
Uptmor, H. H. TJptmor, C. Uptmor, Maiy 
Ann Uptmor, B. Verweck, G. Venemann, 
Anton Venemann, Otto Voske, Joseph Vene- 
mann, Theodore Venemann. J. H. Vormor, 
Casper Waschefort, John F. Waschefort, 
Joseph Weloge, Joseph Westendorf, H. H. 
Wempe, G. Windhaus, H. H. Wernsing, 
Anton Zumbrick, Herman Zerhusen, Bar- 
nard Zerhuseu, Henry Zorhuson. 

The members had to pay $10 each month 
until the sum of $16,000 was accumulated. 
A committee was appointed, consisting of 
Clem Uptmor, John F. Waschefort and G. 
H. Bergfeld, who were appointed to look out 
for a suitable locality. And on the 17th day 
of April, 1837, they started upon their 
mission. After making a tramp through 
Indiana, they came to Illinois, traveled over 
a considerable portion of the State, and 
finally selected this place. After they 
returned and made their report, they were 



252 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



instructed to buy the land. The committee 
had to guard against sharpers, who endeav 
ored to find out where the land was to be 
bought, thus desiring to get ahead of them, 
buy the land and make them pay a profit on 
it. But by the shrewd management of Mr. 
C. Uptmor, who cautioned all those _ present 
in the meeting not to say a word as to the 
place of their selection, thereby completely 
outwitting the sharpers. Sixteen thousand 
dollars was the sum they had with them for 
this entry, ten thousand acres, paying for it 
$1.25 per acre, except eighty acres in the 
town, for which they had to pay $400. Upon 
their return, the land was laid off to each 
shareholder — a share being $50. Each 
member who had paid $50, and $10 
for expenses, was entitled to forty acres and 
four lots in the village. There were one 
hundred and forty-two who only had one 
share of $50. and fifty-two who had two 
shares in addition to the one. The destribu- 
tion was made b'y lottery. The total expense 
of this committee was not quite $100. 

All the deeds were made by J. F. Wasche- 
fort to the members and the plot of the 
village was made in Cincinnati. The main 
street is on the old National road and is 
eighty feet in width, all other streets running 
with the main streets are sixty feet, as well 
as the cross streets. Blocks were forty- eight 
in number, and each block had nine lots of 
fifty feet front and five hiinJred and thirty- 
three feet in depth. Outside of these blocks 
are lots called garden lots and are of two 
acres each. This plat was recorded in the 
year 1838. About one-third of the village 
lies in the timber, and the land is of a rolling 
nature. 

In the year of 1838, J. H. Uptmor, Henry 
Vormor, G. H. Bergfeld Niemann, Joseph 
Bockmann located here and were the first set- 
tlers. They came here in the fall, and in the 



following spring Mr. C. Uptmor came out. 
The first house sold was by J. H. Uptmor 
to his brother Clemens, and the price paid 
was $5. Mr. C. Uptmor settled in the town 
but the others settled upon the land and 
commenced farming. 

The early settlers emigrated by wagon or 
by water; the most practical route then was 
by water from Cincinnati to St. Louis, Mo., 
thence by wagon, it being only one hundred 
miles from St. Louis here. C. Uptmor 
made the trip twice on foot. Others came 
by stage. Some of the early settlers came 
directly from the old country by the way of 
New Orleans. They found it very hard to 
make a start. Teams were difficult to get. 
Horses were not thought of. The first horse 
was owned by J. Bockmann, and often he 
might be seen with one ox and horse hitched 
to a roller wagon, going to mill. Plows 
were'made of wood, all except a small strip 
of iron put in front in place of share. Wag- 
ons were made from ends of logs cut off 
about six inches thick, as wheels, and with- 
out iron. Poultry had to be got in Marshall, 
some forty miles distant. Some of our early 
settlers got chickens from a place called 
Spring Point, east of here about fifteen 
miles, and had to carry them on their back, 
and when they came with them they pre- 
sented a fine spectacle. All provisions and 
groceries had to be hauled in wagons from 
St. Louis. Mr. C. Uptmor, in the year 1839, 
started a small store; $50 was his invoice, 
and it is now often related that at that time 
this small stock was looked upon as greater 
than our first-class stores are at the present 
time. The nearest mill was at Newton, III., 
a distance of twenty- one miles. Often the 
road was so bad that the people could not 
get to mill by wagon (such as they had) and 
would go on foot and carry their grist on 
their back. When out of meal, they would 



lUijTOKY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



253 



crack corn with a hammer and mako bread 
of it But in the year 1842 Mr. C. Uptmor 
anil his brother, H. Uptmor, built a four-arm 
windmill. This mill had only one pair 
buhrs. It had a bolt which had to be turned 
by hand. This added much to the conven- 
ience, and the settlers were happy when they 
could ijet their grindiua: done at home. But 
still sometimes there would be no wind to 
make the mill go. Then it was like Smith's 
mill in the poem: 

•' Save only when the wind was west, 
Siill as a post it stood at rest." 

And often in such cases they would run 
short of meal. To overcome this difficulty, 
Frantz Weber built a horse-power mill, but it 
was a slow way of grinding, five bushels of 
corn being a big day's work. This difficulty 
was removed, however, in the year 1857, 
when John F. Waschefort built a steam mill 
■with a capacity of fifty barrels a day. He 
also attached a sawmill to this, which is still 
in operation and doing a good business. In 
the year 1882, C Uptmor & Son built a large 
mill at a cost of over $40,000, and with a 
capacity of one hundred and fifty bushels a 
day. This mill is the best in the county; 
all of its machinery is of the latest improve- 
ment. 

The first saw mill was built by Theodore 
Penner in 1848, and was an old-fashioned 
water mill, which would only run when Salt 
Creek was very high. There were built a 
number of other mills, but their dates cannot 
be given. 

The first schoolhouse was built in 1840, 
and was of logs. Mr. C. Robe was the first 
school-teacher, and six pupils was the largest 
number he had at one time. A new public 
schoolhouse was built in 1855, at a cost of 
$1,500. A fine schoolhouse and residence 
for the Sisters of Notre Dame was built in 
1868, at a cost of $15,000; and in 1879 a 



schoolhouse was built at a cost of $6,000. 
This building has a largre hall in the second 
story, and at one end a fine stage. The hall 
is used principally for holding public meet- 
ings. 

The St. Mary' s Academy, under the super- 
vision of the Sisters of Notre Dame, already 
alluded to, is a flourishing institution. The 
Sisters who came here in December, 1861, 
were Sister Margueretta Mueller, Mother Su- 
perior, and Sister Mauritia Ultzmann, and 
the candidate Marguerite Rudolph. Their 
number has increased from time to time, un- 
til at present they number eight sisters and 
one candidate, under the supervision of Sis- 
ter Verena, Mother Superior. When they 
first came here, they occupied a large two- 
story log house, opposite the church, in 
which they taught school for sis years. In 
1867, the congregation built a large two-story 
brick, with basement and attic, 30x80 feet. 
Two of the lower and one of the upper rooms 
are used for the school; the others as a resi- 
dence for the sisters, except one in the first 
story used for a chapel. The institution is 
an academy for young ladies, taught by the 
sisters, in all branches, including music and 
fancy needle-work. Four deaths have occurred 
in the institution since it commenced, viz., 
three Sisters aad one candidate. The build- 
ing is situated on a fine lot near the church. 
The ground is highly ornamented with trees 
and shrubbery. 

The principal Mother House is at Milwau- 
kee, Wis., and all institutions like this are 
subject to it. The main support of the 
academy is from teaching. A certain sum is 
received from the School Directors; something 
is received from tuition of the boarders in 
the institution in young ladies' department, 
and from needlework, etc. 

St. Joseph^s Diocesan College. — This insti- 
tution of learning was founded in the year 



254 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



1861. The congregation of St. Francis, at 
Teutopolis, had been intrusted to Franciscan 
Fathers, sent to this counti'y in 1858 by the 
Very Rev. Gregory Yanknecht, O. S. F., 
Provincial of the Westphalian Province of 
Saxony of the Holy Cross, Prussia, at the 
entreaties of Rt. Rev. Henry D. Junker, 
D. D.. Bishop of Alton. In their zeal for 
the flock committed to their charge, the pious 
Fathers soon were convinced of the useful- 
ness and necessity of a high school for the 
education of the growing young men of the 
congregation. Accordingly, under the au- 
spices of Very Rev. Damian Hennewig, 
0. S. F., a committee was formed, consisting 
of Messrs. Clement Uptmor, John Wernsing, 
Diederich Eggermann and John Waschefort, 
for choosing a convenient building ground and 
for procuring the necessary funds for the erec- 
tion of the college. An area of eighteen lots 
in the southern part of the town— partly donat- 
ed, partly bought — was selected as a suitable 
site for the institution. A two-story brick 
house with basement was erected, and fur- 
nished with all the improvements belonging 
to an edifice of this nature; a beautiful gar- 
den and extensive play grounds were laid 
out, and the whole inclosed with a fence. 
The expenses were almost entirely covered 
by subscriptions. 

The work so rapidly progressed that in the 
year 1862 the institution was opened by the 
Franciscan Fathers, under the direction of 
Rev. P. Heribert Hofmann, O. S. F.. as 
rector, and was deeded to Rt. Rev. H. D. 
Junker, D. D., Bishop of Alton, for the 
benefit of the diocese. 

The Bishop raised the institution to an 
Ecclesiastical Seminary, and sent his candi- 
dates for the holy ministry to Teutopolis, 
there to complete their course of philosophy 
and theology. But the number of Fathers 
was very small, and the few were besides 



engaged in preaching missions and in other 
pastoral duties, as the direction of congrega- 
tions, etc. In consequence of these multifari- 
ous labors, they could not possibly give the 
necessary attention to the seminary, and they 
thought it proper to close it and to devote 
their energy to giving young men a thorough 
classical education and a good moral train- 
ing. This plan was carried out at the accas- 
sion of Very Rev. P. Maurice Klostermann, 
O. S. F. , to the rectorship; a man renowned 
not only as an excellent musician, but also as a 
master in the art of instructing and training 
the young. The course of studies was di- 
vided into a preparatory one of two classes, 
and a collegiate one of fom* classes. Subse- 
quently, a commercial course was introduced. 
The course of studies embraces the Greek, 
Latin, French, German and English lan- 
guages; rhetoric, poetry, history, geography, 
book-keeping, arithmetic, mathematics, nat- 
ural philosophy, natural history, drawing, 
penmanship and instrumental and vocal 
music. The college has also a good library, 
to which students have access. 

The number of scholars ever increasing, 
the building could no longer accommodate 
all those who applied for admission. For 
this reason, in 1877, the college was enlarged 
by an addition to the east side. 

The fame of the institution spread- more 
and more, so that parents even from a dis- 
tance intrusted their sons to St. Joseph's 
College. Literary institutions, also, to 
which students of St. Joseph's repaired for 
the completion of their studies, ac^owledged 
its merits, not to mention that bishops who 
had their candidates for the ministry edu- 
cated at Teutopolis, were highly pleased with 
the result. The institution numbers among 
its former scholars many priests, both secular 
and regular; and others, distinguished as 
physicians, 'teachers, merchants, and in other 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



255 



avocations. In fact, the aim of the institu- 
tion is not only to cram the mind with bare 
facts and to develop the mental powers, but 
also and principally to give a moral training 
to its charges, to call forth and cultivate in 
them a relish for virtue — in a word, to form 
noble, honest, moral characters. To this 
effect the students are always under the 
vigilant care of their professors and tutors, 
and form but one family with them. They 
are warned against the dangers peculiar to 
youth, and are strengthened by advice for 
the time of temptation. 

In the year 1881, Right Rev. P. J. Baltes, 
D. D., Bishop of Alton, had the college in- 
corporated as a Diocesan institution. Hereby 
it received the right to grant the academic 
degrees, A. B. and M. A. 

The following year, Very Rev. P. M. 
Klostermann, O. S. F. , compelled by dimness 
of sight, resigned the rectorate, and Rev. P. 
Michael Richards, O. S. F. , was elected to 
succeed him. 

In the current year, the number of students 
is over 100. The followincr grentlemen belong 
to the faculty: Rev. P. Michael Richards, 
O. S. F., Rector; Rev. P. Nicholas Leonard, 
O. S. F. , sub-Rector; Rev. P. Francis Haase, 
O. S. F., Professor; Rev. P. Hugolinus Storff, 
O. S. F. , Professor; Rev. P. Floribert Jaspers, 
0. S. F., Professor; Mr. Gerard Schuette, 
Professor; Mr. Henry Rolf. Professor; Mr. 
Peter Rhode Professor. 

St. Francis Convent. — This house is inhab- ' 
ited by the Franciscan Fathers or Friars 
Minor who. came to Teutopolis September 
23, 1858. It was then a branch of the 
"Province of the Holy Cross of Saxony," 
which province was erected 1221, during the 
life of St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of 
the different orders of Franciscans. The 
first members that arrived in Teutopolis came 
at the request of Right Rev. Damian Junker, 



First Bishop of the Diocese of Alton. Rev. 
Damian Hennewig (deceased December 12, 
1865), Rev. Servatius Altmicks, Rev. 
Capistran Zwinge, and three lay brothers 
were the first Franciscans that came to this 
place. (They came from Warendorf, West- 
phalia, Europe.) On their arrival, they oc- 
cupied a farmhouse of two rooms belonging 
to Mr. J. F. Washefort, till a small brick- 
house, the pastor's residence, near the chvirch, 
was completed. A two-story frame house, 
thirteen rooms, was built in 1859 in addi- 
tion to it, which was moved south to give 
place for the present two-story brick build- 
ing. In 1867, the east wing was built; in 
1868, the north wing, fifty-eight rooms in the 
building, size, 24x84 and 24x70. November 
26, 1859, the following members arrived in 
Teutopolis: Rev. Heribert Hoffmanns, Rev. 
Ferdinand Bergmeier, Rev. Mauritius Klos- 
termann, Rev. Raynerius Dickneite. .\t 
various times, new members came from Ger- 
many, and the order obtained many members 
from this country. The number grew con- 
tinually till 1875, when an unusually great 
number arrived from Europe, owing to the 
infamous May-laws, passed May, 1873, at 
the suggestions of Bismarck. On the 3d of 
July, 1875, eighty members, and July 16, 
twenty-six arrived and sought shelter in 
Teutopolis. 

Up to this time, the following convents 
sprung up from that of Teutopolis: Quincy, 
111., 1859; St. Louis, Mo.. 1863; college in 
Teutopolis, 1861; Cleveland, Ohio, 1868; 
Memphis, Tenn., 1869; Hermann, Mo., 
1875. 

As so many new members were addud, the 
Franciscans built, in 1875, convents at In- 
dianapolis, Ind. ; Chicago, 111. ; Radom, 111. ; 
Rhineland, Wis.; Mt. St. Mary's, Mo.; Col- 
umbus and St. Bernard, Neb. ; Jordan, Minn. ; 
Joliet, 111. ; Chillicothe, Mo. ; and Indian 



256 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



missions at Keshena, Minn,, and Bayfield, 
Chaska, and Superior City, Wis. 

The number had increased from the origi- 
nal 6 to 400 members, therefore a new prov- 
ince, under the title of "The Sacred Heart," 
was erected April 26, 1879, a decree was is- 
sued by the Pope, and on the 2d July of the 
same year, the new provincial or superior 
was installed in Teutopolis. 

Teutopolis is the mother-house, as it is 
called, of this branch of Franciscans, con- 
tains the novitiate, where the aspirants are 
tried for one year to test their vocation for re- 
ligious life. Also rhetoric is taught in the 
house as a preparation for ministerial duties, 
by Rev. Francis Albers and Rev. Richard 
Yan Heek. The course of philosophy is 
taught in Quincy; theology in St. Louis. 
At present there are forty members in Teu- 
topolis. 

Superiors of this cjnvent were Rev. 
Damian Hennewig, Rev. Kilian Schloesser, 
(first guardian). Rev. Mathias Hiltermann, 
Rev. Francis Moenuing, Rev. Gerard Becker, 
Rev. Damasus Ruesing, Rev. Dominicus 
Florian, Rev. Paulus Teroerde, the present 
Superior since July 13, 1881. 

Volumes in library, about 6,000. Num- 
ber of deaths of this branch, forty, of which 
twelve died in Teutopolis. The Franciscans 
have charge of the congregation of Teutopo- 
lis, Sigel, Pesotum, Neoga, Shumway, Alta- 
mont, St. Elmo, Bishop's Creek, Montrose, 
Island Grove, Lillj^ille, Big Spring, Green 
Creek. 

Church. — A chiu'ch building (log) built be- 
tween Effingham and Teutopolis on Masque- 
lette's place, 1839; another log church build- 
ing in town near railroad track; third and 
present brick, 1850, consecrated by R. Rev. 
H. D. Junker. Addition to sanctuary of 
choir built 1872. 

Many other congregations were taken from 



Teutopolis. Effingham, at the time called 
Broughton, 1859; Bishop, 1864; Sigel and 
Neoga, 1866; Lillyville, 1877; Island Grove, 
1874; Montrose, 1879. Pastors were secular 
priests till 1858. At that time, the Francis- 
cans took charge, first pastor: Rev. Damian 
Hennewig, who was succeeded by Mathias 
Hiltermann, Gerard Becker, Damasus, Do- 
minicus, and Paulus, the present pastor. 

Pastors before 1858: Josejah Masquelette, 
Rev. Charles Oppermann, 1845; Rev. Zoe- 
gel, 1853-54; Rev. Joseph Weber, S. J., 
1854; Rev. Charles Raphael, 1854-56; Rev. 
W. Liermann, 1856; Rev. T. Frauenhofer, 
1857; Rev. J. H. Fortman. 1857; Rev. 
Barth. Bai-tels, 1858. Othei-s are known to 
us by name. 

From its early days of settlement, Teutop- 
olis has improved, and so has the surround- 
ing country. It can be truly said that it is 
one of the most beautifu.1 country villages in 
the State. In schools, we are unequaled, 
having a good public school, a college and a 
female academy, also a tine church and 
convent, two first-class mills, four general 
stores, two hardware stores, one drug store, 
three shoe-makers, two cabinet-makers, two 
hotels, one livery stable, four saloons, one 
bakery, a brick yard, four blacksmith shops, 
two wagon-makers, two doctors, two grain 
merchants and one clothing store. The 
village has a population of 456, and the 
township 555 inhabitants. It has a St. 
Peter's men's society, which was organized in 
1850 ; a St. Mary women's society, organized in 
1855; a young men's society, organized 1857; 
a St. Rosa young ladies' society, organized in 
1865; a reading society and a dramatic club. 

The first village election was held under the 
incorporation law. the first Thui-sday in 
April, 1846. There were then in the town 
only eight voters and all voted. The result of 
the election was Clemens Uptmor, President; 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



257 



J. Rabe, Clerk; Theodore Priuner, Treasurer; 
Andrew B. Klausing, Trustees; B. Klausing, 
Justice of Peace, and also Bernard Brock- 
mann. There only remained one citizen who 
had no oflSce. It has often been said that 
these Trustees had no trouble to keep order. 
The iirst Postmaster was C. Uptmor, who 
was in office for twenty-eight years, and 
there has only been made the following 
changes: J. Habing after Mr. Uptmor, then 
G. G. Uabing; these only held the office for 
a short time. Dr. F. F. Eversmann was the 
next, and held the office for twelve years. 
Frederick Thoele succeeded Eversman in the 
.spring of 1SS8. All of these Postmasters were 
strong Democrats, and up to this day there has 
not been a Postmaster but what was a Democrat. 
This is owing to the fact that the township is 
solidly Democratic, and the administration 
could not find any Republican timber in the 
township out of which to make a Postmaster. 
The township has a voting population of over 
two hundred and thirty-five votes, and the 



highest vote ever cast for a President was for 
Gen. Hancock in 1880. The highest vote 
ever poled by the Ref)ublicans was two. 

The village is now incorporated under the 
general law; and the present officers are C. 
Eversmann, President; H. Sander, Treasurer; 
G. Kreke and E. Kolker, Street Commis- 
sioners; A. Brumleve and J. M. Fulle, Trust- 
ees; T. C. Thole, Clerk; and J. H. Wernsing, 
Police Magistrate. 

The Vandalia Railroad runs through the 
village, and has a fine depot in the town. 
The Effingham & South Eastern Narrow 
Guage runs throui^h the township one mile 
south of the village. The township aided the 
Vandalia Railroad in building, by subscribing 
to its capital stock §15,000. The town gave 
its bonds payable in fifteen years at a rate of 
ten per cent per annum. The bonds fall 
due in the years 1884 and 1885, and the 
township will pay them oif when due. The 
township has no other debts, and is in a 
flourishing condition. 



CHAPTER XXIV.* 



WEST TOWNSHIP— INTRODUCTORY AND DESCRIPTIVE— TOPOGR.-VPHY AND PHYSICAL FEATURES- 

THE FIRST SETTLEMENTS— PIONEER INDUSTRIES AND INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS— 

AN INCIDENT— SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC.— VILLAGE OF GILMORE— 

WAR RECORD AND EXPERIENCE, ETC. 

"All the world is full of people, 

Hurr3'ing, rushing, passing by, 
Bearing burdens, carrying crosses, 

Passing onward with a sigh; 
Some there are with smiling faces. 

But with heavy hearts below; 
Oh, the sad-eyed, burdened people. 

How they come, and how they go." 

^"P^HIS is a beautiful section of the county. 

-*- Fancy yoiu^elf standing upon yonder 

swell of the ground fifty years ago. It is 

June, say; yotir senses are regaled with the 



• By W. H. Perrin. 



beauty of the landscape, the singing of the 
birds, the fragrance of the air, wafting grate- 
ful odors from myriads of flowers of every 
imaginable variety of size, shape and hue, 
blushing in the sunbeam and opening their 
petals to drink in ils vivifying rays, while 
gazing, enraptiu'ed, you descry in the dis- 
tance a something moving slowly over the 
prairies, and through the forest and among 
the gorgeous flowers. As the object nears 
yon, it proves to be a wagon, a " prairie 
schooner," drawn by a team of oxen, contain- 



258 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNT!. 



ing a family and their earthly all. They are 
moving to the " far West " (now almost the 
center of civilization), in quest of a home. 
At length they stop, and, on the margin of a 
grove, rear their lone cabin, amid the chat- 
tering of birds, the bounding of deer, the 
hissing of serpents and the barking of wolves. 
For all the natives of these wilds look upon 
the intruders with a jealous eye, and each in 
his own way forbids any encroachments upon 
his fondly-cherished home and his long un- 
disputed domain. From the same point look 
again in midsummer, in autumn and in win- 
ter. And lo! fields are inclosed, waving with 
grain and ripening for the harvest. Look 
yet again, and after the lapse of fifty years, 
and what do you see ? The waste has become 
a fruitful field, adorned with ornamental 
ti'ees, enveloping in beauty commodious and 
even elegant dwellings. In short, you be 
hold a land, whose 

"Rocks and hills and brooks and vales 
■With milk and hont^y flow." 

And where abound spacious churches, 
schools, etc., and other temples of learning; 
a land of industry and wealth, checkered 
with railroads and public thoroughfares. A 
land teeming with life and annually sending 
off surplus fruits, with hundreds, not to say 
thousands, of its sons to people newer regions 
beyond. A land whose resources and im- 
provements are so wonderful as to stagger 
belief and surpass the power of description. 
When the first whites came here it was the 
great West, just as we now call the country 
beyond the Mississippi the great West. To 
the emigrant from Kentucky, Tennessee and 
Ohio, with their wagons and ox teams, it was 
a great undertaking to move out West — to 
Illinois. Fifty years ago, to load up all one's 
worldly goods in a wagon, hitch four horses 
to it, or three yoke of oxen, and start on a 
journey of two or three hundred miles over 



bad roads, and often where there were no 
roads at all, was a trip that most of us would 
shrink fi'om now. It was a greater under- 
taking than it is at the present day to cross 
the continent, or even to go to Europe. Yet 
that is the way the pioneers came to Illinois 
half a century ago. 

West Township is situated in the southwest 
part oE the county, and is an unexceptionally 
fine farming country, being mostly prairie. 
The western pai-t of the township is very 
level, but the eastern portion is more rolling 
and drains well without artificial means. 
There is considerable timber in places and 
j along Fulfer Creek, which runs through the 
entire township, there was originally a great 
deal of fine white oak timber, most of which 
has been cut away. The other gi'owths are 
walnut, hickory, cotton wood, several kinds of 
oak, hackberry, buckeye, .sugar maple, etc. 
The principal water-course is Fulfer Creek, 
which traverses the entire township from east 
to west, or vice versa. A few other small 
streams flow in different directions, but are 
without names. West has Mound Township 
on the north. Mason Township on the east, 
Fayette County on the south and west, and 
taken all in all is one of the finest agricult- 
ural regions in the county. According to 
the Congressional survey of the State, it com- 
prises Township 6 north, in Range 4 east, of 
the Third Principal Meridian. It is inter- 
hected by the Springfield Division of the Ohio 
& Mississippi Railroad, to which it contrib-* 
uted liberally and aided materially in con- 
structing. Gillmore Station, as a shipping 
point, amply repays the people for the money 
they invested in building the road. 

Settlements were not made in West Town- 
ship as early as in many other portions of the 
county, owing to the fact that the land was 
principally prairie and the pioneers did not 
believe in attempting a settlement on the 



UISTOUY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



259 



open prairies. They believed these vast plains 
■would never be lit for anything but pastures, 
and hence shunned them as wholly unlit for 
farming purposes. Thus it was that not un- 
til noai'ly 1840 that a settlement was made in 
what now forms West Township. When IVIr. 
Gillmore came here, in 1845, there were then 
living in the township the following families, 
viz., Nelson Simons, Abraham Riddle, Jesse 
Newman, Jacob Nelson, Jack Houchin, Jerry 
and Abraham Hammonds and Morgan Kava- 
naugh. These were mostly Tennesseans. 
Simons settled near the present Gillmore Sta- 
tion, Jibout a mile from the east line of the 
township. He was a live, energetic man, full 
of fun and fond of his " toddy." His motto 
was, " drink plenty of whisky and keep the 
ager off." He finally sold out and moved 
away, probably to Missouri. Eiddle settled 
about a mile west of Simons. He was a 
quiet, easy-going man, possessing but little 
energy; ho died in the township several years 
ago. 

Newman settled on Fulfer Creek, and was 
a fine business man and a useful man in the 
community. He kept a store, the first in the 
township, and bought the surplus produce of 
the settlers. This he hauled in wagons to 
St. Louis, and in return brought back goods 
which, he supplied to the neighborhood, 
thereby creating a market at home. He 
finally sold out and moved into Mason Town- 
ship, where later he died, much respected. 
The Hammonds settled near Newman. Abra- 
ham still lives in the township, but Jerry died 
a few years ago. Mr. Kavanaugh settled in 
the same neighborhood, on the creek. He is 
dead, but has a son living in the township 
and other descendants in the county. 

Jacob Nelson and Houchin have been ac- 
credited by some as the first actual settlers 
in the township, but this is not knowm of a 
certainty at this time. They are said to 



have moved in about 1829 or 1830. Nelson 
afterward moved into Jackson and died there. 
Houchin was from Kentucky and settled there 
soon after Nelson. Later, he moved up into 
Shelby County, where he built a mill, and 
some years afterward moved into Coles Coun- 
ty, near the village of Paradise, and died 
there at a good old age. 

These families above mentioned were the 
earliest settlers in the township. If there 
were others here as early their names are now 
forgotten. A number of families, however, 
came in shortly after, beginning about 1844- 
45. From this time a continual stream of 
immigration was kept up until all the avail- 
able land was occupied. Among the first of 
those later emigi-ants were the Gillmores, 
Isham Mahon, Judge Jonathan Hook and 
JeffHankins. J. L. and William Gillmore, 
both of whom are still living in the township, 
came originally from Kentucky with their 
father, when quite small, and settled in Fay- 
ette County. From thence the boys came 
here, as above, in 1845. Mahon came a 
year or two after the Gillmores. He is from 
Virginia and is still a resident of the town- 
ship. 

Judge Hook was from Ohio, and settled 
about the same time. He was a man highly 
respected in the community in which he lived. 
For many years he served as a Justice of the 
Peace, and was elected County Judge, which 
office he filled acceptably for one term. 
When he died, he was followed to the grave 
by the largest funeral procession ever seen in 
the township. He was bui-ied in Edgewood 
Cemetery. Hankins settled near Mahon. 
He was a relative of the Hankinses, who set- 
tled in tjie county at an early day, in Simn- 
mit and Jackson Townships. He came here 
from Fayette County, and after remaining a 
few years returned whence he came. 

About this time, quite a number of settlers 



360 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



were moving in from Indiana and Ohio. 
These did not assimilate readily with the 
Southern people, who formed by far the larger 
portion of the early settlers. The Kentnckians 
and Tennesseans looked upon everybody born 
and bred north of the Ohio River as Yankees, 
and the very word Yankee to them implied 
all that was bad and wicked. But a home 
in the wilderness, a life on the frontier, is a 
grand leveler of human prejudice ; so, as they 
were made better acquainted with each other 
by constant intercourse, their old antipathies 
were swept away, and they became the best 
of friends. 

West Township possesses little of historical 
interest beyond its settlement and occupation 
by white people. There is not a town — ex- 
cept Gillmore Station, which can scarcely be 
called a town — in the township; there is not 
a mill, and never has been, save ii saw-mill 
or two; nor is there a church building. This 
leaves but little to say, beyond the fact that 
the people are moral, industrious, energetic 
and intelligent, attending strictly to their 
own business and cultivating and improving 
their lands. 

That there is no church building in the 
tovmship, it does not follow that the people 
are all Bob Ingersolla. They are not of that 
class by any means. The schoolhouses are 
used for church as well as for school pur- 
poses, and with the towns of Altamont, Mason 
and Edgewood in close proximity, the people 
have no lack of spiritual consolation and 
teaching. Many of them attend religious 
services at these places, and are members of 
the churches there located. One of the first 
things our Pilgrim Fathers did after crossing 
" the stormy seas," was to assemble upon the 
barren rocks of Plymouth, in the greao tem- 
ple, whose majestic dome was the over-arching 
skies, and offer prayers of thanksgiving for 
their safe voyage and successful landing. 



So it was with the first settlers of Illinois, 
and the pioneers of West Township were no 
exception. Whenever a few families were 
near enough to each other to be called a 
neighborhood, they often assembled, either 
in the open air, or within the narrow confines 
of some pioneer cabin, blending their hymns 
of praise with the moan of the winds, and 
amid the scream of the panther and the howl 
of wolves, returning thanks to the Giver of 
all good. In all their trials and sufferings, 
their early privations and hardships, the pio- 
neers never once forgot that God was the 
great source of blessing and would not for- 
sake them in their time of need. With all 
the churches surroimding them that there 
are, the good people of the township ai'e well 
supplied with the Gospel. 

The first schoolhouse in the township was 
built on Section 10, on Fulfer Creek, near 
where Jim Beck now lives. The name of the 
first teacher is not remembered, nor the date 
of the school taught. At the present time 
there are five good, substantial schoolhouses 
in the township. They are all neat frame 
buildings, in which schools are taught each 
year for the usual term by compietent teach- 
ers. 

Jesse Newman, as we have said, kept the 
first store in the township. He was one of 
the most useful men in the sparsely settled 
community, and bought everything the farm- 
er had to sell, giving him the necessaries of 
life in return. He bought wheat and hauled 
it to St. Louis at 60 cents a bushel, and our 
farmers now gnunble at having to sell for 
$1 a bushel and haul it a few miles to the 
railroad. But then some people would grum- 
ble if they were going to be hung. Mr. 
Newman had a large peach orchard, and 
manufactured peach brandy. He always 
kept a large supply of this exhilarating bev- 
erage in his cellar, and furnished his custom- 




'■■* 



j^)uM- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



263 



«rs liberally with it, particularly when he 
wanted to make a good bargain with them. 
Everything was then hauled to St. Louis in 
wagons. Mr. Gillmore says he has hauled 
many a load of wheat to St. Louis for 60 
cents a bushel and was very glad to get even 
that. The old National road was a great 
thoroughfare in those days, and fully as many 
wagon trains went over it as trains of cars 
now go over the Yandalia Railroad. 

By reference to the chapter on township 
organization, it will be seen that the county 
was ])roviously divided into districts, or pre- 
cincts, for election purposes, and that when 
the county adopted township organization, 
Township G, in the fourth range, was called 
"West Township, being the first designated 
on the west side of the county. Mr. J. L. 
Gillmore was the first Supervisor, and has 
served in that capacity for fourteen years, 
which proves conclusively that he is the " right 
man in the right place." Since him other 
Supervisors have been N. T. Wharton, Au- 
gustus Wolf, Willett, then Gillmore 

again and William Velter. The present offi- 
cers are William Velter, Supervisor; N. T. 
Wharton, School Treasurer; Robert Mahon, 
Township Clerk, and William Donnelly and 
Augustus Wolf, Justices of the Peace. 

Like all of Effingham County — except Lu- 
cas Township — West is largely Democratic 
upon the political issues of the day. In the 
late war, it was patriotic, and furnished more 
than its full (^uota of men. A large number 
of them, however, enlisted at Effingham and 
other places, for whom the township did not 
get credit. This resulted in one. draft being 
imposed, for two men only. The first time, 
we are told, two Republicans wero drafted. 
They reported at Olney, then the military 



headquarters for this section, and by some 
sleight-of-hand work, got off and came home 
as " unfit for service." A new draft was or- 
dered, and this time the lightning struck two 
Democrats — Nick T. Wharton and John W. 
Wilson. Thoy got off too — by paying the 
moderate sum of .§1,000 for substitutes. The 
dealer in substitutes who furnished these two 
to West Township made a little fortune in 
this rather questionable business. But as a 
proof that it was questionable, he eventually 
lost it, and at the last accounts of him he was 
peddling sewing-machines in the southern 
part of the State. Verily, " the way of the 
transgressor is hard." 

There is but one small village or hamlet in 
the township, viz , Gillmore or Welton. The 
place was established as a station on the rail- 
I'oad when it was built and was called Gill- 
more. The post office still goes by that 
name. Recently, however, the place has 
been smveyed and laid out as a town and 
called Welton, after the proprietor of the land 
— H. S. Welton. It w.as platted August 2, 
18S2, and is situated on the northeast quarter 
of Section 11, of this township. The post 
office was established in 1872, and John Fm-- 
neaux appointed Postmaster. The first store 
was also kept by Furneaux, who is still in 
the business and who still keeps the post 
office. A. Carlston had a small store here 
some time ago, but has quit the business. 
Mr. Randall keeps a good store at the pres- 
ent time. He also buys grain for Welton, 
who lives in Springfield and does a large 
business in that line. A blacksmith shop is 
kept by Cole. There is no church, but a good 
school building, which is used both for church 
and school. These with some half dozen or 
more residences comprise the little town. 



264 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XXV.* 



BANNER TOWNSHIP— TOPOGRAPHY— TIMBER GROWTH. ETC. — THE SETTLEMENT — BINGEMAN, 
RENTFROW AND OTHER PIONEERS— WOLF HUNTS— CHURCHES AND CHURCH INFLU- 
ENCES—SCHOOLS—VILLAGE OF SHUMWAY— ITS GROWTH AND DEVELOP- 
MENT—RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES. 



"We cross the prairies, as of old 
The pilgrims crossed the sea, 
To make the West, as they the East, 
The homestead of the free." 

BANNER is a fractional township, lying 
in the north central part of the county, 
and was formerly included in the territory 
of Summit, from which it was separated in 
the year 1874. It is bounded on the east, 
south and west by the townships of Douglas, 
Summit and^Liberty, on the north by Shelby 
County, and comprises the south half of 
Township 9 north. Range 5 east. The prin- 
cipal streams by which it is watered and 
drained are the Little Wabash. Shoal Creek, 
and Moot's Creek. The first named flows 
through the southeast corner, and is a stream 
of considerable size and importance; Moot's 
Creek flows nearly east, through the central 
part of the township, uniting with Shoal 
Creek in Section 38, and flnally emptying 
into the Little Wabash. Aside from those 
mentioned, there are several smaller streams 
that are nameless on the county map. The 
land is diversified between woodland and 
prairie, the latter predominating. The tim- 
bered districts are confined principally to 
the eastern and northeastern portions and 
the creeks, while the prairie occupies the 
central and southern parts, and comprise 
about three- fourths of the townships. The 
timber consists of hickory, ash, maple, elm, 

•By G. K. Berrj-, 



and sycamore, several varieties of oak and 
walnut in limited quantities. The prairies, 
when the first pioneers made their appear- 
ance, were covered with a dense growth of 
tall grass, so tall that a person riding through 
it on horseback could hardly be seen, and so 
dense that the sun's rays were wholly ex- 
cluded from the ground, thus rendering the 
surface of the country damp and wet the 
entire year, and proving a prolific soui-ce of 
malaria during the hot months of July, 
August and September. These facts caused 
the early pioneers to give this part of the 
country a roomy berth, and it was not until 
many years after the first settlements were 
made in the timber that any one was found 
foolhardy enough to venture even a suggestion 
that the prairies could be cultivated. Years 
after, as the country became more thickly 
populated, and all the available timber land 
had been bought up, a system of di'ainage was 
adopted, and the land made comparatively 
dry. The prairie farms are now the best and 
most fertile in the township. This region is 
exclusively agricultural, there being no fac- 
tories of any kind, and but one flouring mill 
in the township. 

The first settlement within the present 
limits of Banner was made in the timber 
along the little Wabash, about the year IS-tO, 
by John Bingeman. He had been a resident 
of the county several years before moving 
here, having located in Jackson Township at 



HIISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



:!65 



an early day, though this seems to have been 
his first permanent improvement. He moved 
to Southwestern Missouri in 1865 and died 
there ten years ago at an advanced age. 
Jefferson Bentfrow was a prominent pioneer 
of Banner and came into this pai't of the 
county in the yoai' 1843, and located the 
farm upon which he still resides. About 
the time of their arrival, or perhaps a few 
months later, a man by the name of llamsey 
made some improvements in the timber near 
Rentfrow's place and was prominently con- 
nected with the eariy history of the town- 
ship; his death occurred about the year 1855. 
The place ho improved is at present owned 
by George Section. Eobert Shumard was 
an early settler also, and located near the 
timber, where he lived for a niunber of years. 
He disposed of his improvements about the 
year 1860, and went to the city of Mattoon, 
his present place of residence. Nathan 
Ramsey settled on land lying about one mile 
east of where Shumway now stands, about 
the year IS-tO, where he lived until 1877, 
when becoming restive under the rapid ad- 
vances of civilization, and thinking there 
were more congenial quarters for him further 
west, turned his face in that direction and is 
now a resident of the State of Texas. A son, 
William Ramsey, occupies the old place. 
The same year and about the same time that 
Ramsey settled here, Hugh Dennis came to 
the township and located near the present 
site of Shumway, on laud now in possession 
of Henry Bernard. He afterward purchased 
a large tract of land, including the ground 
which the village now occupies, and sold it 
later to the Paducah Railroad Company 
when that route was first surveyed through 
the country. Dennis was a man of fine qual- 
ities, and like the majority of early settlers 
in a new country, came here poor, but by 
industry and frugality soon acquired a com- 



petency. His death occurred in this town- 
ship about fourteen years ago. In the spring 
of 1850, Thomas Robinson made bis advent 
to this part of the county, and iiui)roved a 
farm adjoining the place where Shumard 
settled. He came from Ohio, as did many 
of the early pioneers of northern Effing- 
ham, and b_y industry and energy soon 
reclaimed a fine farm fi-om the wild 
prairie, which is still in possession of his 
family. During the last named and fol- 
lowing year, quite a niunber of settlers took 
up their residences in various parts of the 
township, prominent among whom were 
Samuel Crollard, John Draper. Brantley Gar- 
rett and Frank Wetherell. The first named 
located in the northwest part and improved 
land lying in the prairie. Draper came 

from Tennessee and bought land where 

Bennius now lives. Garrett was a Tennes- 
sean also, and selected for his home a tract 
of land adjoining the Nathan Ramsey farm. 
Wetherell made improvements about two 
miles oast of the town of Shumway, where he 
I'esided imtil the year 1881. These were all 
successful fai-mers and accumulated diu-inc 
their residence in the township a larwe 
amount of land, which was brought to a high 
state of cultivation and the majority of 
which is still in the possession of their re- 
spective families. 

When the fii-st settlers came here the coun- 
try was full of game; the prairies abounded 
in large flocks of wild chickens, plover, 
geese, etc., while in timber were found tur- 
keys, deer and some few bears. Wolves wore 
numerous and very troublesome, often doing 
great damage to the settlers by carrying off 
pigs and poultry, and, when the winters were 
very cold, cattle and horses have been at- 
tacked and severely injured. The black 
wolf that infested the timber was larger, 
and more ferocious than the small jirairie 



/ 



266 



HISTORY or EFFINGHAM COUKTY. 



wolf, though not so numerous. During cer- 
tain seasons they became very savage, and 
have been known to attack man himself. As 
the township settled up steps were taken to 
rid the country of these scourges, and sys- 
tematic hunts were planned in which all the 
neighbors for miles around would partici- 
pate, and by this means many of the wolves 
were killed and the balance driven from the 
country. 

The nearest source of supplies to the early 
residents of the township was Shelbyville, at 
that time but a mere village, consisting of a 
a few dwelling houses and a few stores. 
Though at no great distance, the trip there 
was beset with many difficulties, the chief of 
which were the absence of roads, muddy con- 
dition of the prairies, and the countless mill- 
ions of green-headed flies that swarmed over 
the country by day, so that traveling by 
night became a necessity. The principal 
crop to which the pioneer looked for support 
for his family and stock was corn, which, for 
a number of years, was about the only crop 
that could be raised in the country. It was 
grorind a' the small horse mills of which 
there were several in the adjoining town- 
ships, though none appear to have been in 
operation in Banner. Wheat was not raised 
for several years after the tirst settlements 
were made, the ground at that time being in 
no condition for its culture. After the land 
had been drained somewhat, attempts were 
made toward raising wheat, which met with 
but indifferent success. Some grew discour- 
aged, while others, more sanguine, persevered 
season after season, imtil finally they suc- 
ceeded in harvesting good crops, after finding 
out how to prepare and treat the soil. Ban- 
ner is now one of the best wheat-producing 
townships in Effingham County — a reputa- 
tion it has sustained for years. 

The best evidence of moral advancement 



and Christian civilization, in a new country, 
is the establishment of churches. The relig- 
ious history of Banner is co-equal with its 
settlement by white people. The first relig- 
ious services, of which we learned anything 
definite, were conducted at the residence of 
Nathan Ramsey, by the Old- School Baptists. 
The preacher on that occasion was Elder 
Henry Shellenberger, a minister who came 
to the county at a very early period of its 
historj^, and, like all the pioneer soldiers of 
the Cross who preceded or followed in the 
wake of Western civilization, was a man of 
of untiring energy in the cause of Him whom 
he delighted to serve. The meetings at Kam- 
sey's were held at intervals for several years, 
and served, not only as a means of spiritual 
refreshings, but as social events as well; for 
all met there on a common level, talked 
about matters in which all had a common 
interest, and enjoyed many pleasant recrea- 
tions from their common lot of labor. Shel- 
lenberger established a church of his creed 
just west of the timber, on Wall Creek, where 
a house was erected. A small congregation 
worshiped in this building for a number of 
years, but does not appear to have gained 
much in numbers. The organization was 
afterward moved to a place about one mile 
north of the village of Shumway, and a house 
of worship erected, which is still standing, 
though not used for church purposes, as the 
society was abandoned many years ago. The 
German Methodists established a church, 
north of Shumway, in the year 1869, which 
was afterward moved to the village. 

The schools next claim our attention, and 
follow very appropriately the notice of the 
religious history, as both possess refining 
influences, and furnish the highest standard 
of civilization. The first schoolhouse was a 
small log structure, that stood in the eastern 
part of the township, and F. M. Griffith 



IIISTOliY OF EFFlXiaiAM COUXTY. 



267 



taught the first term in it. The building was 
used for school purposes about twelve years, 
when, from some unknown cause, it took tire 
and was burned to the ground. A new one 
was erected in its place, a log house also, but 
much better fui-nished and far more con- 
venient. The first frame schoolhouse in 
the township was built prior to the year 
1869, and stood a short distance north of the 
town of Shumway. The first public school 
was taught in this house by F. M. Griffith, 
now a prominent minister of the Missionary 
Baptist Church, and one of the oldest teachers 
of the county. Among other early teachers 
who wielded the birch at this place, can be 
mentioned Hester Ann Crollard, Maggie 
Means, Martha Means, Susan Small, Eiley 
Walker, and J. A. Arnold, present Superin- 
tendent of County Schools. There are three 
good frame schoolhouses in the township, in 
which schools are taught about eight months 
of the year. The present township board is 
composed of the following gentlemen: Will- 
iam Eechter, John Breitzueiser and George 
Shumard, Trustees; Henry Bernard is Treas- 
urer and Clerk of the board. 

Like other divisions of the county, this 
township is well supplied with roads, the 
majority of which are regularly established 
and in good condition. The Paducah & 
Chicago Railroad, now a branch of the W'a- 
bash, St. Louis & Pacific, passes thi-ough 
Banner, and has been a great benefit to the 
farmers of this section. Since its completion, 
the township's growth and development have 
been very marked. 

The village of Shumway is situated in Sec- 
tion 33, on the land formerly owned by Hugh 
Dennis, one of the early pioneers of the 
county, and by him sold to the Chicago & 
Puducah Railroad Company, in the year 
1803. The company surveyed the land into 
town lots and put them on the market in the 



year- 1874. When the first sales were made, 
Henry Bernhard, Ed Meyer, M. M. Hemp- 
hill, Henry Metzler and Dr. J. N. Phifer 
being the first purchasers. These parties at 
once began improving their respective lots 
by erecting dwellings and other buildings, 
and by the close of the year quite a number 
of houses were completed and occupied- 
The first houses finished were the dwelling 
and blacksmith shop belonging to Fred 
Meyer, and quite an extensive building, sit- 
uated in the northern part of the village, and 
still occupied by 'Mi-. Meyer. A hotel was 
built about the same time by M. M. Hemp- 
hill, and the hu-ge storeroom belonging to 
Henry Bernhard was completed in a short 
time afterward and stocked with goods. 
Metzler's dwelling and business house and 
the residence of Dr. Phifer were erected 
dui'ing the summer of 1874, and from that 
time the growth of the place has been steady 
and substantial. 

Henry Bernhai'd opened a large stock of 
goods, consisting of and including«ll articles 
generally called for in a country store, from a 
grindstone to a paper of pins. He continued 
business with good success until the fall of 
1878, when he disposed of the stock to James 
McNair in order to engage in the milling 
business. McNair replenished the stock and 
sold goods until September, 1881, when he 
sold to William Geiseking & Son, who are 
the present proprietors. The second store 
in the place was started by Henry Metzler 
in the fall of 1874, and also consisted of a 
general stock, with groceries a specialty. 
Metzler continued the business but a short 
time, when he sold his goods at auction, 
fitted up his room for a saloon, in which 
business he is at present engaged. In 187r), 
a third store building was erected by Fred 
Hoese & Co. , who started a branch store here, 
their main stock being at the town of Stew- 



268 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



ai'tson, Shelby County. These parties con- 
tinued their business with varied success for 
several years, but finally rented their room 
and removed the stock to other points; their 
building is at present occupied by the mil- 
linery store of Mrs. Walterson. 

The first physician to locate in the new 
village and probably the first in the town- 
ship was Dr. J. N. Phifer, who as already 
stated erected one of the fii-st houses in the 
place, which he still occupies. The village 
has always sustained a reputation as a 
healthy place, yet, despite this discouraging 
fact the following physicians have at differ- 
ent intervals practiced the healing art here, 
viz., J. H. Carper, J. B. Johnson, JohnVan- 
dervort and George Haummesser, all of 
whom were regularly graduated M. D.'s of 
the diflerent schools of medicine. 

A schoolhouse was built during the sum- 
mer of 1875, and occupied the following fall 
and winter by Prof. J. A. Arnold, the present 
County Superintendent. Prof. Arnold still 
resides in the village, which fact may ac- 
count for the fine reputation the schools here 
have always sustained. The present school- 
room is hardly sufficient to accommodate the 
constantly increasing number of pupils, and 
the propriety of erecting a building, more in 
keeping with the growth of the town, is now 
being discussed. 

The Shumway Flom'ing Mill was erected in 
1878 by Henry Beruhard, and is one of the 
best mills in the country. The main build- 
ing is foior stories high, with basement, and is 
. 40x50 feet. There are thi-ee run of stones, 
which when run steadily will gi-ind on an 
average of from fifty-five to sixty barrels of 
flour per day. The cost of the mills with 
additional improvements will aggregate 
about $13,000. Connected with the mill is 
an extensive stave factory and cooper shop, 
where all the material used in shijaping flour 



is manufactured, giving work to several 
mechanics, besides affording a good market 
for the oak timber of the surrounding 
country, 

A large warehouse was moved to the vil- 
lage from the town of Dexter in the winter 
of 1874, thus bringing a good grain market 
to the very doors of the farmers of this part 
of the county, who prior to this time hauled 
all their grain long distances to the cities of 
Altamont, Teutopolis and Efiingham, This 
warehouse was operated by H, A, Carter for 
some months and by him sold to Benjamin 
Walton, of Fairbury, who has a large and 
remunerative business ever since, A second 
grain house was built some time during the 
year 1875 and is at present managed by M. 
M. Hemphill, who handles many thousand 
bushels of grain annually. Mr. Hemphill 
is also the gentlemanly jaroprietor of the first 
hotel erected in the place, a business in 
which he has been engaged for a number of 
years, and which has returned him a hand- 
some income. The following exhibit shows 
the present standing of the village from a 
business stand-point: Geisking & Son, gen- 
eral store, have a stock representing several 
thousand dollars, and are doing a flourishing 
business. S, F. Smith keeps a general stock 
of goods which is managed by two clerks, 
one of whom, Ignatz Helmerbacher, is the 
present Postmaster. Mr. Smith does not 
give the business his personal attention, be- 
ing engaged in railroading and holding an 
important j^osition on the Vandalia line. 
Rickets & Bowen keep a general assort- 
ment of merchandise, and in addition deal 
largely in " lumber and timber, principally 
railroad supplies, etc. The millinery estab- 
lishment of the village is kept by Mrs. Wal- 
terson. There are at present three black- 
smiths in the town — Fred Meyer, already 
named, Fred Fischer and H. Schmidt. P. 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



269 



Leismister keeps a wagon shop; G. Scliurz, 
boot and shoe maker; Paris GriflSth keeps a 
hotel — the Shnmway House. The post office 
at this point was established in the year 1874, 
with H. Bernard as Postmaster, and for several 
years went by the name of Tolerance, which 
afterward changed to Shumway while James 
McNair had charge of the office. There are 
in the village three religious organizations, 
with as many neat temples of worship, which 
ought to speak much for the morals of the 
place. The Lutheran Church, known as the 
Trinity Congregation, was organized in the 
year 1804, mainly through the labors of Rev. 
Mr. Ringer at the Buckeye Schoolhouse, and 
numbered among its original members the 
households of the following persons, viz. : 
William Raetz. Henry Keller, Henry Bern- 
hard, Robert Fulte, Edmund Redloffe, Got- 
lieb Konrad, Fred Lane, Charles Dunteman, 
Louis Fulte, F. Quast, Louis Engell, Charles 
Lacherhouse, Gottlieb Weiss and Charles 
Heiden. The schoolhouse served as a meet- 
ing place about seven months, when a small 
house of worship was erected near by, where 
the congregation met at intervals till the year 
1880, when steps were taken to erect a more 
commodious structure, and, as the village 
was thought to be the proper place, it was 
unanimously decided to build here. The 
house was completed and dedicated in the 
fall of 1880, and is the largest audience room 
in the town. The cost of the building, in- 
cluding furnishing and additional improve- 
ments, was about .$3,500. The first regular 
pastor the congregation employed while they 
met in the first building was Rev. Charles 
Hartmann, who preached about four years. 
Rev. Dykoman was pastor one year. Rev. 
George H. Geickler succeeded Dykeman and 
remained three j'ears, doing much during his 
pastorate toward establishing the chiu-ch 
upon the firm footing it has since sustained. 



Rev, Henry Pence, present pastor, commenced 
his labors in the year 187G, and has been 
the regular supply ever since. There are at 
the present time the names of about forty 
members in good standing oq the chui'ch 
roll, among whom are some of the most sub- 
stantial citizens of the township. The Sun- 
day school is under the superintendency of 
the pastor, and is well attended. 

The German Methodist Church of Shum- 
way dates its organization from the year 
1869, at which time Rev. Jacob Tanner came 
into the place, and being actuated by that 
zeal in the cause of his Master, characteristic 
of the true Christian, at once went to work 
and gathered together a little band of 
disciples, whom he organized into a class. 
Their names are as follows: John Bramstadt, 
Jacob Probst and wife, Joachim Futz and 
wife, Michael Schwadt and wife, and Mat- 
thias Bernyus and wife. For a little more 
than one year, the congregation met for 
worship at the schoolhouse, where the 
organization took place, but as their numbers 
increased, a larger place of meeting became 
a necessity, and a building was erected in 
the year 1871, about half mile north of the 
village. This house was used for seven years, 
when the church decided to move their 
organization to the town, and a new building 
was accordingly erected in the year 1879. 
This house is frame, will seat about 250 
persons, and cost the congregation some 
$2,000. Since its organization this church 
has had the following pastors in the order 
named: Rev. Tanner served one year, and 
was succeeded by Rev. Charles Ghelert, who 
looked after the spiritual wants of the con- 
gregation three years, and was in turn 
followed by Rev. F. H. Miller; Miller 
remained one year, as also did his successor. 
Rev. George Heiden; Henry Brinkmeier was 
pastor three years; Rev. William Simon 



370 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



preached three years ; Rev. J. P. Wilhehne 
two years; Rev. Charles Ghelert again took 
charge of the church in 1881, and has 
preached for the congregation ever since. 
There are at present about thirty-two 
members. Edward Meyer is Superintendent 
of the Sunday school, which is one of the 
most flourishing in the place. 

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church of 
Shumway was organized in the year 1879 
with a membership of about twenty-six 
families, at a place called Blue Point, one 
mile west of the village. A committee was 
appointed by the organization to determine 
on a place of building, and after much dis- 
cussion, it was finally agreed to erect a house 
at Shumway, which was accordingly done in 
the fall of the same year. This building is a 
fine frame structure, 30x60 feet, well 



furnished and finished, and cost about ?3,000' 
to complete it. Father Bonifacius was the 
first pastor of the church, and remained but 
one year, working hard dm-ing that time to 
build up the congregation, and much of the 
present prosperity of the church is due to his 
labors. Rev. Francis Hasse succeeded, his 
pastorate extending over a period of little 
more than four years. The next pastor was 
Father Fulgencius, who ministered to the 
church one year and six months, and was 
succeeded in 1881 by the present pastor Rev. 
Norbert "Wilhelme, a man universally es- 
teemed by all irrespective of church or creed, 
for his piety, learning and benevolence. 
Under his care, the congregation has been 
considerably strengthened, and became one 
of the strong congregations in this diocese. 



CHAPTER XXVI.* 



MOCCASIiV TOWNSHIP— CONFIGURATION AND BOUNDARIES— STREAMS, TIMBER, ETC.— PIONEER 
SETTLEMENT — EARLY LIFE OF THE PEOPLE— AN INCIDENT — CHURCHES AND 
PREACHERS- THE FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE — SCHOOLS OF THE PRESENT- 
MOCCASIN VILLAGE— PLATTED— GENERAL BUSINESS OF THE PLACE. 



" Once upon a time life lay before me, 
Fresh as a story untold, 
Now so many years have traveled o'er me, 
I and the story are old." — Bnslinell. 

T ONG ago, one morning in May, a young 
-^—* man rode across the Illinois prairies 
with a friend. They passed on over the bound- 
less expanse, far out of sight of any human 
habitation. Thousands of flowers bloomed 
around them everywhere, their beauty and 
fragrance surpassing all that they had ever 
dreamed of floral loveliness and perfume. 
It seemed as if the whole world had been 
converted into green grass, blue sky, bloom- 
ing flowers and glorious sunshine. The 

• By W. H. Perrin. 



scene was one that might have insjiired the 

sweet "Southern" singer, when she sang — 

" Like gladsome gales on Orient seas 

With odors blown from isle and coast. 
From fragrant shores we felt the breeze 
That whispered of the Eden lost. 
"We drank the balm of hidden flowers. 
Whose breath was nectar to the heart, 
Nor thought we then the rosy hours 
With life's May dawn would soon depart." 

Many people, bubbling over with poetical 
sentiment, have tried to describe the great 
prairies of the West, and to portray their 
feelings when first beholding them. No 
doubt they were " grand and gorgeous " (the 
prairies, not the people who tried to describe 
them) in their pristine beauty before the set- 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



271 



tier came to mar and destroy their beauty 
and loveliaess, by turning things (literally) 
■' upside down." Whether or not the little 
Bceno noted at the begining of this chapter 
occurred in Moccasin Township " long ago," 
when its territory was the undisputed posses- 
sion of the gopher and prairie wolf, it mat- 
ters not. "We have the authority, however, 
of a gushing writer of the period, that it oc- 
curred somewhere in Illinois, and so we ap- 
ply it to this section, on the strength of its 
adaptabilily. Nearly all of the township is 
prairie, and generally level, but sufficiently 
undulating as to require no artificial drain- 
age. The woodland is contiguous to the 
water-courses, of which the principal are 
Moccasin and "Wolf Creeks. These streams 
were named by the old pioneer. Griffin Tip- 
sword. When he first came to Moccasin 
Creek, he discovered a great many moccasin 
tracks, or human tracks, wearing moccasins, 
in the sand along its banks, hence, he called 
it Moccasin Creek. He named Wolf Creek 
in consequence of the great number of wolves 
that lived in the timber along the stream. 
Moccasin Creek flows east and west nearly 
through the center of the township. Little 
Moccasin flows in the same direction, but a 
mile or two farther north, passing near the 
village. Wolf Creek is in the northwest 
corner, while Beech Creek, a mile or two 
south of Moccasin, runs parallel with it. 
There are several other small and nameless 
streams laid down on the map. These water 
courses aflford an excellent system of irriga- 
tion and drainage, together with an abund- 
ance of stock water. 

The timber of Moccasin, which is incon- 
siderable in quantity, is that common in this 
portion of the county, and consists princi 
pally of white oak, hickory, walnut, cotton- 
wood, sugar tree, elm, etc. , etc. Moccasin is 
bounded north by Liberty Township, east by 



Summit Township, south by Mound Town- 
ship, west by Fayette County, and is desig- 
nated as the Congressional Township 8 
north, in Range 4 east, of the Third Princi- 
pal Meridian. 

The settlement of Moccasin Township is of 
a more modern date than many other portions 
of the county. Being mostly prairie, the 
people did not venture out upon the vast 
plains, until crowded out by the increase of 
population. Even then, it was with many 
misgivings as to what the final result would 
be. But as the great army of pioneers con- 
tinued to come in, and the timber land was 
all taken up, they were forced to spread out 
on the prairies for want of room. As soon 
as their virtues were discovered, the prairies 
were then settled as rapidly as the timber 
had been before them. 

Although not settled as eai'ly as some of 
the other townships, yet it is not possible to 
say who was the first actual settler in what 
now forms Moccasin TowTiship. The Tip- 
swords figured in this section, and Griffin, 
the pioneer and patriarch of the tribe, was, 
doubtless, the first white man who ever saw 
it, but from the best of our information he 
lived over in the present township of Liberty. 
When Moses Doty, still a respected citizen 
of the township, came here, in 1840, he found 
already here the following settlers and their 
families, viz. : S. R. Powell, Thomas Perry, 
John Scully, J. P. and Hiram Doty, Samuel 
Cunningham, Edward and Samuel Mahon, 
Jesse and Daniel Troxell, Lyman Pratt and 
Thomas Doty. All these came between 1830 
and 1840, most of them toward the end of 
the decade. 

Powell came from Tennessee, and settled 
on Moccasin Creek. He lived to be quite an 
old man, and died near the village of Dester. 
He has two sons and three daughters still 
living in the county. Perrv came from Ken- 



272 



HISTOBY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



tucky, and settled in the west part of the 
township. He is dead, but has a daughter 
living here. He had several sons, but all of 
them, we believe, have moved further west. 
Scully was an Irishman, born and reared in 
Ohio — that is, he was a native of Ireland, 
but brought up principally in Ohio — from 
which State he emigrated to Illinois, and 
settled in this township. He was an en- 
ergetic, money-making man, and was fast 
growing rich when he died. He was bm-ied 
on Wolf Creek, in the Tipsword graveyard. 
Cunningham also came from Ohio. After 
living here some years, he moved to the 
soiithern part of the State, where he died. 
The Trosells were likewise fi'om Ohio. Jesse 
died on Wolf Creek many years ago. Daniel 
came here in 1839, and settled on Wolf Creek 
where he died about 1S53-54. The Dotys, 
Pratt and Mahons, were all from the Buck- 
eye State — prolific land of " Ohio statesmen." 
J. P. and Hiram Doty both entered land on 
Moccasin Creek, and are both still living — 
J. P. in Missouri, and Hiram in Texas. 
They are brothers to Moses Doty. Thomas, 
a cousin, came out in 1839, and after remain- 
ing a few years returned to Ohio, where he 
died. Pratt settled on Moccasin, aad after- 
ward moved back to Ohio, with Tom Doty. 
The Mahons came about 1838. Edward was 
a single man, and married Powell's eldest 
daughter after he came here. He moved to 
Iowa, and died there, when the family came 
back, and are now living in the township; 
Samuel died here, and his family moved back 
to Ohio. 

Moses Doty, to whose intelligence and vivid 
recollection of early times we are indebted for 
much of the history of this neighborhood, came 
to Illinois in 1840, and settled in the present 
township of Moccasin. There were but few 
people then in Effingham County, and, in- 
deed, the county itself had not completed its 



iirst decade as an organized and independent 
community. Mr. Doty says he stopped and 
fed his team where the city of EfRngham 
now stands, and all around it was apparently 
a wilderness. An old man, of the name of 
Slover, had a cabin there, a few rods east of 
the railroad depot. His son-in-law, Jim 
Cartwright, lived with him, and there was 
not another habitation in sight. Mr. Doty 
has been a resident of the county for over 
forty years, and has seen it grow up, as it 
were, from a handfiil of struggling pioneers 
to a rich and prosperous county. He knew 
old Ewington in its palmy days; was well 
acquainted with old Freemanton when it was 
known, far and wide, as the hardest hole in 
Southern Illinois, when it could get away 
with more " rot-gut " whisky and scare up 
more fights than any other place of its size 
in the wide world. He knew Tipsword 
well, has heard Boleyjack preach, and was 
with Ben Campbell the day he died; and of 
the early history of the county, few now 
living know more of it, or can tell it better. 

Among other early settlers who came in 
1840, were Joshua and Jonathan Bodkins and 
Joseph Doty, all from Ohio. The first two 
mentioned were cousins, and after remaining 
a few years, they, with Joseph Doty, moved 
back to Ohio. From this time on, the settle- 
ments grew rapidly, and settlers came in such 
numbers as to render it impossible to keep 
track of them. Their efforts in reducing a 
wilderness, and subjecting it to the uses and 
benefits of man, are seen to-day in the elegant 
homes and productive farms of the township. 

This state of wealth and prosperity was 
not attained without labor and toil. The 
forests bad to be felled (for the first settlers 
all located in the timber), the gi'ound cleared, 
fenced and planted, and crops raised upon 
which to sustain life; clothing had to be 
manufactured, and this was no small job, as 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY, 



273 



there were no stores in the country. And if 
there had been, there was no money to buy 
clothing or other luxuries of life. The 
clothing was coarse, and was manufactured 
by the good wife and her daughters at home. 
The cloth from which it was made was also 
manuf actiired at home, and the material from 
wliich the cloth was made likewise of home 
production, and was either flax or wool or 
both. This seems to us, who can step into a 
a store, and for a few dollars, buy an entire 
wardrobe for either male or female, a hard 
life, and had the majority of our young ladies 
of the present day to depend upon their own 
exertions in the matter of dress, as did their 
grandmothers, no doubt many of them would 
have to fall back to mother Eve's system of 
millinery. But the passing years have 
brought ample remuneration for the dangers 
and hardships borne in the early times. 

Many incidents and anecdotes of the early 
times might be related of every portion of 
the county, but space will not permit We 
will give one, however, which occurred in 
Moccasin, and shows how the jieople of the 
township are disposed to deal out justice to 
evil-doers. It is related of a couple of 
citizens, who, after partaking rather freely 
of rifle whisky, liually got into a drunken 
row. In the melee one of them caught the 
other, pushed him down in a chair, and 
taking hold of his whiskers, pulled his head 
over the back of the chair, and seizing a 

"case-knife," swore he would cut his 

throat. He drew the knife across the man's 
neck, and the only reason that he did not cut 
his throat from ear to oar was because the 
knife was too dull. His intention was good 
to do a first-class job in that line. In the 
meantime, the wife of one of the combatants 
interfered and succeeded in preventing 
perhaps a murder. When the facts became 
known, the would-be murderer was arrested 



and taken before a magistrate for trial. 
That dignitary was not thoroughly read up 
in criminal law, and instead of making out a 
case of "assault with intent to kill," he 
impaneled a jmy of twelve men, and tried 
the fellow for murder. After hearing the 
evidence, the jury brought in a verdict of 
Suiltt/, but set no puni.shment. The question 
then arose as to what to do with the prisoner, 
when a happy thought entered the head of 
some one, to take him to Effingham. This 
was done, and the legal snarl was straight- 
ened out. 

The pioneers of Moccasin Township took 
an early interest in education, and established 
schools as soon as there were children enough 
to support them. It is not known now who 
taught the first school in the township. The 
first schoolhouse was built in the edge of the 
timber on Moccasin Creek, and was a small 
log cabin. Samuel Mahon was one of the first 
teachers to occupy it, but it is not thought 
that he was the fii'st teacher in the settlement. 
The township is well supplied with schools 
and schoolhouses at the present day. 

The first preacher remembered in this 
section was Boleyjack. Mr. Doty says that 
the first time he attended church after he 
came here, as he approached the meeting he 
saw Boleyjack sitting on an old log by the 
roadside tieiag on his sIioch with hickory- 
bark. He was bare-headed, and his hair, 
which was unkempt and uncombed, was full 
of feathers and down, and upon the whole, 
the old fellow looked as little like a preacher 
as possible. The first meetings were held at 
the people's cabins, and in warm weather in 
the groves. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church standing 
on Section 17 was the first church built in 
the township. It was erected about the year 
1854-55, at a cost of some $800. and is a 
plain frame building. It is a rather strong 



271 



IllSTOUV Oi'' Jil'l-'lNCJllAAI COUNTY 



niid vi^oriiiiH (;liiir(^li, mul HU|>|)orl.H ii (loiiiihili 
iii^ Hchool. 

Tlut MoUiodiMt KpiMcopiil (!liiin!li Soiil.li, 
on S(i(!li(iii H, itl)i>ut H liiiir mild wkhI (if lliit 
villii^o, wiiM luiill. in 1K(VS (JO. It. in ft noiit. 
fruniii building, and itHWioioly in fluuriHliin^. 
IIkv. Mr. Ij(ii> iH tlio pnwcint. |mnt(>r. A j^ood 
Siindiiy Mi'lidol in iiiiiint.tiini<d. 

'I'lio (}i<i'niuii M<>th(«liMt Ohiirch is locntorl 
on Kdcriion 2(, near tlic ruilroud. It in ii 
ImndMonio and Huli.Htanliid fram« building, 
and wan oroctod uboiit 1S71--72. It is Hlrong 
niiniorically, and koopM up a ^ood Kuixtay 

HCllooi. 

Thoro iH a Htation or Hhippinjj point, on tlio 
\\'al>'iMli Kaili'oail at iliin (iliiirdi, l)nt notii 
in;; lil\(i a town or villain; il in nu'rcly a 
Hliippin^ point, and no otlior IttmineuH Ih oar- 
rind Oh than tlii<Hliip|>in^ of ^rain and Htodk. 

'i'lit' viila;,'(i oT Mo(!caHin, oniliracin^; thirty 
noroH of ground, in Hituatod on llii< HouthwoHt 
<|Uarl(<r of tho HOiithoaMt i|iiart.(>r, and thn 
MOuthoaHt <piarlt>r of tUo MoiitliwoHt (piartor of 
SdOtion U; and tho uorthdaxt qimrtor of tho 



nr)rfli\v(mt (piartnr of Si'(!tioii 111, of MotMNisin 
Towii-'tliip. It VVHH Hiirvctynd by John Ma^niro, 
April 'M, .1872, for Jionjainin Jcjuoh, Ji>hi<|)1i 
Yarnall and J. II. Millor, proprinlorH of tho 
land. It. waH (rallod Mo(;(;aHin, vvliioh naiuo 
tliii town.ship bi<arH, and whioli wuh boHtowod 
on tho latt(tr in inomory of Moccawin (Jrtmk, 
tho lar^'OHt Htroani in thiH part of tho 
ooiuity. 

Snook iV. KoH.H oponod tho lirMt ntoro in tho 
villa^jo. Snook now livoH in Altaiuont .1. 
P. Condo nuoooodod thoni in llm iiior<'iinlilii 
biiMinoHH. Mr. Oonilo opi>rHt.<w tho only Mt.oro 
now in tho placo. Ho iH aluo I'oHtnuwtor. 
A Btoro wnB curriod on awhilo by .1. W. 
Hotii, but luiH boon di.Hcontinnod. Mr. Hotz 
bnyH ^rain h(>ro for Minor it .lonnin^jH, of 
I KHin^hani, and dooH a lar^o buHinoHH in that 
lino. 

'rh(< iniportunoo of thn pla(M< may bo tliti.s 
HUinniarizod: Oin* ^onoral Htore, one ^rain oh- 
tabliHhuiont, two lilackHmitli HliopH, ono poHt 
ollico, ono HchooUioiiMo, and probably a j'op 
Illation of twonty fainilioH. 



('II .\ \"Vi:\i XX\'II. 



lll.^llol- ToW.N.SIIir -TOI'OdKAI'IIV ANIJ SIJHFAOR KKATIIUHH— (DOMINO 01' Till'; l'l().Ni:i:ilH— I'llKIK 
ilMtlJ TIMKH AND VICIHSITIIDHS— TllK KAUI.V I.MI'HOVIC.MKNT.S IN I.l VINO— llOAU.s. MILLS, 

Kii!.— SCHOOLS AND sciiooi.iionsi'.s KKi.Kiiotis iiisroiiv--(;iii;it(:iii;s 
AND I'liKAcnmis Till-; viM.AdK or i;m,iottsto\vn. i:n'., im;. 



I )1SII()1'T()\VNSIIII' lioH in thooaHtorn 
* -^ part of I'ltlln^dunii Comity, an<l iHbonndod 
on tho north, .nouth and wo»t, ri<«poctivoly, by 
tho lowiiMhipH of St. Fninoi«, LucaH niul Wat- 
Hon,\v hi In it.'^oa.'^torn boundary in')aspor(Iounty. 
About thr(<(< fourtlis of tho Hurfa(^o wnH origi- 
nally prairi(<, tho r(*t bruHh and linibor land. 
Tho (Imbor was in litlli> (.^rovoH, ofton of con- 
nidoral)lo lon^th, and alon^ tho wat(>r cotirHOH 
Uio ^roat(ir part of whioh liaH lon^ HJnoo diu- 

• Uy I). N. liKir;. 



appoarod boforo tho Hottlor'H ax. 'I'ho vuiio 
tioM conHiMti'd principally of walnut, hi<!k()ry, 
Hyoanioro, oini, awli, linden, a d(>nMo growth 
of undorbrush and huzol. Tho prairio in 
moHtly loYoi, (isponially in tho southorn part, 
wliilo in tho north it iH inor(i unilulatin;.;. Tho 
Hoil of tho prairio Ih fertilo, ouHily ciiltivatod, 
and proilucoM abundant cropn, whilo tho tim 
b(>r-land in moro of a clayi^y natiir(< and thin in 
Homo placoH, yot by propor oiiltivation it ro- 
tlirnH fair (rropM for tho labor b('Mtow(<d upon it. 



HISTOIiY Ol" i;Fl'IN(ill \M ((tl NIV, 



87ft 



Whont and corn nro tho Htnj)lo products, 
Uioii^'h nil ()thi>r ooroiils common (o lliis purl 
of tlici roMiitry »ri^ riiim'd moro or Iohh. I'or- 
liapH III) lii>M.i>r rriiit-|ir()<lii(>in<r land run lio 
found ill' Uio county, nnd fruit cnlturo in ro- 
coiviii;^ odiisidoriililit ultonlion, mid iw rapidly 
(■oiniiij^ (o llio front uh an iinporliint iiuliiH. 
try. Lar(»o ordiardH an* to ho hooii (m almont 
ov(>ry farm of any iiofo, and Ui« vario'ios of 
fruit aro iiiiioii<i; tlio host jmnhuvul in tlio 
country. It in iih un af<;ri<iiiltiiral <liHtric!t, 
an<l a f,'r«iit doal of attontion has of lalo l)c><!n 
f^ivi'ii to cattlK-raijsiii^. Tiioro iiro a }i;oodly 
uuinhor of htook faniiH, wlioro can ho hooii 
hliiodiul and imporlod kIocU. l'"arm«rH ar« 
fast ioarnin;^ that tho improvomont <>f thoir 
Htocic liiirt hoconio u Hiifo invoHtmnnt, and con- 
hidi'rahlo capilal in <>xp«n<l''d iinmialiy in 
that diroction. 

Tlioro nro two crookn, nanioly, ISIkIio]) and 
Salt, that i-iiii (hrou^di th<> Ixiwnship; thi'llriit 
riHcH in Hoction 1, anil llows HouthwKsti'rly 
nhout four miloH, when it tak(>H un nhrupt 
turn almost duo wcxt until it loaves tho town 
Hliip. A hranch cif this crook hati its Hourco 
in Section -1, running Koulh and uiiiUn^ wi(Ji 
the main n(roam in Section '2'>. Salt ('r«M!k 
(lows tlirou);!) tho northwost corner of tho 
township, and fiirnishoN umplo draina((<t and 
HufTii'ient stockwa<<ir to that locidity. These 
Htreaiim are small, and cliirin^ the hot moiitlm 
of very dry Hnusons dry up altoj^olhor, hut 
diiriii;; tho spriny; froMhots they hoconio 
rn'^'\n)r torrentH, oftentime« c)vorllowin}if tlioir 
hanks and sweepinjjf away fences, hridffos, 
and overytliin^; (dse of a movalile nntiiro. 
Oops aro soniefjineH severely injured hy 
these overflows, whole lieliN of j^rain hoiri;^ 
freipiently inundatoil and almost c^implotidy 
destroyed. 

Tho settloment <;f liisho)) dates from aUiiit 
tho year l'S!57, at wliicli timo the first pioneer 
made his appearance and erected a little 



cnhin in tho timhor, nonr tho onstorn part of 
of the l<)wiishi|i. This first sell lor was 
Samuel Mjshop, after whom the township 
was iianiod, hut nothing dodnilo con<'oniin{;r 
him could ho loarn(>d. Ahoiil, tiiis timo, sov- 
ornl Nipiatters erected temporary hahilatioiiH 
aloii}^ the watorcoiirses, hut mude no further 
jmprovonionts, sponiiint; all their timo in 
huntiii(j; and trapping a husiness which r<>- 
liirned them a very fair profit, as t.lie i-ountry 
at that time was full of ^aiiut and fiirlx-iiriiiK 
animals. Tlioy reinained hiil a short time, 
and left, for tho couiiiry further west, as soon 
as lh<t permanont HttttltMH he^'aii improvin({ 
tho lands. 'I'ho next poriiiiuienl Holl.loment 
was made in tho central part of thetowtmhip, 
nonr tiio sjiot wlion* the ('atiiolio CJhurcli now 
stands, hy a (lerman, who came inl/i tint 
country ahout the year IHJW. This man'H 
namn was OhriKtian l<o»mi>n. Ho chiuo from 
(Jormany. and made Ihis l/)wiishi|> his first 
stojipiiijj; place, where he continued l,o r<wido 
until his death, in fho year I87H. Ho wiin a 
man of iiuiot, unassuming ways; attended 
stritttly to his own husiness, and, hy dint of 
hard Inhor, ro<!laiiii»>d a larjifo tract of land 
from its wild state. A man named VVi'sten 
dorf settled in tho same vicinity one year 
Inlor, and improved n small farm adjoining 
Koamen's place. Ho was a (iermaii also, 
and left llie " falherland " for the puqioso of 
hotl^iM'iinjf his condition and socurinn; a homo 
for his children in the Nctw World. HiH 
hopes wore realized heyond his ox|)i»ctationH, 
as he, in time, hecamo very wealthy, and 
owned much of the land that formerly siir- 
roundiul his little claim, and which is now 
in possession of his two sons (ieor^^e an<l 
H<>nry hiy;hly resiiocl^xl citi/.tuis of the towti 
ship. Thesis were tho only Hettlemenl« made 
up to tho year 1812. 'J'hnt year was marked 
hy tho fuivent of Mlias \iiiyUm, TheophiliiH 
Wilson, William White, nnd Thomas Wliito— 



276 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



all of whom came from Ohio, and were promi- 
nently identified with the early history of 
their respective communities. The first 
named entered a piece of timber land near 
Bishop Point, in the eastern part of the 
township, where he still lives. Wilson set- 
tled in the timber also, north of Lay ton's 
place, and made the first improvements on 
the farm whore William Field now lives, to 
whom he sold it about twenty years ago and 
moved to Missouri. He remained in Mis- 
souri but a short time, returning again to 
Effingham County and purchasing a farm in 
the neighboring township, of Watson, where 
he died about ten years ago. Several repre- 
sentatives of this family still reside in the 
county. 

William White located a farm in the west- 
ern part of the township, in Section 30, 
where he lived for fifteen years, when he sold 
the place and purchased a tract of land near 
Bishop Point, which was his home as long as 
he remained in the county. White was a 
noted character in the community, and was 
well known all over this and the adjoining 
county of Jasper. A very giant in statiu'e, 
and endowed with the strength of a Hercules, 
he was universally feared by all, as he was 
in the habit of drinking a gi'eat deal and, 
when under the influence of the ardent, his 
passions were easily aroused, and nothing 
suited his fiery disposition better than a knock 
down. His neighbors, knowing his peculiar 
weakness (or strength), and having ample 
cause to fear his gigantic strength, were care- 
ful on such occasions to lec him severely 
alone. Woe to the luckless fellow who re- 
plied to any of his insulting gibes, as he was 
sure to resent it in a manner that the offense 
was never repeated. Hospitality was a trait 
which he cultivated; anybody applying to 
him for food or shelter was never turned 
away from his door. The little brown jug 



was always trotted out, and a guest could 
offer him no deeper insult than to refuse to 
drink, which he looked upon as a breach of 
hospitality. The guest was told, very de- 
cidedly, to choose which he preferred — a 
drink or a sound thrashing; and the red-eyo 
was generally taken in preference to the 
pummeling, which all knew meant nothing 
less than a mashed head and broken bones. 
During the last years of his life, he became 
very dissipated, and when working on his 
farm kept a jug of whisky at each end of the 
field, and between the two, which he managed 
to drain before night, became so gloriously 
patriotic that his wife had to go on a regular- 
hunt for him every day and pilot his tottering 
steps home. His death occiu-red a number 
of years ago. Thomas White was a brother 
of William, and, though not so rough a 
character, his name cannot be placed in the 
calendar of saints by any means. He was, 
like his brother, a man of great physical pow- 
ers, and prided himself upon his strength, 
which was remarkable. He settled near 
Bishop Point, and for a number of years 
engaged in the practice of medicine, belong- 
ing, as he often said, to the school of com- 
mon sense, and was one of the very few who 
graduated from their institutions. His medi- 
cines were digged from the earth, scraped 
from the bark of trees and boiled from their 
leaves, and when old and stubborn cases of 
malaria, then so prevalent in the country, 
baiSed the effects of his botanic remedies, 
recourse was had to charms, signs, etc. , which 
generally effected (?) the desired cure. He 
left the township a number of years ago, and 
moved to a place called Island Grove, in 
Jasper County. 

Joseph Melson, John Tediick, Isaiah Wall 
and a man by the name of Ai-mstrong were 
residents of the township as early as the year 
1844. The first named came from Ohio and 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



377 



settled near Bishop Point on a farm which is 
present in possession of his widow. Tedrick 
entered land in Section 27, whore he still 
lives at an advanced age. He originally 
came from Maryland and emigrated to Indi- 
ana when that part of the country was on the 
outskirts of civilization. His farm in this 
township is a model in the way of improve- 
ments, and the family are in affluent circum- 
stances. Wall came fi'om Ohio and improved 
a farm in Section 27, which he sold shortly 
afterward and with his family moved to 
Posey County, Ind. Armstrong located 
in Section 27 also, and was the first preacher 
in the township. He held religious services 
at a 'number of places in this and the ad- 
joining settlements, but never organized any 
society. His neighbors are held responsible 
for the saying that his preaching and practice 
did not always harmonize, but his advice 
to his congregations, if not exactly Script- 
m'al was, to say the least, plausible, and 
savored very much of good sense, i. e. ' ' Don't 
do as Armstrong does, but do as Armstrong 
tells you." He appears to have been a great 
hunter, and nothing gave him more delight 
than rambling through the woods in quest of 
the game, and so great was his love for the 
sport that he often caiTied his gun with him 
to church, and after preaching a long dis- 
coui-se on the ''sinfulness of sin," and the 
necessity of keeping the Sabbath holy, would 
go to the woods, spend the rest of the day at 
his favorite pastime and return at night well 
loaded with the fruits of his day's sport, kt 
one time, while himting along Salt Creek, 
night overtook him in the woods. The 
wolves, which were then plenty, gave him 
chase and soon overtook him, when he tiu-ned 
and shot two of them. This served as a 
check until he could load his gun, when an- 
other one was killed. His dog, in the mean- 
time, was not idle, but rushed into the pack 



and was very soon overpowered and killed. 
Seeing his dog eaten up alive before his 
eyes, Armstrong clubbed his gun and made 
an onslaught on the tierce beasts, which at 
once tiurned upon him. Nov? ensued a 
struggle for life, and manj' of the wolves bit 
the dust before the vigorous blows of the 
gun, but being almost tired out, his savage 
enemies had the advantage, as others kept 
coming up all the time and joined in the 
fray. Armstrong's cries for help were heard 
by some parties who lived not very far away, 
and after fighting for almost an hour, he 
was rescued. The wolve.s, seeing the other 
men coming, quit their intended victim and 
scampered away. Armstrong received sev- 
eral ugly gashes on the legs, arms and about 
the face and had his clothing almost stripped 
from his body. Roland Childs was a pio- 
neer of Bishop, having come into the town- 
ship about the year 1846. The place where 
he located is in Section 28, and is at present 
owned by Henry Smith. 

The Fields were a prominent family of this 
township, and have been identified with all 
movements calculated to advance its material 
prosperity. Ambrose Field, father of Will- 
iam and Dr. Field, located in Section 31 
about the year 18-1:7. He came to this pai't 
of the country from Edgar County, to which 
place he moved from the State of Kentucky 
when Illinois was in the infancy of its exist- 
ence. Ho died in the year 1S55, a victim to 
the cholera, which raged through the country 
at that time. The place where he settled is 
owned and occupied by Andrew Bogart. Dr. 
Field, one of the first physicians in the 
southern part of the county, came with his 
father from Edgar Coimty and engaged in 
the business of school teaching, prosecuting 
his medical studies in the meantime. He 
entered a piece of land in Section 30, on 
which he moved and made some improve- 



278 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



ments, but his practice increased so rapidly 
that he was compelled to quit fai-miug alto- 
gether and devote his whole attention to his 
profession. He resides in the village of El- 
liottstown and has a large and remunerative 
practice. Samuel Field located near Bishop 
Point, where he still resides. John AV. Field 
purchased laod near the village of Elliotts- 
town, which is still in his possession. He is 
at present Justice of the Peace, an office 
which he has acceptably tilled for several 
years. The foregoing list comprises the 
most prominent settlers of the township down 
to the year 1848, though there may be others 
entitled to a mention whose names we were 
unable to learn. Since 1848, the influx of 
population has been steady and constant; the 
land has all been taken up and improved; 
good roads have been established through- 
out the township. Comfortable, and in some 
cases, elegant farm residences have taken the 
places of the primitive pole cabin and board 
shanty. Villages have been laid out, schools 
established, neat schoolhouses erected at 
projier intervals, commodious temples of 
worship built, and everything bespeaks the 
prosperity with which the citizens of this 
part of the county are blessed. 

Life in this country forty years ago was en- 
tirely different from what it is to-day. In 
nothing ai'e the manners and customs of the 
people similar to those who first introduced 
civilization into the Western wilds. The 
dwellings, clothing;, diet, social customs, in 
fact, ever3'tbing, has undergone a total revo- 
lution, and it is a difficult task to give our 
youth anything like a just idea of the manner 
in which their fathers lived and prosj)ered in 
the days when the country was a wilderness. 
Game of all kinds then infested the woods 
and prairies, and furnished the table of the 
early settler a plentiful supply of fresh meat. 
Venison was no rarity, but was a staple ar- 



ticle of food, deer being so numerous as to 
cause great injury to the crops, and hence 
were killed even when not needed for food. 

The first mill in the township was a very 
diminutive affair, operated by horse-power, 
and erected by Mr. Armstrong, an early 
setfler, near his jalace of residence in the 
southern jiart of the township. The grind- 
ing apparatus rested on a large oak stump 
that had been smoothed off for the purpose, 
and was covered by a rude shed, the frame 
work of which consisted of four forked poles 
stuck in the ground, on which rested the 
roof. The mill ground very slow, but made 
a fair article of meal, and was extensively 
patronized by the citizens of this and neigh- 
boring townships. It was in operation about 
ten years, and did a great deal of business for 
a mill of its capacity. Dr. "White erected a 
small horse mill shortly after he came to the 
township at Bishop Point, which was in 
operation about hfteen years. It was a 
decided improvement on the first named, 
having better machinery, ground faster, and 
made a better article of flour and meal. It 
was kept running day and night for some 
time, j)eople often coming many miles with 
their grists, and remaining two days, and 
sometimes longer before their turns came for 
grinding. Both of those old mills disap- 
peared long since, and not a vestige of either 
remains to mark the spots where they stood. 
No other flouring mills were built in Bishop 
until the year 1871, when a man by name of 
Lambert erected one in the western part of 
the township. This was a combination mill, 
operated by steam, and did a flourishing 
business for several years. It was torn down 
in the spring of 1882, aud moved to the town 
of Wheeler, where it is at present in opera- 
tion. 

The first electioii, in which the early 
settlers of this township particii^ated, took 




, - ^ifSti^JiStS^S 



■'miMm 




'<:>^^ 




^jZ-^ 



G^^^^-^-i---^ 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



281 



place in the year 1848, and was held at the 
residence of Levi Jacobs, au early settler who 
came into the county about ten years 
previous. The number of votes cast was not 
large, nor all confined to Bishop, as the 
county was at that time made up of precincts. 
The township has been strongly Democratic 
ever since its organization, giving that ticket, 
at the last Presidential election, over 100 
majority. 

The cause of education received the early 
attention of the pioneers of Bishop, and 
to-day its fruits may be seen in the intelli- 
gence and culture of the descendants of the 
early and honest settlers. Though in the first 
settlement there were a great many influences 
that worked against the development of a 
general system of education— neighborhoods 
were thinly settled, money scarce, and people 
generally poor, no schoolhouses, no public 
tupd, no trained and qualified teachers, no 
books, and nothing of the present system was 
at the hands of the jaioneers — yet they 
organized schools, their children were taught, 
and grew to manhood and to years, wiser 
and more learned than their venerable sires. 
The date of the first school in Bishop Town- 
ship was not learned, nor the name of the 
first teacher. A school was taught near 
Bishop Point, at an early day, by Samuel 
Field, a man who threw a great deal of 
enthusiasm into his profession, and gave his 
patrons universal satisfaction. A neat brick 
house was built at the Point in 1853, h. 
which the first public school in the township 
was tatlght by Mr. Field the same year; he 
was afterward followed by James Gillen- 
waters, who was among the successful 
teachers of the township. He taught here 
several years, and was untiring in his efl'orts 
to bring the schools up to a high standard of 
excellence. There are at present, five frame 
schoolhouses in the township, well furnished. 



The wages paid teachers in Bishop average 
from $20 to $40 per month, which all con- 
cede to be much too low, as first class teachers 
cannot be procured at such figures. The 
people are fast realizing that a few dollars 
per month in a good teacher's salary is not at 
all to be considered or compared to a poor 
school in the hands of a cheap, but incompe- 
tent instructor. There are in addition to the 
public schools of the township, two parochial 
schools, under the control of the Lutherans 
and Catholics respectively, both of which are 
reputed in flourishing condition. 

The first religious services in Bishop were 
conducted by Elder Stephen A. Williams, a 
pioneer preacher of Union Township, at 
private residences and at schoolhouses. He 
was a member of the Christian Church, or, as 
they are ■ more commonly known, "New 
Lights," and organized the first society of 
that denomination in the county. The Meth- 
odists held services throughout the township 
during its early history, but never had a 
permanent organization. The southern and 
western parts of the township were settled 
principally by Germans, the majority of 
whom are connected with the Catholic and 
Lutheran Churches, each deaomination hav- 
ing a flourishing congregation near the 
village of Dieterich. 

St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church dates 
its history from the year 1859, at which time 
a meeting was called for the purpose of tak- 
ing steps toward the erection of a house of 
worship. It was decided at this meeting to 
erect a temporary frame structure, and a so- 
liciting committee was appointed which soon 
succeeded in raising several hundred dollars, 
when an order arrived from Bishop Junker 
to either build a substantial edifice, suitable 
for a house of God, or none at all. This or- 
der served as a check on the building, and 

no fiurther efforts were made in that direction 

p 



282 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



until the year 1865, when the present house 
was erected. 

It is ii fine brick edifice, 40x60 feet, and 
cost, when completed and furnished, the sum 
of $7,000. In the fall of 1865, Rev. Kroeger 
held the first services in the new building 
with great pomp and ceremony. The first 
regulai' pastor was Father Nazarias, who had 
charge of the church but a few weeks. 
Father Mauritius, at that time rector of St. 
Joseph's College, was next appointed pastor, 
and succeeded diu'ing his pastorate in paying 
off the greater amount of the church's in- 
debtedness. Fathers Aloysius, Chrisosto- 
mus, Eustachius, Clementinus and Marcus 
have had charge of the congregation at dif- 
ferent times. 

Twenty families comprised the original 
membership, which has since increased until 
there are now 350 active members belonging 
to the church, and it is considered one of the 
most flourishing parishes in the diocese of 
Alton. 

The necessity of having a denominational 
school south of Salt Creek had long been 
felt by the Catholic families living here, as 
the distance to the nearest school, Teutopolis, 
was too great to be traveled by the children 
of the neighborhood. Forty acres of gi'ound 
were purchased for school purposes, in the 
year 1852, and a suitable log house erected. 
Mr. Hulls was the first teacher, in which 
capacity he served until the year 1854. 
From 1854 until 1863, the following teachers 
successfully taught one term: Kepking, 
Nieuaher, Borgman, Klinkhammer, Wern- 
sing (the present County Treasurer), Peters, 
Ackersmann, Gottesleben and Baltenweck. 
In 1863, Mr. Heimeier taught with great suc- 
cess, and continued with the school until 
1872. C. H. Guithues was then appointed 
and followed his vocation until 1880, when 
he resigned, and was succeeded by his son, 



Theodore Guithues, who still holds the posi- 
tion. A new building was erected in the 
year 1877, a short distance from the log 
structure. It is built of brick, cost $1,000, 
and is in every respect a model of neatness 
and comfort. At present there are sixty 
children attending the school. 

St. J ohn's Lutheran Church was organized 
in the year 1860, by Rev. Mr. Dickman, with 
a membership of about fifteen families. The 
schoolhouse northeast of Elliottstown served 
as a meeting place, until their first house of 
worship was erected. Their present neat ed- 
ifice was built in the year 1876, at a cost of 
$1,600. There are now about forty commu- 
nicants connected with the chui-ch. The 
present Trustees are H. Helmbrecht, G. 
Gerth and J. Woltmein. Rev. G. Wagner is 
the pastor now in charge. A parochial school 
was established the same time the church 
was built, and has been in successful opera- 
tion ever since. They have a good house, 
and the average attendance is about sixty pu- 
pils. The different pastors have had charge 
of the school as instructors. 

The Village of EllioUstown. — This town 
dates its history from June 17, 1854, at 
which time the gi-ound was surveyed into 
lots by County Surveyor R. A. Howard, for 
Smith Elliott, proprietor of the land. An 
addition was made to the original plat a few 
years afterward of a number of lots lying 
south of the main street in Lucas Township. 
A short time after the survey was made, sev- 
eral dwellings and business houses were in 
process of erection. There were a couple of 
buildings on the town site before the gi-oiind 
was platted, belonging to Dr. L, J. Field 
and E. A. Elliott. The former stood on the 
corner now occupied by George Dye's hotel, 
and was used for the threefold purpose of 
dwelling, doctor "shop" and post office. 
The last named is still standing and was 



IllSXUKY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



283 



formerly used as a dwelling and storeroom. 
It is at present occupied by Mrs. Higgins as 
a residence. The post office had been estab- 
lished at this point several years before the 
town was laid out, with Dr. Field as Post- 
master, a position he held for over seventeen 
years. It was not on any regular route, and 
the proceeds of the office were supj)osed to 
be sufficient to pay for carrying the mail. 
Sometimes, however, pay fi-om this source 
fell short and the deficiency had to be made 
up from private means of the Postmaster, 
who in this way lost over $60 during his 
term of office. About the time the town was 
contemplated, a storehouse was built and 
stocked with a miscellaneous assortment of 
merchandise by Robert Evans, who, for some 
two years, did a very handsome little business, 
which served as a good advertisement for the 
place. A second store building was erected 
about the year 1854 by John Marble, who 
kept a general line of merchandise, with a 
barrel of "Old Johnson County'' to make 
his variety complete. He continued his 
business but one year, when he disposed of 
his stock and moved into St. Francis Town- 
ship. The building was afterward torn down 
and removed to a place east of Teutopolis, 
where it is still standing. About 1855, H. 
L. Smith started a third store, which was 
kept in the house where Mrs. Higgins now 
lives, and for a while candied on a good 
trade. Dr. Field kept a store in one room 
of his residence for two years, which he op- 
erated in connection with his medical prac- 
tice. The latter having grown to so consid- 
erable extent, and finding he could not do 
his mercantile business justice without in- 
terfering with his profession, he closed out 
his stock, after having sold goods for two 
years. Since the town started, the following 
firms have done business here at difi"erent in- 
tervale : Sloan & Barr, William Hunter, 



Lloyd & Kennedy, Lloyd & Wilds, Sloan 
& Floyd, George Dye, W. H. Hyden, F. 
B. Schooley. The business of the town is 
represented at present by Merry & Sons, 
who keep a very fine store, with a stock of 
goods representing a cash value of perhaps 
$2,700. George Dye keeps a drug store and 
handles a line of groceries also. He is the 
good-natured proprietor of the only hotel in 
place, a good one by the way, and we mean 
no reflection on him when we call his place 
the ' ' Dye ' ' House. Dr. Field was the first 
physician in the town. Drs. Abbott, Hughes, 
Sloan, Johnson, Lessem", Shindle and Lara- 
bee have at different times during the town's 
history ministered to the afflicted of the vil- 
lage and sm'rounding county. Dr. T. J. 
Dunn, a son-in-law of Dr. Field and a regu- 
larly graduated M. D., is at j^resent located 
here and is gaining a large and lucrative 
practice. The first blacksmith shop in the 
village was built by John V. Bail, in the 
year 1855. He worked at his trade here for 
two years, when he sold his shop and moved to 
the village of Watson, where he has been 
ever since. A shop is run at present by 
John Dye. G. W. Baty built a steam flour- 
ing and saw mill combined, in the year 1854, 
and operated it about five years, when he 
sold it to a Mr. Patterson. The mill 
blew up a short time after Patterson 
purchased it, killing him instantly, and 
tearing the mill to shreds. Nobody else 
was hurt, though several had very narrow 
escapes. A steam saw mill was operated in the 
village several years, by Samuel Field, but 
at present there are no mills or manufactur- 
ing establishments of any kind in the place. 
There were in the village during its days of 
infancy several saloons — ginshops, sample 
rooms, or, to bo more explicit, "hell-holes," 
which had a demoralizing efifect upon the 
town and entire community, and gave the 



284 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



place a bad reputation abroad. These can- 
cers were removed a number of years ago, 
and fortunately for the good sense, intelli- 
gence and morality of the citizens, nothing of 
the kind has been permitted since. A man 
named Jim Green finally kept whisky by the 
barrel, which he retailed from his residence, 
causing the better disposed citizens a great 
deal of annoyance, but all their efforts to 
induce him to quit the business were fruit- 
less. During the progress of a gi-eat temper- 
ance revival which took the country by storm, 
some parties thought they could further the 
cause by destroying Green's whisky barrel, 
and accordingly went to work with that object 
in view. The barrel was kept in his smoke- 
house, as they supposed, right over the well, 
at least they had seen cerf ain parties go there 
for the purpose of sampling the "creature." 
Fired by the holiness of their mission, these 
cold water disciples crept cautiously up to the 
barrel one night, and after placing their sen- 
tinels on the watch, in order to insm-e safety, 
proceeded to bore a hole in the cask which 
contained the hated poison. The hole was 
bored, but fearing detection the templars did 
not wait to see the result, but went to their 
respective homes, cheered no doubt by approv- 
ing consciences for the part they had taken 
in the great work for humanity. The next 
morning the entire contents of Mrs. Green's 
brand new barrel of soft soap was found in 
the well, and nobody knew who bored the 
hole. 

The first school in Elliottstown was taught 
by John Russ. He began in the fall of 1856 
and continued three months. The house in 
which this term was taught was a small frame 
building erected for the purpose, and was 
the only house of the kind in the town for 
eighteen years. Among the different teach- 
ers who taught in this building were the fol- 
lowing : Samuel Field, who kept one of the 



first schools in the township ; H. B. Kepley, 
now ne of the 1 eadi ng lawyers of Effing- 
ham, and W. B. Hannawalt. The old house 
was replaced in 1874 by the present building, 
which was erected at a cost of about $800. 
The first school in this house was taught by 
Dr. T, J. Dunn. Present teacher is Mr. J. 
M. Britton who has an interesting school of 
about fifty pupils. 

The Baptist Church is the oldest religious 
society in Elliottstown, and was organized 
by an ecclesiastical council which convened 
for that purpose at the residence of Smith 
Elliott, March 27, 1852. The principal actors 
in the organization were Elders J. H. Larkin, 
G. W. Barcus and Stephen Blair. At this 
meeting, articles of faith were adopted, rules 
of order accepted, and the following names 
enrolled as members: Smith Elliott, Emily 
Elliott, L. J. Field, Frances Field, George 
Baty, Mary E. Baty, John B. Strife, Elizabeth 
Field, Margaret Arnold, Isaac McCroom and 
William Gordon. Of this number but two 
or three are now living in the village. The 
little congregation held their first meetings 
at Elliott's residence for one year, when the 
schoolhouse was secured for that purpose, 
and used as a place of worship until the year 
1858. Their present handsome and conven- 
ient edifice was erected in that year, at a cost 
of $2,000. The house is frame, dimensions 
forty by sixty feet, and will comfortably seat 
over three hundred people. Elder G. W. 
Barcus was called to act as pastor at the first 
meeting, and served in that cajsacity, at dif- 
ferent intervals, lor twenty years. He was a 
man universally respected for his piety, and 
did as much if not more than any other 
pastor toward building the congi'egation 
and leading the members toward the higher 
life. He is now a resident of Kansas, where 
he moved in the spring of 1882. Of the 
other pastors who ministered to the church 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



285 



were Revs. Keed, Patton and Chris, and 
others. In the early days of its history, the 
church was a strong organization, and was 
greatly strengthened by numerous revivals, 
during the progress of which many were 
converted and their names enrolled on the 
church records. There have been over one 
hundred members at different times, but 
many have died and others moved away until 
now there are but about forty names on the 
church books. There has been no preaching 
for some time past, and a general decay seems 
to have fastened itself upon the once flourish- 
ing society. 

The Christian Church of Elliottstown was 
organized in 1866, by Elder Henry Vandooser, 
with a membership of twelve or fifteen per- 
sons. The organization was effected at the 
schoolhouse, where for two years their serv- 
ices were held, when the use of the Baptist 
Church was secured, where the congregation 
met for worship two years longer. The 
church grew prosperous, and its membership 
increased very rapidly. The members are 
united as one in their social and religious 
relations, and six years had scarcely passed 
from the date of their organization, when 
they found themselves sufficiently strong to 
build a house of worship of their own. Their 
building is a convenient and comfortable 
frame structure, and represents a capital of 
about $1,500. Elder Thomas Wall was the 
first pastor, and served one year. His suc- 
cessor was Elder Barlow Higgins, who re- 
mained with the congregation the same length 
of time as his predecessor, and was followed 
by the present pastor, William Gordon, of 
Watson, who is now on his fifth year's work 
with the church. The present membership 
is about seventy. The elders of the church 
are Barlow Higgins, Jesse Melson, F. B. 
Schooley and Wilfred Fields. Deacons: 
John Dye, George Dye and William Layton. 



The Trustees are John and George Dye and 
Frank Poe. A Sabbath school, numbering 
some eighty or a hundred pupils, is among 
the most interesting and progressive features 
of the chui-ch. F. B. Schooley is the Super- 
intendent, and also one of the earnest workers 
of the congregation. 

Delia Lodge, No. 525. A., F. & A. M., 
was organized at the village of Winterrowd. in 
Lucas Township, in 1867, and the organiza- 
tion moved to this place a couple of years 
later. The charter was granted by Jerome 
R. Gorin, at that time Grand Master of the 
State, and the following names appear as 
charter members: Phenis Palmer, R. G. 
Scott, C. M. Scott, Washington Winten-owd, 
John C. Palmer, David Palmer, L. G. 
Field, David C. Kershner, John A. Barr, 
George W. Sloan, B. L. Palmer. Andrew 
Wiles, J. W. Hovirigan and '\\'aymack Merry. 
First officers were, Phenis Palmer; W. M.; 
R. G. Scott, S. W. ; and W. Winten-owd, J. W. 
The several offices are filled at present by F. 
B. Schooley, W. M.; J. F. Poynter, S. W.; 
F. J. Wood. J. W. : George Dye, Treasurer; 
T. J. Dunn, Secretary; J. W. Fields, S. D. ; 
W. K Davis, J. D.; W. H. Poynter, Chaplain; 
Waymack Meny and L. J. Field, Stewards, 
and J. Treese, Tiler. The lodge is in good 
working order, and has some twenty-one or 
twenty-two members. Their meetings are held 
in a very fair hall that is owned by the lodge. 

The little village of Dieterich, or Dieterichs- 
burg, is situated in the northwest corner of 
the township, on Section 13, and was laid out 
by M. Dieterich, who owned the land. It was 
surveyed by C. A. Van Allen, County Sur- 
veyor. January 8, 1881. This town is an 
outgrowth of the Springfield, Effingham & 
South-Eastern Railroad, which was recently 
completed through this part of the county 
and which has given new stimulus to the 
agricultural interest of this township, by 



286 



HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY. 



bringing good grain markets to the people's 
doors. There are at this station, three ware- 
houses, operated by Jennings & Minor, M. 
Dieter ich and M. V. Parks. Their business 
has largely increased during the past year, 
and at no other small point in the county 
were as many bushels of wheat handled in 
1881 and 1882. The place boasts two stores, 
which are kept by James Prather and Henry 
Habing; two blacksmith shops, where John 
Sonnenberg and William Richards work at 
their trades; two brick yards are in suc- 



j cessful operation, by Habing & Field, and 

■ several new houses will soon be erected. 

j John Richards was the lirst Postmaster, hav 

ing been appointed when the office was 

established, in the year 1881. The office is 

now kept by Dr. Chapman. 

A village called Graceville was sm-veyed 
and platted February 5, 1881, by C. A. Van 
Allen, County Surveyor, for John Grace, 
ovraer of the land. It occupies a portion of 
ground in Section 13, joining Dieterich, and 
both places go by the latter name. 



ADDENDUM.— Biography received too late for insertion in proper place. 



WEILER & MEYER, dealers in clothing, 
gents' furnishing goods, hats, shoes and trunks, 
one door north of Zimmerman & Snyder, 
Altamout. Herman Weiler was born in Ott- 



vveiler, Rhine Province, Prussia, June 13, 1855. 
Max Meyer was bom iu Hamburg, Germany, 
November 10, 1859. The above firm commenced 
business iu Altamont February 15, 1883. 




PAET II. 



Biographical Sketches, 



PART II. 



Biographical Sketches, 



EFFINGHAM CITY AIO) 

CHRISTIAN ALT, Sr., farmer, P. 0. Effing- 
ham, was born, in 1822, in German}-, son of 
Christian and Katharina (Bechtholdt) Alt, na- 
tives also of German}-; he was a farmer, and 
died in St. Clair County, this State, in 1853; 
she died Januar}- 3, 1874, in this county; they 
were the parents of two children, both boys. 
Our subject received his education in Germany. 
He was married, in St. Clair County, this State, 
September 22, 1853, to Anna Maria Scharth, 
born in German}-, daughter of Adam and Eliza 
Scharth, natives also of Germany. Mr. and 
Mrs. Alt have eight children — ^John, Christian, 
Henry, Louisa, Fritz, Katharina, Caroline and 
Wilhelm. Three of the boys are married. Our 
subject came to this county in October, 1865, 
and has since resided here. He was a miller 
up to 1880, since which year his oldest son has 
run the mill, although our subject still holds an 
interest in it. He is a member of the Lutheran 
Church, and in politics is a Democrat. 

CHRISTIAN ALT, Jr., expressman, Effing-, 
ham, was born in St. Clair County, this State, 
Jan. 25, 1857, son of Christian and Anna Maria 
(Scharth) Alt, natives of Germany, are farmers 
and are living in this county; they are the par- 
ents of eight children. Our subject received his 
education in his native county, and also in 
Effingham. He was married, in Effingham, 
June 24, 1879, to Miss Mary Koester, born 
February 19, 1860, in Germany, daughter of 



DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 

Conrad and Christina (Ritterborn) Koester, na 
tives also of Germany, and are living, he in 
Effingham and she in Germany. Our sulyect 
worked in his father's mill, and in 1872 went 
into the employ of A. Sewart, in a general 
store. He afterward worked in several other 
stores, and December 1, 1881, he entered the 
employ of H. G. Hahing, who is agent for the 
Adams and Pacific Express Companies, and 
also for the Wabash Railroad, the work per- 
taining to the latter office of which our subject 
has charge. Mr. Alt is a member of the Luther- 
an Church, and is Independent in politics. 

JOHN ALT, miller, Effingham, was born in 
St. Clair County, 111., February 14, 1852, son of 
John and Mary (Scharth) Alt. He was thirteen 
years of age, when his parents removed to this 
county and settled in Effingham, and our sub- 
ject engaged in farming until he was eighteen. 
His stepfather bought the Old City Mills about 
1866. About 1870, our subject entered his 
present mill, and remained five years, when he 
took a general Western t«ur, stopping in Cali- 
fornia for one and a half years. He returned 
in November, 1876, and in the spring of 
1877, bought an interest in the City Mills, and 
has run them ever since, increasing its capacity 
and improving its machinery. Its present ca- 
pacity is seventy barrels per day. Flour is man- 
ufactured by the new process, and the mill turns 
not several brands — a " Patent," " Straight," 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



"Gold Dust" and "No. 1." They do a mer- 
chant and exchange business, and the products 
of the mill find sale in the local market. The 
firm name is John Alt & Co., our subject being 
in partnership with his step-father, Christian 
Alt. The City Mills burned in 1868, and were 
rebuilt in 18fi9 at a cost of $10,000. It is a 
three-story frame, 35x50, with engine-room at- 
tached; engine is thirtv-five horse power, and 
the mill require altogether five men. Subject 
was married, in October, 1877, to Miss Letitia 
Wade, of Effingham. They have one son. Mr. 
Alt's father died in St. Clair County, this State, 
when he (subject) was eleven months old. 

CHARLES 0. ANDEKSON, merchant, Ef- 
fingham, son of Enoch Anderson, was born in 
Shelby County, 111., January 3, 1862. He 
served one year as clerk in Chicago, 111., and 
two j-ears with Eversman & Speck. He came 
to Effingham City when three years of age, and 
has been raised and educated in the public 
scliools. He bought the confectionery and res- 
taurant of W. H. Duddleston in September, 
1882, and has since conducted the business 
under the firm name of C. 0. Anderson & Co., 
near the post office, carrying a full line of 
confectionery, fine fruits and oysters and ice 
cream, in their respective seasons. His parents 
were both natives of Sweden, and came to 
the United States in 1861. 

JONATHAN A. ARNOLD, teacher, Effing- 
ham, was born in Jasper County, 111., Novem- 
ber 8, 1845. He was educated in the public 
schools of his native county, and attended one 
year at St. Joseph's College, Teutopolis, this 
county. He came to this county in 1863, and 
clerked in a store in Teutopolis for Venemann 
& Co. for four years, and afterward three years 
in Effingham for Van Norman Bros. About 
1871, he began teaching in Liberty Township, 
this county, and has been teaching about seven 
months per j'ear in the county ever since. In 
December, 1881, he was appointed Superin- 
tendent of Schools of this county to serve an 



interim between two terms of one }-ear. He 
received the nomination at the Democratic 
primary, in April, 1882, for the same office for 
a term of four years. He had served as Chair- 
man of the Board of Supervisors for three 
years when appointed, and had served as Super- 
visor for several j'ears in Banner Township. 

E. AUSTIN, dairyman, P. 0. Effingham, was 
born August 29, 1842, in Hancock County, 111., 
son of Seneca and Julia (Burnett) Austin, he, 
born in 1798, in Orwell, Vt., was a lawyer, 
editor and farmer, and died in Effingham, in 
May, 1830; she, born in Dayton, Ohio, August 
29, 1812, and died May 8, 1873, in Delhi, Ohio. 
They were the parents of four children. Our 
subject received his education in Campbell 
County, Kj'. He was a farmer in early life, 
also taught school, and learned the painter's 
trade. He was married in Campbell Countj', 
Ky., October 17, 1861, to Miss Susan L. Winter, 
born in Cincinnati, Ohio, November 23, 1841; 
daughter of William and Nancy J. Winter, he 
a native of England, and she of Kentucky, 
both born in 1798. Mr. and Mrs. Austin have 
nine children — Harry B., Charles, Cornelia, 
Frank G., William, Gustavus, Calvin, Julia and 
Gertrude. Our subject came to Illinois in 1862, 
and resided for three 3'ears in Jasper County. 
He then came to this county and worked at 
the painter's trade for two j-ears. He then 
purchased sixty-five acres of land near the 
town, and now has 105 acres, on which he has 
a dairy, market garden and a good orchard. 
Mr. Austin is a member of the Presbyterian 
Church, and in politics is a Republican. 

HON. WILLIAM H. BARLOW, attorney 
at law, Effingham City, was born in Munford- 
ville. Hart Co., Ky., July 26, 1839. At the age 
of twelve, he came with his parents to Charles- 
ton, 111., where he lived until 1868. He was 
educated in the public schools, and spent about 
two years in Kenyon College, before entering the 
army. In July, 18G1, he enlisted in Company 
H, Fifty-ninth Illinois Infantry, and went out 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSniP. 



as private. In Julj', 1862, he was promoted to 
Assistant Quartermaster, with the rank of Cap- 
tain of volunteers, antl was in the Missouri 
Department until the latter part of 1862, join- 
•ing Gen. Sherman, at Memphis, Tenn., in De- 
cember, 1862, and served for some j'ears on 
Logan's staff, and was with that army in its 
various changes, and was on Gen. Sherman's 
staff during the last six months of the war. 
After the war closed, ia July, 1865, he was 
ordered to the sea coast, where he remained 
until October following, when he was ordered 
to Florida, as Chief Quartermaster of the State, 
with iieadquarters at Tallahassee; and January, 
1866, was ordered to Fort Garland, Colorado, 
and was mustered out of service by special 
order from the War Department, No. 550, 
November 13, 1866, being the last of the volun- 
teer officers of Army of Tennessee mustered 
out. On being discharged, Mr. Barlow went 
immediately to the Law Department of the 
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from 
which he graduated March 25, 1868, and came 
to Effingham on the 20th of Ma\' following, 
and was admitted to the bar in April, 1868, at 
Charleston, 111. He has been in active practice 
of his profession here ever since. July 20, 

1868, he formed a lavv partnership with Benson 
and Virgil Wood, which lasted until November 
1, 1875, and has since been alone. He was 
Chairman of the Republican Count}- Central 
Committee in 1870, and in 1871 was appointed 
United States Assessor for the Eleventh Dis- 
trict of Illinois, and hold that office until it was 
abolished. He was a member of the Repub- 
lican State Central Committee of lUinoi.s from 
1870 to 1878, and was a delegate from the 
Fifteenth Congressional District of Illinois to 
the National Republican Convention, at Chica- 
go, in 1880, and was one of the famous " 306." 
Ho was the late Republican nominee for 
Congress in the Seventeenth Congressional Dis- 
trict of Illinois. He was married, March 11, 

1869, at Green Castle, Ind., to xMiss Ella Allen. 



They had one child, now deceased. His father, 
John P. Barlow, was born in Virginia, removed 
to Kentucky when a boy, and resided in Hart 
County until 1853, engaged in merchandising. 
He came to Charleston, 111., in 1853, and re- 
sided there until 1869, when he came to Effing- 
ham, and is now living with subject in his 
seventy-seventh year. 

H. BECKMANN, furniture, Effingham, was 
born in Germanj- January 6, 1838, son of Bern- 
hard and Marj' (Brinck) Beckmann, natives 
also of Germany; he, born in 1780, and died in 
his native country in 1840; she, born in 1783, 
and is still living in Germany. Thoy had four 
children, two sons and two daughters. Our 
subject received his schooling in his native land, 
where he also learned the carpenter's trade. 
He came to the United States in the fall of 
1868, coming to this county, where he has since 
resided. He was married, November 5, 1868, 
in Effingham, to Miss Caroline Bussemeyer, 
born in Germany in 1843, daughter of Henry 
and Mary (Meckman) Bussemeyer, natives also 
of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Beckmann have 
had five children, four of whom are living — 
Bernhard, Augusta, Mary and Clara. During 
the years 1861, 1862 and 1863, our subject was 
in the German Armj', a member of the Thirty- 
ninth Fusileers. In 1866, he was in the Aus- 
trian war, and was engaged in the battles of 
Schafl'enburg and Hammelburg, and two other 
minor engagements. Mr. Beckmann has been 
in the furniture and undertaking business for 
four years, and has a good stock of goods. He 
is a member of the Catholic Church, and in 
politics is a Democrat. 

EZRA II. BISHOP, merchant. 
City, was born in Hardy County, 
Virginia, February 10, 1837. He 
his parents to this county when 
year. They first settled in Summit Township, 
at Blue Point, where the father opened a farm 
and resided there about three years, and then 
removed to Freemanton, a village on the old 



Effingham 

now West 

came with 

in his fifth 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



National Road, where he kept a small store 
and practiced medicine. Our subject grew up 
in the village, and went to one of the delapi- 
dated schools of that day about three months 
in winter, and, at fifteen, began teaming and 
hauling produce to St. Louis, and brought mer- 
chandise back. His father brought the first 
steam-mill to the county, which he located at 
Fremanton about 1851 or 1852. It was both 
a grist and saw mill, and a carding machine 
being attached to it also. After the mill came, 
our subject hauled logs and cord wood until 
about 1855 or 1856, when the mill was sold. 
He remained on the farm until of age, and 
continued farming for himself until the 
War broke out. He came to Effingham in 
1863, and, in 1865, he began clerking with A. 
Stewart, and continued as salesman and book- 
keeper with him for fourteen years, and, in 
March, 1880, opened a dry goods store for him- 
self on Jefferson street, where he has since 
done a successful business. His father, Jacob 
Bishop, was born in Virginia, but spent his 
early life in Ohio, where he married Sarah 
Hook, of Licking County, that State. He 
came to Effingham County October 1, 1841, 
where he passed the remainder of his da3'S. 
He died in 1868, in his fifty-ninth j'ear. He 
was the father of eleven children — John W. 
(a farmer in this county), Ezra H. (subject), 
Melissa C. (wife of Joseph Young, of this 
county), and Sophronia E. (wife of John Kelker, 
of Pueblo, Colo). Our subject's father studied 
medicine in Ohio, with a view to self-improve- 
ment, and, after coming here, without any in- 
tention of practicing, was drawn into a large 
practice. He had but little means when he 
came, but was quite successful. He and his 
family were Methodists, and he was for many 
years a local preacher. 

SAMUEL BLATTNER, EfBngham City. 
Prominently identified among the business 
men of this place is the gentleman whose 
name heads this sketch. He is a native of 



Knetingen, Canton Argau, Switzerland, and 
was born November 13, 1831. He is a son 
of John Blattner, who was born in 1797, in 
Switzerland, his occupation that of a tailor; 
came to the United States in 1834, and died 
in Madison County, 111. Anna Blattner, the 
mother of our subject, was born in 1804, in 
Canton Argau, Switzerland, and died in 
Highland, Madison Co., 111. There are thir- 
teen children in the family, seven of whom 
are now living. Mr. Blattner went to school 
only a part of three months, in Highland, 
111. He is mainly self-educated. He came 
to the United States in 1834. He first land- 
ed in New York, then went to St. Louis. 
From there he went to Madison County, 111. 
He worked on a farm there till he was nine- 
teen years of age, when he learned the black- 
smith's trade in Highland, 111., where he was 
married, June 6, 1854, to Miss Anna Keaser, 
who first beheld the light of the world in 
Switzerland, in February, 1828. She is a 
daughter of John and Barbara Keaser, both 
of whom were born in Switzerland. Mr. 
Blattner has one daughter, named Barbara, 
born in 1855, in Highland, III. She was 
married to Mr. Albert Gravenhorst, whose 
father is the editor of the German paper 
known as the Effingham Volksblat Mr. 
Blattner enlisted in the Second Missouri In- 
fantry, Company K, May 19, 1801. He was 
in the battles of Booneville, Mo. ; Wilson 
Creek, Pea Ridge, Shiloh, Corinth, Perry- 
ville and Stone River, where he was wound- 
ed, and after that he served in the Invalid 
Corps, doing provost duty in New York State 
until he was discharged, September 10, 1864. 
.In religion, our subject is a Lutheran; also 
an old Jeffersonian Democrat. After the 
war, Mr. Blattner came to Edgewood, Effing- 
ham County, in which place he went into the 
liquor business, which he continued after 
coming to Effingham, 111., in 1878. He 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



draw8 a pension, and was at one time a 
Trustee in Edgewood. 

JOSHUA BRADLEY, marble dealer, Effing- 
ham, was born in Jackson County, 111., Octo- 
ber 10, 1823 ; came to Efflingham County in 
April, 1843; bought an improved tract of land 
of John G. McCanu in Section 29, in what is 
now Summit Township, and still owned by 
subject. He paid $150 for the improvement 
and afterward entered it at different times until 
he acquired 180 acres. Subject devoted his 
attention to farming until 1858, when he re- 
moved to Effingham and engaged in stone- 
work. His father was a stone-cutter and mason 
in Jackson County, 111., and made tombstones 
there, and subject learned that business. In 
1846, he began making and furnishing grave- 
stones out of sandstone, and some are still 
standing at Preemanton and Ewington which 
are in good condition after thirty-six j'ears of 
exposure. He quarried the stone, some on 
Coon Creek, Mound Township, and dressed 
them himself; also, made grindstones when 
they were desired; worked at this in the fall, 
also worked on the stone-work of the Illinois 
Central. In 1858 moved to Effingham and 
remained until 18G1, when he went back to his 
farm until 1864, when he again came to Effing- 
ham and engaged in the marble business, con- 
tinuing here until 1868, when he moved his 
stock to his farm and carried on marble busi- 
ness and farming until 1875, when he removed 
to Altamont and established a business in con- 
nection with his son John H. Bradley, and 
continued there until February 1877, when he 
again went back to the farm and remained 
there for two years. In the fall of 1879, he re- 
moved to Effingham where he had termed a 
partnership with James A. Flack and Daniel 
Safford, and has since continued the marble 
works on Main and Railroad streets, under 
the firm name of Bradley, Flack & Saf- 
ford. 5Ir. Bradle}- attends to the outside 
business of the firm and the remaining part- 



ner's attend to the shop interests. The father 
of our subject, James H. Bradley, was born in 
North Carolina and raised in Middle Tennes- 
see, and came to Illinois about 1818, settling 
with his father in Jackson County. He mar- 
ried Miss Martha Hughes, daughter of James 
Hughes. She was born in Randolph County, 
in the Territory of Illinois, in October 15, 1804. 
She was raised three miles northeast of Kas- 
kaskia, and was acquainted with all of the 
principal Indians in that part of the State. 
James Hughes came with some of his family 
from Kentucky about tiie beginning of the 
centurj'. From Reynolds' History of Illinois, 
we learn that James Hughes taught an evening 
school, which brought ex-Gov. Rej'uolds and 
other young men from five miles around in 
that vicinity to prepare for college. James 
Hughes was a Major during the war of 1812 
and the Indian troubles in ranger service. One 
of his sons held all of the principal offices in 
Randolph County. Mother of subject died at 
the age of fortj'-one in Jackson Count}', and 
his father died in Jackson on his homestead 
in Bradley Township in 1866. He served as 
Justice of the Peace for about twelve years, 
and had seven sons and seven daughters, five 
of whom are now living. Subject was married 
in ^Farch, 1843, to Mrs. Matilda S. Flack, widow 
of Milton Flack, by whom she had one son, 
James A. Flack, now a partner in present firm. 
His father was l)orn on the Four Mill Prairie, 
in Perry County, III, where his father had 
settled in pioneer times. Mrs. Bradley was 
the daughter of Andrew Bourland. who died 
at Yandalia, where he was Justice of the Peace 
and Postmaster at Vandalia, 111., at the time of 
his death in 1842. Subject has four sons and 
two daughters by his marriage, one daughter 
and one son dead. Those living are : Ben- 
jamin F., of Effingham; Joshua F., of Bon- 
ham, Texas; John H., of Terre Haute, and 
Mary V., wife of A. J. Gloyd, of Williams- 
ville, 111. 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



WILLIAM S. BRADLEY, tie contractor, 
Effiugbam, was born in Wilson County, Tenn., 
October 9, 1835. He was six years old wlien 
he came with his uncle, Morris Bradley, in 
1841, to this count}'. He rode behind his uncle 
on horseback from Tennessee, being eight days 
on the way. His uncle bought land in Mason 
Township, where he (uncle) resided until his 
death about 1876. Our subject gi-ew upon the 
farm and lived with his uncle, going to school 
three miles distant, across the creek in 
Mason Township, near the side of the Wabash 
Church. He worked on a farm bj' the month 
until they began the construction of the Illinois 
Central Railroad, on which he worked three 
j-ears. He then bought new land and opened 
up a farm near Mason, and still owns land 
there. He farmed with good success until 
1875, when he began working in timber, and 
has been a tie contractor since, working from 
fifteen to twent3'-five men for the last five years. 
His parents died when he was three j'ears old, 
and they died about six months apart, and he 
was cared for by an aunt, until he came to 
this county. He was married, in 1857, to Miss 
Rowena Brockett, daughter of James Brockett, 
one of the first settlers of the county. They 
had two sons, both living. Mrs. Bradley died 
September, 1871. Our subject was married a 
second time, February 7, 1876, to Miss Minerva 
Martin, daughter of Moses Martin. The}- have 
one daughter. 

THOMAS H. BRAND, proprietor California 
House, Effingham, was born in Cambridge- 
shire, England, April 20, 1825. He came 
to United States, in his fourteenth year with 
his older brother, and settled at Floyd Hill, 
Oneida Co., N. Y., and lived with his brother 
there on a fai:m until 1849. In that year, he 
was sent b}' Emmonal Potter, of Floyd Hill. N. 
Y., to California — the contract was that Mr. 
Brand was to give Mr. Potter one-half of all 
he made in the mines for two years, and Mr. 
Potter to pay his passage except $50. Subject 



sailed around Cape Horn, and was 157 days 
from New York City to San Francisco, Cal., 
ten daj's being spent in the port of Valparaiso, 
Chili. On his arrival, Mr. Brand worked in 
the mines for three years; and had acquired 
considerable money, but lost $1,800, all 
he had, as did many others, as the veut- 
ure proved a failure. They had to pay $2 
per pound for flour, and high prices for other 
things. At the end of the two j-ears, Mr. 
Brand had nothing, and the fourth year he 
engaged in the gardening business with James 
L. Halstead at Volcano, in Calaveras County, 
Cal. The gardening was a great success, and 
he sold potatoes at 50 cents per pound, and 
some hills contained eighteen pounds. Mr. 
Brand came home via the Nicaragua route in 
1853, and returned to his native county, and, 
although not legally or morally respousible to 
his benefactor, he paid his heirs $500, and still 
holds receipt for the same. In the spring of 

1853, Mr. Brand went to Rock County, Wis., 
where he bought an improved farm of about 
seventy-five acres, which he sold to his brother 
in the fall of 1853, and having met James 
Baldwin, of Utica, N. Y., while in the mines, he 
was induced by a liberal offer by him to cross 
the plains California, and proceeded as far as 
Louis, when he gave up the project and settled 
at Edwardsville, 111., where he stopped for a 
short time, and then went to Clark County, 
Mo., where he bought and opened up a farm in 

1854, and remained there until the war broke 
out and by hard work was in good circum- 
stances. In 1861, he enlisted in the Seventh 
Missouri Cavalry under Col. Bishop, and 
served until he was discharged on account of 
disabilit}-. He sold his stock after his dis- 
charge, and removed back to Edwardsville, 111., 
and in 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred 
and Fiftieth Illinois Volunteer Infantrj- under 
Col. Springer, and served until the close of the 
war, and returned to Edwardsville, 111. Mr. 
Brand bought a farm in Madison County, 111., 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



9 



which he conducted for some time. In 1869, 
he came to KiRngham, and leased the building 
now known as the " California House," of Gil- 
more & Watson, and afterward bought, and 
conducted it as a restaurant for a time, and 
has run it as a hotel for many j-ears. He has 
enlarged it until it has at present twenty-two 
rooms with dining-room, sample rooms and 
office. It has been run under the name of 
the California House for tiie past eight years. 
Mr. Brand came here in September, 1869, and, 
in October of that year, while trying to blow 
the soot out of the chimnej* with powder, it 
exploded in his face, putting out both of his 
eyes. He wa? married in ISS,"? in Oneida, N. 
Y., to Miss Harriet S. Mason, of Floyd, N. Y. 
They have six children living, and four de- 
ceased. 

WILLIAM EDWIN BUCKNER, the oldest 
child of Josiah and Lorana (Henry) Buckner, 
was born in Larkinsburg Township, Clay Co., 
111., September 24, 1856. His birthplace was 
known as the Joseph Henry farm, three-fourths 
of a mile from the present town of Edgcwood, 
in Effingham County. His parents lived on 
this place for one 3"ear, and then moved to Edge- 
wood, which was then just being built, in con- 
sequence of the Illinois Central Railroad, which 
was then, in the year 1856. completed, when his 
father built the first house of this thriving little 
town. His parents, after remaining here two 
years, moved to the town of Mason, where they 
resided for two years more, when, in the fall of 
1860, they again removed to their former home 
iu Clay County. They staj-ed here during the 
fall and winter of 1861, when, in the spring of 
1862, they moved back to Mason. At this time 
his father enlisted in the three-months' service, 
subject to Lincoln's first call. He joined Col. 
W. H. L. Wallace's Eleventh Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry, which afterward made itself fivmous on 
many a hard-fought field. His position was 
second drummer, he being the first assistant to 
the famous James B. McQuillan; served out 



his time, and in the fall of 1862, went to White 
County and joined the Eighty-seventh Regiment, 
Col. John E. Whitney, uncle of our subject, as 
Drum Major. This regiment was afterward 
known as the Eighty-seventh Illinois. Now, 
for three years young William had fun, his prin- 
cipal amusement being to play the truant from 
school. He went to school just when it pleased 
him. all the arguments to the contrary notwith- 
standing. His time was spent while out of school 
in going to the creek to bathe, riding on the 
cars, feats at pugilism with his plaj'mates, play- 
ing soldiers, and joining many an innocent band 
of j'Oung marauders on the various apple or- 
chards throughout the neighborhood. The or- 
chard belonging to good old ''Granny- Rutfner" 
escaped, the secret being a huge mastiff which 
she kept at her house, and whose bark and fierce 
look at once struck terror to the heart of the 
young Buckner. After the war was over, his 
father returned home, and in the spring of 1866, 
the family moved to a farm north of Mason, 
where for most of the time the subject of this 
sketch resided with his parents, until the spring 
of 1880, when he came to Effingham and en- 
tered the office of Cooper & Gillmore, to com- 
plete his law studies, which had been commenced 
some four years prior to this time. His stud}' 
of the law was begun in 1876 with the Hon. H. 
B. Keple}-, with whom he studied for four or 
five mouths, when he went back to the farm. 
Here for the next few years was a struggle for 
him. Possessing a great desire to complete his 
law studies, he worked early and late, using all 
his spare time of mornings, noons and evenings 
in study. It was during this time that he read 
over Blackstone, Kent and Parsons on Contracts. 
During the spring, summer, fall and winter of 
1878, he in this way read Parsons on Contracts 
three times. Parsons has alwa^'s been his fav- 
orite law-writer. The winter of 1879 and 1880 
was spent in teaching the home district school 
at $25 per month. This monej- was used in 
helping to complete his law studies. He re- 



10 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



mained in the office of Cooper & Gillmore until 
August, 1881, when, at Mount Vernon, 111., he 
passed a successful examination before the Ap- 
pellate Court, and was admitted to the bar, he 
being one of the twentj-six out a class of thirt)'- 
four. After his admission, he settled in Van- 
dalia, where he remained for four months, re- 
turning to Effingham and opening an office in 
the Register Building in March, 1882. His first 
case in the circuit was the defense of three fel- 
lows for highway robbery, in which he was un- 
successfid, the proof against them being so strong 
as to prevent an acquittal. His law reading 
has been quite extensive, Blackstone, Kent, 
Parsons on Contracts, Chitty, Gould and Ste- 
phen on Pleading, Greenleaf on Evidence, 
Bishop on Criminal Law, Story and Adams on 
Equity, Story on Equity Pleading, Reeves on 
Domestic Relation, Danille's Chancer}' Practice, 
Washburn on Real Property, besides several 
minor works, manj- of them having been read 
and recited a number of times. He cannot 
boast of a long line of royal ancestors. His 
grandfather, Philip Buckner, was a sturdj* old 
Kentucky farmer, who moved to thi_s county in 
1835, where our subject's father, Josiah Buck- 
ner, was born, August 1, 1835, and who has 
since pursued the occupation of a farmer, till 
1881, when he removed to the city of Effing- 
ham, where he has since resided. His motlier 
was Lorana Henry, the oldest daughter of 
Joseph Henry, who was a son of Elijah Henr}-, 
who also was a Kentuck}- farmer and black- 
smith, and who moved from Kentucky to Law- 
rence County, Ind., and thence to this State, in 
the latter part of the decade of 1840, or the be- 
ginning of 1850. Elijah Henry is known and 
esteemed by man}' of the oldest citizens of this 
county for the many excellent varieties of 
fruit trees which his nursery at Mason contained. 
Manj- of the oldest and best orchards in this 
county were grown from the "Henry Nursery." 
Josiah Buckner and Lorana Heurj' were joined 
in the bonds of holy matrimony, in the citj- of 



St. Louis, May 4, 1855, for the simple and well- 
known reason that the paternal of Lorana ob- 
jected to Josiah paying his attentions to their 
daughter, much less allowing them to be mar- 
ried at home. But, like a great many marriages 
which have been contracted under similar dif- 
ficulties, the old folks relented, and clasped the 
young and happ}- couple to their bosoms on 
their return home. The old gentleman at once 
decided having Josiah to live on the farm with 
him, and started him in life as best he was able. 
Mrs. Buckner is a grand-daughter of the man 
who was Henry Clay's blacksmith. Their 
union has been a happy one, being blessed by 
seven children — William E., Jemima J., Levi 
L., Henry C, Franklin F., Philip 0., Aurora. 
Of these, two — -Jemima J. and Henry C. — passed 
awaj' to that better and happier land in their 
infancy. 

HENRY E. BURBACH, saloon, Effingham, 
was born on the River Rhine, town of Cologne, 
Prussia, December 2, 1835. His father's name 
was Joseph Burbach, he was born in the same 
place about the j'ear 1806. He now resides in 
Milwaukee. His mother's name, before mar- 
riage, was Catharine Bodden; she was also 
born in the same place in 1808; she died in 
1841, and was buried there. There were three 
children in the family, one boy and two girls. 
Subject was educated at a common school. In 
1854, while at the age of nineteen, he came with 
his parents to America, and settled with them 
in Milwaukee, where he learned the cooper trade. 
He worked at the business one year as a jour- 
neyman, and, in 1851, removed to New Bruns- 
wick; after a stay here from fall until spring, 
he went to St. Joe, Mo.; from there to New 
Orleans and St. Louis. He was married, in 
1864, to Miss Catharine Seamon, of Chicago. 
She was born in Prussia. Her father's name 
was Michael Seamon, who was born in Prussia. 
Subject enlisted in Ninth Illinois Cavalry De- 
cember 27, 1861; was promoted Orderly Ser- 
geant, and served during the war, and, with 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



11 



the exception of a brief period, was witti his 
regiment durinii all their marching and fight- 
ing. He was discharged December 9, 1864. 
His children are Lena, Kate, Margaret, 
Henry and Joseph. After his discharge from 
the service, he returned to Milwaukee, where, 
after a short staj-, he went to Chicago, and en- 
gaged in keeping a boarding-house. He came 
to Effingham in 1870. 

GEOllGE BUSSE, farmer, P. 0. Teutopolis, 
son of Gerhard and Maggie (Uphouse) Basse, 
was born in this countj- in 1851. He is the 
fifth child of the tamily which consists of nine 
children, all born in Illinois except Henry, who 
was born in Ohio. His fivther has always 
farmed, both in this and the old countrj- (Ger- 
man}-). On arriving in America, he settled 
first in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he remained 
some six 3-ears; previous to his removal to Illi- 
nois, he had purchased forty acres through the 
colony agenc}', and, after his arrival, bought 
sixty acres adjoining his first purchase. He 
came to America in 183-t, and was married in 
Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1840. Mr. Busse, the sub- 
ject of this sketch, was married in Effingham 
County, in 1867, to Miss Mary Wesling, of the 
same countj-, but who was born in Cincinnati, 
Ohio. They have three children — Louie, Henry 
and Bidy. Mr. Busse was educated in Teu- 
topolis. He is a farmer b}' occupation. 

SAMUEL CAMPBELL, lumber dealer, Ef- 
fingham, was born in Somerset, Perr}' Co., Ohio, 
July 31, 1832. He was engaged in the grocery 
business before the war, beginning at sixteen 
years of age, and continued until 1862, when 
he joined the Array of the Cumberland, and 
was sutler for the Ninetieth Ohio Regiment 
until 1864, when he returned home and en- 
gaged in the hardware business in Somerset 
until 1871, when he removed to Effingham, 
where he has been engaged in the lumber and 
milling business ever since. In Jul}', 1879, 
he located his present lumber 3^ard3 near the 
track of the Vandalia line, near which he 



owned and conducted a saw and planing mill. 
He removed the saw-mill in May, 1882, to 
Watson Township, whei-e he bought a tract of 
timber and is engaged in the manufacture of 
lumber for this market. The milling interest 
employs fourteen men. Our sul)ject was mar- 
ried in 1854 to Miss Sarah Kuhns, of Perry 
County. Ohio. They have three sons and six 
daughters living — -Albert H., James V., Will- 
iam, Mary, Callie, Emma, Rosa, Laura and 
Mabel. 

WILLIAM BREWSTER COOPER, attor- 
ney, Effingham, born in Plymouth, Mass., 
March 8, 1835, son of William R. and Eme- 
line (De Pallies) Cooper. His ancestor, Jo- 
seph Cooper, came over in the year 1640, from 
England. He was a farmer and weaver, who 
settled in Plymouth and married Elizabeth 
Brewster, daughter of Elder William Brew- 
ster, who came over in the Mayflower, and 
the original homestead of his is in posses- 
sion of his descendants by the Cooper family. 
Subject is the fouiih generation from Joseph 
Cooper, and the fifth from Elder William 
Brewster. His paternal grandmother was 
Lucy Taylor, daughter of Lucy Standish, a 
descendant from Miles Standish, of the May- 
flower. For many generations the family 
were Whigs and Unitarians, and his father 
became an ardent Abolitionist, and a conduct- 
or on the "Underground Railroad." Subject 
was the first Democrat in the family, and 
lived in the East until fifteen years old. He 
was prepared for the junior year in Harvard 
College in the private academy of Charles 
Burton, still teaching in Plymouth, Mass. 
He entered the senior class, and graduated 
in 1851. Of all the graduates from the 
founding of Harvard to 1851, Mr. Cooper 
was the youngest, except one other, and stood 
No. 13 in a class of over one thousand 
members. After leaving school, he came 
West to Denmark. Iowa, then a small country 



13 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



hamlet of about three hundred people, 
and site of a Congregational Church and 
academy. Subject clerked in a store for 
a short time, and came to Illinois in the 
fall of 1852, and taught school that winter 
near Rushville, Schuyler Co., 111., and stud- 
ied law during that winter by personal effort, 
and was admitted to the bar at Canton, Mo., 
in May, 1853, and immediately afterward at 
Rushville, 111. During the summer, he 
taught the academy at Clayton, 111., a Pres- 
byterian institution, and one of his pujsils 
was Rev. Leonard W. King, afterward Pro- 
fessor of Languages in University of Vir- 
ginia. At the expiration of term of school, he 
went to Salem, Iowa, where he located for 
practice, and got some legal work to do in 
surrounding country towns. He came from 
Salem directly to Ewiugton, this county, in 
May, 1854, and began the practice of law as 
the partner of W. J. Stephenson, who shortly 
after removed to Clay County, 111. , the part- 
nership still existing. Mr. Cooper was but 
nineteen years old when he caoie, and at once 
took the lead, and gave to the EfBugham bar 
its distinctive character. He was married, 
in December, 1855. to Miss Jane Iddings, of 
Salem, Iowa. There are two children (sons) 
living of that marriage, and three dead. The 
first wife died in November, 1865, and Mr. 
Cooper married, December 2, 1869, Miss Har- 
riet E. Leith, of Mason, this county, by 
which union there are two daughters and a 
son. Mr. Cooper brought the first printing 
press to the county, and started the Effing- 
ham Pioneer, printed at Ewington. He is 
Strongly Republican. 

SAMUEL CLARK, pbysician, Effingham 
City, was born in Piketon, Pike Co., Ohio, 
October 22, 1831, son of John and Abigail 
(Sumner) Clark, he, born in Cumberland 
County, Ohio, in 1802, and died in Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, in 1851; she, born in Peacham, 



Caledonia Co., Vt., and died in Shelby Coun- 
ty, this State, in December, 1876. They 
were farmers, and the parents of nine chil- 
dren — four sons and live daixghters. Our 
subject received his early schooling in Ports- 
mouth, Ohio, and attended a course of study 
at the Rush Medical College, Chicago, and 
also at the St. Louis Medical College, where 
he received his diploma. He was married, 
in Shelbyville, this State, February 2, 1858, 
to Miss Margia Harris, born in Shelbyville in 
May, 1S37, daughter of David L. and Eliza- 
beth Harris. Mr. and Mrs. Clark have had 
four children, two of whom are living — Dora, 
now the wife of James T. Potter: and John 
D., a lawyer by profession, being a graduate 
of Eureka College, and the Bloomington (111.) 
Law School. Our subject has always fol 
lowed his profession. He practiced about 
twenty years in Ramsey, this State, about 
five years in Altamont, this county, and, Oc- 
tober 5, 1882, he came to Effingham, where 
he intends to reside in the future. He is at 
present editor of the Democrat, a weekly 
joiu'nal published at Ramsey, this State. He 
is also a partner in a general merchandise 
store on the corner of Jefferson and Front 
streets, in which a full stock of goods is con- 
stantly kept. In politics, the Doctor is a 
conservative Democrat, voting always for 
whom he considers the best man. 

ALANSON CROCKER, landlord, Effing- 
ham, was born in Delaware County, N. Y., 
in September, 1812. He came to Lawrence- 
burg, Ind., when a young man, and there 
married Agnes Henrietta Craig, and, several 
years before the war, went to Nashville, 
Tenn., where he lived twenty years, and 
while there his wife died, leaving four chil 
dren — Jacob, Phillip, Mary and Alanson — 
the youngest being eight years old when the 
mother died. The youngest son and daugh- 
ter came North, and were raised by Mrs. W. 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



13 



H. Blakely. of this county, who was their 
aunt. Jacob and Pliillip joined the Union 
army. Our subject married a second time, 
in 1862. to Miss Sarah Staats, dauf^hter of 
Hiram Staats, of Effingham County. Two 
children were born of this maiTiage, of whom 
one daughter is living. Mr. Crooker pur- 
chased of William H. Blakely his pioneer 
homestead in old Ewington, which was said 
to be the first frame house built in the coun- 
ty. In this house, after financial reverses 
in Nashville, Tenn., Mr. Crooker moved in 
1868, and lived there until April, 1881, when 
he moved to Effingham, and is now jsroprie- 
tor of the Tea Garden House on Banker 
street. 

PHILIP CROOKER, salesman, Effing- 
ham, was born in Lawrenceburg, Ind. , in 
1844. W^hen one year old, he was taken by 
his parents to Nashville, Tenn., where he 
lived until the breaking-out of the war, when 
he went North and enlisted at Lawrenceburg, 
Ind., in the Seventh Regiment Indiana Vol- 
unteers, for three months, and re-enlisted for 
three years in the same regiment, and served 
until the expiration of his term of service, 
with Gen. James Shields, whose forces were 
consolidated with the Army of the Potomac, 
in the First Corjjs, and, after the death of 
Gen. Reynolds, at Gettysburg, became a part 
of the Fifth Coi-ps. Subject was in battles 
of Philippi, Winchester, Greenbrier and 
Spottsylvania Court House, and two days' 
fight in ^Vilderness, and Cold Harbor, Fred- 
ericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, 
where subject was taken prisoner and held 
four days, and recaptured, and the siege of 
Petersburg, Va., and was discharged in Sep- 
tember, 1864, at Indianapolis, and was em- 
ployed as messenger for the Adams Express 
Company from Nashville to Chattanooga for 
one year. He wenl to St. Louis, Mo., and 
entered the police department, and became 



Clerk in the Fourth District, and promoted 
to Clerk at police headquarters, and finally 
became Sergeant, headquarters, at night. 
In December, 1872, he went to work for Sam- 
uel C. Davis & Co., and was salesman in their 
dry goods house; also traveled in Southern 
Illinois until 1881, wlien he entered the em- 
ploy of A. T. Stewart & Co., of Chicago, re- 
maining six months, and, July 1, 1881, he 
went to work for William H. Kellogg & Co., 
of St. Louis, Mo., and, July 1, 1882, he left 
the St. Louis house, since which time he has 
traveled for the main house of Qharles P. 
Kellogg & Co. , of Chicago, for sale of 
clothing, in Illinois and has resided in 
Effingham since May, 1881. He lived in St. 
Louis from 1866 to 1881, where he was mar- 
ried, in 1870, to Miss Emily Rudolph, of St. 
Louis. 

WILLLAM CURSON, lumber -dealer, 
Effingham, was born in Lincolnshire, Eng- 
land, April 12, 1832. At the age of eight- 
een, he came to the United States, and his 
parents settled at Batavia, Clermont Co.. 
Ohio, where our subject served a three-years' 
apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, and 
then moved to Shelbyville, Ind., in 1854, 
and worked as a jovirneyman there for five 
years, then moved to Delphi, Carroll Co., 
ind , and began taking contracts there in 
1859, and moved to Illinois in 1866. He 
bought 160 acres of prairie land in Lucas 
Township, which he improved for a short 
time, when he came to Effingham, where he 
formed a partnership with his father in 1866, 
and, under the style of Curson & Son, con- 
tractors and builders, continued until 1876, 
a period of ten years; put up the Presbyterian 
Church, two hotels at the railroad, and a 
large number of business houses and resi- 
dences. The father died May 10, 1876, and 
our subject formed a partnership with his 
brother, J. A. Curson, under the firm name 



14 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



of W. Curson & Bro. , in May, 1876, and en- 
gaged in contracting and building, and at 
the same timo established lumber-yards at the 
corner of Washington and Banker streets, 
where they keep all kinds of dressed lumber 
and building materials. In April, 1882, he 
discontinued building, to devote his entire 
attention to the lumber trade, and, in May, 
1882, established another lumber-yard on 
Jefferson and Willow streets. Their yards 
are supplied from the Chicago markets and 
the i^ineries of Michigan and Alaoama. His 
father, Thomas Curson, was born in Lynn, 
England, in 1810; married Miss Maria Den- 
nis, of Lynn, and had tlu-ee sons, of whom 
subject is the eldest. The father came to the 
United States in 1850, and settled at Bata- 
via, Ohio. He followed carpentering all his 
life. He was a Republican in polities, and 
served as Alderman in Delphi, Ind. Our 
subject served under the first call for three- 
months' troops, in the Ninth Indiana Volun- 
teer Infantry, and was also in the Forty-sec- 
ond Indiana in the pursuit of Jlorgan when 
on his famous raid. Mr. Curson is a Repub- 
lican, and served two terms— 1876-80 — as 
Alderman of Effingham from the First Ward. 
He was married, in 1861, to Miss Sarah E. 
Wolfe, of Shelby County, Ind. They have 
seven children living. 

JOHN DAUB, produce merchant, Effing- 
hum, was born on the River Rhine, Prussia, 
Germany, January 19, 1829, son of Peter and 
Margaret (Fronetz) Daub, natives of Ger- 
many, he a farmer, born in 1789 and died in 
his native country; she bora in 1802, and 
died near New York City in 1870. They 
were the parents of three children. Our 
subject received his education in his native 
country, and came to the United States May 
7, 1852, landing in New York. He traveled 
and worked in several States, and, in 1856, 
came to Waterloo, this State, and from there 



to the Southern States, where he stayed till 
the breakiug-out of the rebellion, when he 
returned to this State and settled in Prairie 
du Rocher, where he resided till 1868, when 
he came to Effingham, where he was married, 
April 12, 1869, to Miss Agatha Bussemeyer, 
born in Prussia, daughter of Henry and ISIary 
(Meckman) Bussemeyer, natives of Germany, 
he born in 1797 and died in his native land 
in 1861; she born in 1800, and is etill living 
with her son. Mr. and Mrs. Daub have two 
children — Herman, born August 16, 1876; 
and Maggie, born November 24, 1878. Our 
subject has been engaged in the produce bus- 
iness nearly twenty years, and now has a 
large store. He is a member of the Catholic 
Church, and in politics is a Republican. 

CAPT. HENRY A. DENTON, saddler and 
harness manufactm-er, Effingham, was born 
in Meade County, Ky. , December 9, 1837. 
He learned the saddler's trade at Branden- 
burg, Ky.,and worked with his brother there 
and at Owensboro, Ky. He enlisted, August 
12, 1862, in the Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry. 
He was elected First Lieutenant of Company 
C of that regiment, and promoted to the Cap- 
taincy February 4, 1863, and served till the 
close of the war, and was mustered out Au- 
gust 20, 1865. The Twelfth Kentucky was 
a part of Gen. Wolford's Independent Bri- 
gade, and was in the pursuit of Morgan in 
Ohio and Indiana, and was in the East Ten- 
nessee campaign under Gen. Burnside, and 
was attached to Stoneman's cavalry during 
the Georgia campaign, and were in a large 
number of battles, and in the Saltville raid. 
After the war, he came to Paris, 111. , in 1865, 
where he formed a partnership with his 
brother in the harness business, and contin- 
ued thereuntil 1881. He came to Effingham 
in October, 1881, and took charge of the 
present shop for Mr. Joe Partridge. The 
shop employs three hands. He was married. 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



15 



September 19, 1871, to Miss S. C. Partridge, 
of Paris, 111. They have one son living — 
Guy P.— and two deceased — -Richard C. and 
Joseph R. 

THOMAS DOBBS, farmer, P. O. Effing- 
ham, was born in Georgia, seven miles from 
Milledgeville, October 15, 1829. When three 
years of age, his parents removed to Tennes- 
see, remaining a year, and then, about 1833, 
moved to Shelbyville, 111., where his father 
was engaged in blacksmithing until about 
the breaking-out of the Mexican war. Our 
subject aided his father in the shop, at blow- 
ing and striking, until he enlisted, in 18-16, in 
Col. Nube's First Illinois Infantry, Company 
D, Capt. Reed, and went across the plains to 
Santa F6, N. M. They were sixty days from 
Fort Leavenworth to Santa F6, marched in file 
by the wagon trains, and suffered greatly from 
fatigue. They were ordered to join Gen. 
Scott, and reached Puebla, when peace was 
made. He was in the battle of Tous, where 
he was wounded in the breast. He then re- 
turned by the old Santa F6 trail across the 
plains. After his retiu'n from the Mexican 
war, he drove a stage from Collinsville to an 
Illinois town (now East St Louis) for about 
six years, on different routes. He next 
worked on a farm near Jacksonville, for Ju- 
lius Pratt, about four years. He was mar- 
ried at the age of twenty-five, and settled 
near where Beecher City now is, in this 
county, where he engaged in farming, and 
kept a grocery in Greenland till 1861. He 
raised a comjsany, which was mustered into 
the Thirty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
July 3, 1801, and subject was elected Cap- 
tain of this company, which was Company 
K. In November, 1862, he was wounded at 
the battle of Pea Ridge, Ark., by a cannon 
shot, in the leg, notwithstanding wliich he 
still remained with his company during the 
siege of Corinth, and going into the ba'tl-.' 



with a crutch and cane. He was also at 
Stone River and Perryville, Ky., after which 
his limb became so inflamed that he was com- 
pelled to resign. Of the 101 men that en- 
listed in Company K, there were but sixteen 
mustered out at the close of the war. Nine- 
teen were killed and wounded at Pea Ridge, 
and all of the company received wounds but 
three. Capt Dobbs returned home in No- 
vember, 1862, and, in the latter part of 1863, 
he raised a company for the lOO-days service, 
and went out as its Captain. It was Com- 
pany D, of the One Hundied and Thirty-fifth 
Regiment, and he served with it until the 
expiration of its term, when the men were 
mustered out at Springfield. At the request 
of many citizens, he agreed to take charge of 
raising another company, to avoid the draft. 
He began on Saturday, and in ten days went 
out as Captain of this company, to Murfrees- 
boro, Tenn., where his company became a 
part of the One Hundi-ed and Fifty-fourth 
Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and he was pro- 
moted in a short time to the rank of Major, 
and, soon after, commissioned Lieutenant 
Colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth 
Illinois, and remained in camp at Tullahoma, 
Tenn., until the close of the wai', and was 
mustered out at Sjaringfield, 111., in the fall 
of 1865. After the war, he settled perma- 
nently in Effingham, and was elected its City 
Miu-shal in 1866, and served in that capacity 
for eleven years until he was elected Sheriff, 
in 1876, and re-elected in 1878, serving four 
years as Sheriff of Effingham County. He 
retired from office in 1880, and has since been 
engaged in farming. He was married, first, 
to Elizabeth Miller, who died leaving one 
son. Peter, now a resident of Effingham. Our 
subject's second marriage was with Maggie 
Maxfield, who died leaving two daughters — 
Tuscombia and Savannah, both of whom 
are living. His third wife was a Miss 



16 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Green. They have but one daughter — Man- 
ilah. 

JOHN H. DUFFY, deceased, was born in 
County Dublin, Ireland, in 1829, son of Dan 
and Alice Mary (Rigney) Duffy, both born 
and died in Ireland. The father was a ba- 
ker Our subject received his schooling in 
his native country, and came to the United 
States in IS-to, landing in New York, where 
he worked in a wholesale house. He was 
married, in .St. Louis, Mo., February 3, 1858, 
to Miss Mary Marten, born January 7, 1835, 
in Blount County, Tenn., daughter of O. D. 
and Jane Marten, both born in the United 
States. Our subject worked most of his life 
on railroads. He was foreman on the Illinois 
Central, and also woi'ked for the narrow 
gauge railroad, in whose employ he was at 
the time of his death, which occurred Octo- 
ber 11, 18S1, in Mason, this county. He 
left a wife and seven childj-en — Patrick Hen- 
ry, Sarah E., John R., Mary C. Martha M., 
Margueretta M. and Nancy Ellen. In jsoli- 
tics, our subject was a strong Democrat; was 
a member of the Catholic Church, and also 
of the Masonic fraternity. Mrs. Duffy now 
keeps the St. Louis Hotel, situated on the 
southwest corner of the square, which offers 
first-class accommodations to all. 

GEORGE H. ENGBRING, merchant and 
banker, Effingham, was born in village of 
Epe, Prussia, April 27, 1825, where he was 
raised on a small fai"m, and followed farming 
there until 1847, when he came, via New Or- 
leans, to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he engaged 
in merchandising, and kept a grocery and no- 
tion store for twelve years. In the fall of 
1864, he came to Illinois and settled in 
Effingham, where he bought property, and, in 
1867, established a general store, and, for 
the last ten years, has been located at the 
corner of Third and Washinsrton streets, the 
old stand of John Mette, where one of the 



first stores in Effingham was opened. Mr. 
Engbring keeps a general stock of goods, and 
conducts a good trade. September 1, 1881, 
he became a partner in the firm of Eversman, 
Wood & Engbring, which opened a private 
bank in Effingham, and his interest in the 
institution is represented by his son William. 
Mr. Engbring has been a member of the City 
Council, and has served as Supervisor sever- 
al yeai-s. He is one of the Trustees of St. 
Anthony's Church and School. He was mar- 
ried, in Cincinnati, Ohio, September 2, 1856, 
to Catharine Bodker, of Cincinnati, born in 
Prussia, and who was the school-mate of our 
subject in Prussia. They have five children 
— three sons and two daughters — Henry, a 
Professor of Philosoj^hy in the Catholic Col- 
lege at Quincy, 111.; William, clerk in the 
bank; John, Mary and x^nna. 

DR. HENRY EVERSMAN. of Eversman, 
Wood & Engbring, bankers, Effingham, was 
born in Iburg, Hanover, Germany, February 
23, 1S37, son of Francis F. and Charlotte 
(Tieren) Eversman, he a physician, born in 
Alf hausen, Hanover, Germany, in September, 
1807; she, in Osnabruck, Hanover, Germany, 
and is sixty-five years old — the father also 
living. They are the parents of three chil- 
dren. Our subject received his early educa- 
tion in the parochial schools of his native 
country and Cincinnati, Ohio, and afterward 
attended St. Xavier's College, of Cincinnati, 
for four years, and was also for three years a ^ 
student in the Ohio Medical College of the 
same city. He also read medicine with his 
father, and, on March 1, 1861, he was ap- 
pointed House Physician to Commercial Hos- 
pital, Cincinnati. In January, 1862, he was 
appointed, by President Lincoln, as Assistant 
Surgeon of Volunteers, becoming Surgeon 
after a service of six months. He was as- 
signed to staff and hospital duty at Lexington 
and Louisville, Ky. , Cincinnati, Ohio, and 






'-€^-7^-!^ 



<^a>^^^^ 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



17 



for the last nineteen months of his service he 
was Chief Medical Officer at Johnson's Isl- 
and. This was from February 1, 1864, to 
September I, 1805, at which latter date he 
returned home, and came to Effingham, en- 
gaging in mercantile business, in which he 
continued until September 1, 1881, at which 
date he became a member of the firm of 
Eversman, Wood & Engbring. They opened 
a private bank on the latter date, which has 
since been in successful operation, our sub- 
jectremaining one of the managingpartners. 
Mr. Eversman was marrifid, October 28, 
1865, in Teutopolis, this county, to Miss 
Caroline Waschefort, born in Cincinnati, 
Ohio, and is thirty-six years of age. She is 
the daughter of John F. and Mary (Drees) 
Waschefort, natives of Germany. Mr. and 
Mrs. Eversman have foiu- children — Louisa, 
Mary, Elizabeth and Henry. Our subject 
was Mayor of Effingham for two terms — 1870 
-1871. He is a member of the Catholic 
Knights of America, and also of the Catholic 
Church. In politics, he is a Democrat. 

JOHN C. EVERSMAN, merchant, Effing- 
ham, was born in the city of Osnabruck, Han 
over, Germany, September 11, 1810. He 
was live years old when his parents came to 
Cincinnati, Ohio, where he lived until 1852. 
He left Cincinnati. Ohio, May 5, 1853, and 
arrived at Teutopolis, 111., May 15, coming in 
wagons. The village of Teutopolis had then 
about ten houses, and Effingham was not laid 
out, having only two log cabins on the Na- 
tional road. Our subject was educated in 
the public school.s at Teutopolis and Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, and at St. Louis University, in 
charge of the Jesuits, and left school in 1859 
to teach in the village, and continued for two 
six-month terms. He thea entered the em- 
ploy of Mr. Waschefort as a clerk in his 
store. He enlisted at the second call for 
troops, in July 1, 1801, for three years, in 



Company B, Eighth Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry. He served with the regiment for 
eighteen months; was at Fort Hem-y, Fort 
Donelson, Shiloh and Corinth, and other 
battles. He went with his company to Holly 
S[jrings, Miss., when he was transferred, by 
order of Gen. Grant, to the Department of 
Ohio, and reported to his brother, Dr. Henrj' 
Eversman, and served in the medical depart- 
ment as Steward, stationed at Lexington, Ky. , 
until his time expired. He was mustered out at 
Springfield in 1805, and returned to Teutop- 
olis, where he taught a term of school, then 
entered the employ of Mr. John F. Wasche- 
fort, as salesman in his store at Effingham, 
where he has remained ever since. He was 
elected City Clerk of Effingham in 1881, for 
two years. He was also Chief of the Fire 
Department here for five years. He was 
married, in 1868, to Miss Frances Gibbons, 
of Paris, 111. She was born in St. John, N. 
B., the daughter of an English sea Captain. 
Mr. and Mi's. Eversman have one son and 
one daughter living, and one son and a 
daughter died when young. 

GEORGE H. EVVERS, merchant tailor, 
Effingham, was born in the town of Herz- 
lake, Hanover, Germany, December 5, 1834. 
At the age of fifteen, he came, in company 
with his brother, to the United States, locat- 
ing at Cincinnati, Ohio. His father was a 
tailor in Germany, and our subject served a 
two-years apprenticeship with him before 
coming. He worked at tailoring in Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, from June, 1850, to 1863, as a 
journeyman. In the latter year, he removed 
to Oldenburg, Ind., whore he established a 
tailor shop, which he ran two and a half 
years, with good success, and ho returned to 
Cincinnati, Ohio, remaining there until 1867, 
and then came to Effingham in June of that 
year, and opened a merchant tailoring estab- 
lishment on the north side of the public 



18 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



square, which he has conducted ever since, 
with good success. He employs three assist- 
ant journeymen, and carries a full line of 
foreign and domestic cloths and cassimeres, 
etc. He was married, in Cincinnati, Ohio, 
in 1857, to Miss Agnes Moemke, of that city, 
and has four sons and two daughters living — 
Frank, Anna, Mary, Charles, John, Joseph- 

FRANK H. EWERS, Cashier Effingham 
Bank, Effincrham, was born February 13, 
1860, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (See sketch of 
George H. Ewers.) He was educated in St. 
Joseph's College, Teutopolis, III., which he 
left at the age of eighteen to assist his father 
in tailoring, and, in October, 1880, was ap- 
pointed Cashier of the Effingham Bank, 
where he still remains. 

JOHN J. FELDHAKE, merchant, Effing- 
ham, was born in Douglas Township, Effing- 
ham County, August 15, 1850. He was 
raised on a farm until twelve years of age. 
He began at the age of fifteen to learn the 
tinner's trade, after which he entered a 
hardware store in Effingham, and clerked for 
one man seven years. He formed a partner- 
ship with his brother, the late Joseph Feld- 
hake, in May, 1873, and continued about two 
years in the hardware trade, when he went to 
Waco, McLennan Co., Texas, and opened a 
hardware store, which he conducted five years, 
and then sold out to his brother Barney, and 
returned in January, 1880, and established 
himself in the present store, under the old 
tirm name, but oiu' subject is the sole pro- 
prietor. His business room is lOO feet deep 
and twenty-five feet in width, and includes a 
large stock of hardware, stoves and tinware, 
employing two men in tin shop, located in 
second story, and one as assistant in store. 
His father, Joseph Feldhake. was a native of 
Prussia, Germany. 

COL. JOSEPH W. FILLER, County 
Clerk, Effingham City, was born in Perry 



County, Ohio, May 4, 1828. He entered the 
office of the Western Post at Somerset, Ohio, 
at the age of eleven, and at sixteen was a 
journeyman, and traveled over eighteen States 
as a " joui"" printer, and has published thir- 
teen papers. He came to Ewiugton, a 
" ti-amping jour " printer, in 1857, and found 
it the printer's El Dorado, finding employ- 
ment on the Effingham Pioneer, then pub- 
lished by W. B. Cooper and Mr. Burton. 
Three months after his arrival, he gained 
control of the Pioneer, Mr. Cooper selling it 
out in shares, MJr. Filler buying the shares 
in a little time. He moved the paper to 
Effingham in the fall of 1860, and continued 
it here until the breaking-out of the war. 
Our subject had served in the Mexican war, 
having enlisted June 9, 1846, in the Third 
Ohio, and was made a Sergeant on the or- 
ganization of the company served one year, 
and became Second Lieutenant in September, 
at Matamoras, Mexico. He retm-ned in 1847 
and raised a company in Perry County, Ohio, 
and was its Captain. It became the Fifth 
Ohio Regiment, under Col. Early, and saw 
active service from Vera Cruz to City of 
Mexico, returning to Cincinnati in 1848. 
The news of the fii-ing on Star of the West 
in Charleston Harbor was received here on 
Thursday, and Capt. Filler telegi-aphed on 
Friday to Adjt. Gen. Mather that a company 
was ready for service, having only one se- 
cured, and, Tuesday morning, he left for 
Springfield with 102 of the largest and finest 
men in the company. This was in a strong 
Democratic county, and opposed to the war. 
His company went into camp at Springfield, 
and were assigned to the Eleventh Illinois Vol- 
unteer Infantry, and were on duty at Camp 
Hardin and Bird's Point, Mo. Our subject 
went in as a Captain and became Lieutenant 
Colonel of the regiment Col. Filler returned 
home a short time, and re-enlisted in the 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



19 



Sixty-second Regiment, and was First Lieu- 
tenant, serving until August, 1803, when he 
resigned his command on account of contin- 
ued illness, and located in St. Louis, where 
he was connected with the Globe- Democrat 
and other papers between two and three 
years. Ho had the cholera in St. Louis in 
1866, when he returaed to Etliagham and 
eogaged as a compositor for Haddock, of 
the Republican, for a few months. In Feb- 
ruary, 1867, he went to Kinmundy, 111., and 
started the Telegram, and continued it five 
months, and, in October, went to New Or- 
leans, where he remained until spring, when 
he returned and edited the Effingham Demo- 
crat, which was sold to Me. Bradsby in 1868. 
He continued to aid for awhile in its publi- 
cation, and, in the fall of 1869, he was nomi- 
nated for County Clerk of Effingham County, 
where he has since served, being elected three 
times, without any opposition from the other 
party. He was married, in Ohio, in 1849, to 
Lavina A. Dille, of Fairfield County, Ohio. 
They have one daughter living. 

W. I. N. FISHER, deceased, was a phy- 
sician, born in Mifflin County, Penn. , August 
31, 1814, son of George and Barbara (Shep- 
ard) Fisher, parents of five children — two 
eons and three daughters. Our subject re- 
ceived his education in his native county, 
and, at an early age, began teaching school, 
at the same time pursuing his own studies 
at every opportunity. He afterward traveled 
quite extensively in New York, made excur- 
sions on the lakes, and finally went to Ohio 
and attended college at Cuyahoga Falls, that 
State. November 9, 1839, ho removed to 
Terre Haute, lad., where he continued his 
studies. He came to this State in 1841, and 
was married to Miss Sarah A. Turney, born 
in Coles County, this State, November 17, 
1842. Our subject pursued his studies under 
Dr. Miller, and shortly commenced to prac- 



tice himself. In March, 1844, he moved to 
Sholbyvillo, this State, where he followed 
his profession till 1848, when he came to 
this county, and, January 1, 1860, moved into 
Effingham City, whore, tho war breaking out 
shortly afterward, he was active in forming 
companies, and was himself a member of the 
Fifth Cavalry. Company L, and served nine 
months, when his health failed, compelling 
him to return home. He was County Supor- 
ihtendont of Schools, devoting his leisure 
moments to the study of the sciences of all 
branches, of which he was intelligibly con- 
versant. He was a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church, and in politics a Demo- 
crat; was also an honored member of tho Ma- 
sonic fraternity, and died January 28, 1873. 
Mrs. Fisher is still living in Effingham. 
They had one son, John G., born August 30. 

1843. and died August 10, 1845. 

LEWIS FITCH, jeweler, Effingham, was 
born in Leroy, Genosee Co., N. Y, Juno 22, 

1844. Ho came to Michigan with his parents 
when four years old, and resided in Almont, 
that State, vyhero ho learned the trade of jew- 
eler with his father, and started in business 
for himself at the age of twenty-one, at Al- 
mont, and continued there until 1809, and 
then went to South Haven, Mich., where ho 
remained until 1871, when he removed to 
Casey, 111. He was at the latter place until 
1879, when he removed to Effingham, whore 
he has since conducted a good business, lo- 
cated at present in the post office lobby, 
where ho carries a full stock of clocks, watch- 
es and jewelry. He has had twenty years 
of active experience in the business, and em- 
ploys an able assistant. Our subject enlist- 
ed, in August, 1862, in the Fifth Michigan 
Cavalry, and served until tho close of tho 
war, in the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the 
Potomac, under Kilpatrick and Sheridan. 
He was mustered out at Detroit, July 3, 1865. 



20 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



MES. MARY A. FLEMING, Effingham, 
is the daughter of Jonathan Wright, who 
was born in Trenton, N. J., November 20, 
1790. He was the son of an English Quaker, 
who was thd son of a distinguished noble- 
man, who came from England and was an in- 
timate friend of William Penn, coming with 
one of the early colonies brought to New Jer- 
sey by Penn. The grandfather of Mrs. Flem- 
ing was David Wright, who married a Miss 
Elizabeth Cleaver, a lady of German parent- 
age, of great wealth. He (David) owned an 
iron foundry in New Jersey, which burned 
and left him in moderate circumstances. He 
had six sons and three daughters. The old- 
est son became a merchant, and the next four 
learned trades, and the youngest son inherit- 
ed the farm. Jonathan, the fourth son, fa- 
ther of our subject, under the stress of these 
reverses, and at the advice of his father, 
learned the trade of brick-layer in Philadel- 
phia, Penn. An aunt, Mrs. Theodosia Craig, 
was a sister of David Wright, and was very 
wealthy, and bequeathed to each of her neph- 
ews and nieces $1,000 each to those who 
came West, to be invested in Western lands; 
and Andrew Ridgeway, afterward a Quaker 
minister, and a cousin of the Wright broth- 
ers, was appointed agent to make these pur- 
chases. He selected the first prairie land he 
came to in this State, now known as Ship- 
ley's Prairie, in Wayne County, three miles 
south of Fairfield, 111. He bought these 
lands while this State was yet a Territory, 
and paid a much higher price than it sold for 
soon after. The lands were bought in Mrs. 
Craig's name, and she deeded each one about 
half a section. Jonathan Wright and An- 
drew came in 1820, with their families, and 
settled on their lands, David Wright and the 
three Ridgeways having come in 1819. Jon- 
athan brought subject, seven years old, and 
her sister Susan, three years old, who after- 



ward married Mr. Thomas Loy. The father 
of Mrs. Fleming settled on his farm in Wayne 
County in 1820, and lived on his farm and 
worked at his trade about seven years, when 
he moved to St. Louis and lived a year. 
There our subject and her sister Susan went 
to a j)rivate school, taught by Prof. Lovejoy, 
who was afterward mobbed for printing an 
Abolition paper. They returned to the farm 
in Wayne County after six months, and, in 
December, 1834, came to this county with 
their father, who settled in Ewington, where 
he bought forty acres adjoining the town, 
and which had a mill on it. He kept a hotel . 
in Ewington, and was employed on the brick 
work of the State House at Vandalia, being 
a splendid workman. He was on a scaffold, 
when it fell from the second story, and he 
broke both ankles and received internal in- 
jm-ies which caused his death two days after- 
ward, before any of his family could reach 
him, and he was buried near Ewington. His 
death occurred in 1835. He married Haiti e 
Hutchinson, of TrentoQ, N. J„ November 7, 
1812. She was born November 20, 1792, 
and died September 27, 1855. They had 
nine children — Mary A., subject; Hutch- 
inson, died in New Jersey two years 
old; Susan, was the wife of Thomas Loy; 
George was for many years surveyor and 
farmer in this county; Henry H., farmer in 
this county (see sketch); Sarah E., wife of 
Mr. Burke, at Georgetown, 111.; Emma A, 
died aged seven years; William (see sketch); 
Helen A., now Mrs. Col. Funkhouser. The 
father was raised a Quaker, and was an hon- 
est, plain and unassuming man. Our sub- 
ject, the eldest child of Jonathan Wright, 
was born in Trenton, N. J., August 23, 1813. 
She came to Wayne County, 111., when seven 
years old. Her first teacher was A. C. Mackay 
who afterward lived in Bond County. Sep- 
tember 20, 1832, she married Isaiah I^acy, in 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



21 



Wayne County, 111. He was born in Louis- 
ville, Ky., March 1, 1809, and, after mar- 
riage, they settled in Maysville, Clay Co., 
111., where they kept a hotel until his death, 
which occurred one year and ten months after 
their marriage. He died July 3, 1834. 
They had one son, John H. I., born Septem- 
ber 11), 1833, now of Effingham; and a 
daughter, Hattie B. , who died when three 
years old — December, 28, 1837. Our subject 
removed with her father to this county, and 
aided her mother in keeping a hotel at Ew- 
ington until her maiTiage with Samuel Flem- 
ing. He was born in Murfreesboro, Tenn. 
He came with his parents to Shelbyville, 111., 
when he was a boy, and he carried the mail 
for some years in this State, and went to 
Nashville, Tenn., for some years, but returned 
to this county, and was mari'ied December 
4, 1842. After marriage, he kept a grocery 
store for a few years at Ewington. and also 
kept a hotel called the Fleming House, and 
he conducted a livery stable at Ewington un- 
til 1857, when he moved to Effingham, where 
they rented a hotel of Presley Funkhouser 
for a few years. He entered the army in 
1861, as a Veterinary Surgeon. He built 
the present Fleming House in 1801, which 
has been enlarged by additions from year to 
year, until it contains thirty rooms and all 
the conveniences of a modern hotel. Of their 
children, Mary E. was born December 4, 
1843. wife of D. C. Hasseltine; "Sarah E., 
bora July 31, 1845, wife of Sidney VTade, of 
Effingham; Samuel J., born February 13, 
1848; Z. A., born June 16, 1851, was mar- 
ried in St. Louis, September 18, 1871, 
to Mr. George Farnsworth. Their first 
and only daughter's name was Zohatta, 
born June 7, 1872; Hellena H., born Sep- 
tember 19, 1855, and died March 26, 1856; 
St. Clair W. and Eugene U., born March 18, 
1857. 



SAMDEL J. FLElVnNG. livery man, Ef- 
fingham, was born in Ewington, this county, 
February 13, 1848. He came to Effingham 
when about ten years of age, at which time 
there was but one house on the west side of 
the Central Railroad, and he assisted his father 
in the stable. He was tii-eman on the Nashville 
& Chattanooga Railroad during 1863-64. In 
1865, he went into the livery business in 
Effingham, and has continued in that busi- 
ness ever since. In 1870, he began buying 
horses for the Southern markets, shipping 
from eight to ten carloads during the winter 
season, to Natchez. Miss. , consisting of from 
200 to 300 head. For the last ten or twelve 
years, he has been interested in the develop- 
ment of trotters. Has owned and trained 
Bay Frank, 2:33; Dixie, 2:29, Rowdy Boy, 
and at present owns Maud W. , a promising 
trotter, and Allie F., a pacer of promise also, 
and a number of others which have made good 
records. Our subject is Superintendent of 
the Effingham County Fair Association. He 
was married, February 15, 1871, to Miss 
Belle Wagner, daughter of Isaac Wagner, of 
Green Castle, Ind. They have two children 
— a son and a daughter. 

FREDERICK FLOOD, Superintendent of 
water supply Vandalia Railroad, Effingham, 
was born on the high seas and has been told 
that his birth occurred on board an English 
man-of-war or transport on British waters 
about 1829 or 1830. His father, Daniel, was 
a Captain of the Forty-second British Regi- 
ment on foot of Highlanders, all over six 
feet tall. His father was six feet four inches. 
His mother, who was a lady named Kate 
Cole, died when subject was very small, on 
the Plains of Abraham, where she is buried. 
Subject was left in the care of a French no- 
bleman called Sir Biongeon, and was taken 
to L'Islet, Quebec, Canada, where he was 
kept until about the age of twelve years, when 



32 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



he ran ofif and went to the city of Quebec, 
and there got aboard a vessel — steamer Alli- 
ance — and, being too little for the work, was 
put off near Three Rivers. He next stowed 
himself on board the ship George H. Thomas, 
and was not found until in mid ocean, and 
was taken to Liverpool and got the position 
of L'abin boy on another vessel and came 
back to the coast of Maine, United States, 
and stopped in the village of China, where he 
went to school, working two days in the week, 
and going to school four days in the week for 
two years. He then yielded to his desire for 
the ocean and went on a brig on an Arctic 
expedition commanded by Caj)t. Allen; went 
up Davis Strait to a point where, during part 
of the year, the sun never sets for several 
months. He returned to Liverpool and went 
to Africa, touching at Cape of Good Hope, 
Calcutta and Australia, and then he took a 
French transport to Algeria and again visited 
Sidney, Australia, and from there shipped to 
Boston, Mass., on the bark Iowa. He then 
left the sea and went to work on the repairs 
and construction of the Boston & Maine 
Railroad, and came West in 1853, where he 
worked on the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad 
for nineteen years, and was first located at 
Lebanon, 111., for about two years, Olney five 
years and Sandoval for twelve years, all this 
time on the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad as 
foreman of water suj)ply. In 1872, he came 
to Efiingham, and has since been foreman of 
water supply of the Vandalia Railroad, and 
has charge of this department for 167.5 
miles, which have sixteen tanks. Ho aver- 
ages 100 miles travel per day. He was 
married in Maine — the first time to Har- 
riet Ware, in about 1856. She died in about 
two years after their marriage, and he mar- 
ried a second time to Miss Zella H. Roy, of 
Caseyville, 111., January 31, 1860; had ten 
children by this marriage; six are living — 



Harriet, wife of Frank Conway, of Topeka, 
Kan. ; Katie, Julia, John, Letty, Bonnie; four 
died in infancy; the three youngest were 
born in this county. 

BENTON FORTNEY, druggist, Effing- 
ham, was born in Watson Township, Effing- 
ham County, on a farm, June 16, 1854; his 
parents moved to Effingham in the spring of 
1855, where he has since resided. At the 
age of ten, he entered the old Effingham Ga- 
zette office, then published by Hays & Bo wen, 
and woi'ked about two years as " devil." He 
then entered the employ of S. W. Little, and 
worked one year in his orchard. He then 
worked two years in McClellan & Nodine's 
brick yard, and in the spring of 1869, he en- 
tered the drug store of John Jones to learn 
the business, and remained there one year, 
and was afterward with Mr. Pape for five 
years, and, in the fall of 1876, ho made a 
tour west, visiting Texas, Colorado, Kansas, 
Arkansas and Missouri, remaining four 
months, when he returned and bought a stock 
of drugs at Windsor, Shelby Co., 111., and 
at once removed it to Shumway and conducted 
the drug business there seven months, when 
he sold out and came back to Effingham and 
took charge of the present store, then owned 
by W. W. Simpson, and run the store about 
six months, when he formed a partnership 
with J. ^W. Funkhouser and opened a drug 
store at Prairie City, 111., which he run for 
seven months and sold out and returned to 
Effingham, entering the employ of S. W. Os- 
good as book-keeper for a short time. In 
December, 1879. he took charge of the pres- 
ent store for Hon. E. N. Rinehart, and has 
since conducted it for him, having entire 
charge of the business. Our subject was mar- 
ried, in May, 1880, to Miss Ella Van Dyke, of 
Majority Point, 111. ; they have one daughter. 

COL. JOHN J. FUNKHOUSER, mer- 
chant, Effingham Citv, was born in Summit 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



23 



Township, this county, March 18, 1835; he 
spent his youth on a farm, and lived on it until 
1851, when he entered a store which his father 
started in Ewington, and remained there un- 
til 1857 as clerk. In 1857, he came to 
Effingham and opened a store of his own. 
At that time the town had not over seventy- 
five people, and his was tho third store 
started. He kept a general store until the 
war broke out. He enlisted August 2, 1^61, 
in the Twenty-sixth Illinois Infantry for 
three years, and he went out as Captain of 
Company A. His regiment was under Gen. 
Pope in Northern Missouri and his company 
and one other was in an engacjement at Salt 
River Bridge. Capt. Funkhouser was de- 
tached from his regiment in January, 1862, 
and came home and raised and organized the 
Ninety-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry at 
Camp Centralia, and went out as Colonel of 
the regiment and joined the Department of 
the Ohio at Louisville, Ky., and was assigned 
to Gen. Dumont's forces. His regiment 
marched 1,050 miles in Kentucky and was in 
three engagements in that State — Perry ville, 
Elizabethtowu, Muldrose Hill and Hartsville, 
Tenn.. and many other skirmishes. Subject 
was at Stone River and in a heavy skirmish 
at Hall's Hill, and McMinvillo, Deckard, 
Hoover's Gap, Winchester, Tenn., Harri- 
son's Landing and at Chickamauga, where 
he was wounded, September 20, 18(33, by a 
minie ball, which passed through both 
thighs, fracturing one femur. He was taken 
from the field in his own ambulance, and ta- 
ken to Chattanooga, from thence to Steven- 
son, Ala., and by rail to Nashville, where his 
wound was dressed on the fourth day. He 
remained in Nashville eight days, when he 
came home, where he remained until Febru- 
ary, 1864, when he rejoined his regiment at 
Chattanooga, Tenn., and was ordered from 
there back to Nashville, where he took charge 



of the cavalry depot, and in May following, 
he was ordered to Columbia, Tenn., and took 
command of the post and the line of defenses 
on the line of Chattanooga & Nashville Rail- 
road, having charge of 6,000 men. He made 
application to take command of his old regi- 
ment, in June, 186U, but the army Surgeon 
declared him uufit for duty in the field or in- 
valid corps, and, in July, 1864, he resigned 
and came home and has been in the mercan- 
tile business here ever since, except about 
four years, which he spent as contractor on 
the Springfield Branch of the Ohio & Mis- 
sissippi Railroad. He helped to raise the 
subsidies along the line of the narrow gauge 
railroad in the county, and was President of 
it for three years during its building, and is 
still a Director. In 1882, he built and opened 
his present store, at the corner of Jeffer- 
son and Third streets, a two-story brick, 45x60 
feet on ground, double storeroom, occupied 
with general stock. Col. Funkhouser was 
married, in 1854, to Miss Helen A. Wright, 
daughter of Jonathan Wright, of this county; 
they have four children living. The Colonel 
and his wife were born on the same day, on 
the same section (34, of Summit Township). 
The father oE our subject was Presley Funk- 
houser, born in Greea County, Ky. , Novem- 
ber 30, 1811. moved to Saline County, ill., 
with his parents, in 1814, and from there to 
White County, in 1820, and to this county 
in 1829, where he farmed during hia life. 
He was for many years Justice of the Peace 
and Associate Judge, and, in 1844, wiis elect- 
ed to the Legislatui-e and re-elected two 
terms. He was elected to the State Senate 
in 1860, and was a member on his fiftieth 
birthday, November 30, 1861. He was mar- 
ried, in Clay County, in 1829, to Nancy 
Bishop, and had thirteen children, of whom 
there are three sons and two daughters still 
living. The mother died March 14, 1873; 



24 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



she was born in McMinnville, Tenn., in 
1812. 

WILSON L. FUNKHOUSER, farmer, P. 
O. Effingham, was born on a farm in Summit 
Township, this county, February 14, 1841; 
he worked in a store and on a farm from boy- 
hood; at fourteen, his father removed to 
Ewington, handling stock, buying and ship- 
ping to Chicago. At twenty-two years of 
age, our subject began farming the old home- 
stead, which ho still ownB. and operated it 
himself until 1878, when he entered the em- 
ploy of S. W. Osgood as general foreman of 
his busifiess. having charge of the men work- 
ing in the timber, and is still in the employ 
of Osgood & Kingman. He was married, in 
1863, to Miss Carrie Sprinkle, daughter of 
Michael Sprinkle, of Watson Township; she 
was born in this county and her father is 
one of the earliest settlers here; they have 
six children living. 

JUDGE T. J. GILLENWATERS, re- 
tired. P. O. Effingham, whose portrait ap- 
pears in this work, was the seventh son of a 
family of ten children, three boys and three 
girls older and thi-ee younger. He was born 
on the 5th day of March, 1805, in Hawkins 
County, Tenn. On the father's side of Eng- 
lish descent, and on the mother's of Ii'ish 
parentage. His father, Thomas Gillenwa- 
ters, was born on the 3d of February, 1771, 
and he married Polly Wilkins, oE the Wil- 
kins family of Sparta, S. C, on the 5th day 
of August, 1794. The grandfathers, Gillen- 
waters and Wilkins, were here, partakers in 
the American Revolution, aud during that 
wai- a fort was established on the Wilkins 
farm in South Carolina. Judge Gillenwaters 
grew up a farmer boy on his father's farm, and 
at ten years of age went to his first school, a 
log schoolhouse with a dirt floor three miles 
from his father's residence. Here he learned 
his alphabet, and between ten and nineteen 



years of age, he g(>t the sum total of his edu- 
cation in school. The entire time thus 
snatched from his young life of hard farm 
work was about six months. The only things 
taught in the school was to read, write and 
cipher; no grammar, no geography, no any- 
thing else. The diligence he here used is 
well indicated by the fact that he progressed 
in his arithmetic to the double rule of three, 
and in this school that was the graduating 
point. His mind thirsted for knowledge, 
and when he had passed the limits of this 
country cabin his eagerness to go on is made 
manifest by his proposition to his father, 
namely, that if he would then send him to 
school for three years, he would waive any and 
all claims upon him for all future time; not 
only this, but that when he had the advantage 
the three years of school, he would commence 
life for himself and soon repay the outlay 
thus incurred. His father's reply to this 
told the story: " I wish I could, son, but you 
are a good stout boy now, and I am not able 
to either spare you or the money to educate 
you." This ended the ambitious boy's hopes 
in that direction. When fifteen years old — 
sixty-two years ago — he joined the Method- 
ist Church, and commenced that Christian, 
though just and liberal life, that has character- 
ized him ever since. His father and mother 
were members of that church, and to his 
mother — that sweetest name that ever came 
from human lips — he attributes all this, the 
best blessing of his life. Although his father 
was a man of broad and just judgment and lib- 
real views — a man that loved his family and 
was kind and gentle always — yet it was not 
that mother's tender love and care that 
twines in such eternal affection and love 
around the child's heart. An incident of his 
child life tells this better than we can: It 
was the occasion of his first oath. He had 
been talking to a schoolmate, and before 



EFFINGUAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



aware himself what he was saying, the mild 
oath was out; it shocked his cousin, his lis- 
tener, as well as himself. His cousin told 
the boy's mother about it. His mother 
looked at him as a pained expression passed 
over her face. The boy cried and begged 
his mother's pardon and beseeched her not to 
tell his father. She took him tenderly in 
her arms, forgave him and promised not to 
"tell father," only asking that if she did all 
this ho would never swear again. He made 
the promise, and to this day has kept it sa- 
cred. His youthful days were given to that 
ceaseless round of toil that attends farm life, 
having but few playmates or associates except 
his brothers and sisters. He grew up to the 
fullest requirement of that command that 
man shall earn his bread by the sweat of his 
brow. It was in this respect, perhaps, that 
his education suifered the most — that is, the 
absence of that variety of young associates 
and the leisure to mix with and receive and 
give that best part of youth's education, that 
comes of contact of young mind with other 
minds of near the same age. But he was 
fortunate in the home influences that sur- 
rounded him. The patient kindness and in- 
dulgence of his father is told in the circum- 
stance that the Juiige can now recall but a 
single time when his father punished him. 
This was for disobedience in going to swim 
in a pond near the house, after strict orders 
had been given not to do so. The great 
temptation was not resisted, and the old gen- 
tleman happening to catch him in the act, 
broke off the first twigs within reach and ac- 
celerated the lad's movements toward home. 
The punishment was not severe, but, at the 
moment, was well calculated to frighten a 
child not accustomed to the lash. On the 
27th day of November, 1827, he was married 
to Dinah Farnsworth. in Green County, Tena. 
He formed her acquaintance in the siimmer 



of that year as he was returning from a visit 
to relatives in South Carolina. He had 
stopped at the Farnsworth mansion for break- 
fast. When he beheld the girl, he made 
some excuse to stay until after dinner, and 
by dinner time he concluded to stay till next 
day, and before that time had expired he was 
in doubts as to whether he would ever go 
home again. He stayed a week and started 
a " markin school," but says : " I didn't 
charge her anything. " He commenced hou se- 
keeping at once after marriage, in a house on 
his father's farm that he had built the year 
before. There were two rooms in the house. 
Here he lived one year and farmed, and here 
the oldest child, Jane was born. On the 
3d of March. 1829, he took the now little 
family, moved to near Brennenberg, Meade 
County, Ky. , where they stopped and raised 
a crop, and in the fall sold it and moved to 
Vermillion County, Ind. While here, the 
second child. Mellissa, was born, March 29, 
1830. In 1831, moved to Coles County, 111., 
and improved a small farm eight miles south 
of Charleston, near the village of Farming- 
ton. Here the third child, Malinda, was 
born, March 1, 1832. He raised two crops 
here and on the 9th of March, 1833, moved 
to Effingham County and purcliased the Fan- 
cher farm, just this side of Ewington and 
here he lived and farmed and milled and 
helped build churches and schoolhouses and 
worked and prospered and gathered around 
him family and friends for the next twenty 
years. His restless desire for changes that so 
marked the first few years of his married life 
was over, and in his new home ho had settled 
down to a contented and an industrious life. 
In this fai-m home, where he resided for 
twenty years, except two years in Ewington, 
his other children were born, namely, George 
Thomas Gillenwaters, October 31, 1833 ; 
Elizabeth, January 18, 1836; Dinah, April 



26 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



5, 1838; Livonia, March 25, 1841, and 
Amanda, August 7, 1843. His wife died 
November 1, 1844, leaving him a household 
of young children, the youngest being only 
a little past one year old. On the 30th day 
of September, 1846, he married his present 
wife, a Mrs. Ann Jackson, n6e Evans, of 
Macoupin County, 111. He was elected Jus- 
tice of the Peace in 1836, and afterward was 
twice re-elected to the same office. Was 
elected a member of the County Commission- 
ers' Court in 1842, and was re-elected to the 
same office in 1850. In 1858, he was elected 
Associate Judge of the County Court, and 
continued to hold this office until, by the 
adoption of township organization, the office 
ceased to exist. In 1862, he was elected 
City Treasurer of the city of Effingham, and, 
at the expiration of the term, was re-elected. 
At the expiration of histej-mof office as City 
Treasurer, there was $532 cash of the city 
money in his hands, which was turned over 
to bis successor, Sam Moffitt and his receipt 
in full given for the same. Was twice elect- 
ed Supervisor for the city of Effingham, from 
which office he retired in the spring of 1882. 
He had been elected a Lieutenant of a militia 
company in Tennessee when a very young 
man, and his commission bore the sign man- 
ual of Gov. Carroll, of Tennessee. Here was 
a long life of honor and trust, and we need 
attempt no higher eulogy of his official life 
than to state the simple truth, that in all his 
life there was never the shadow of a shade of 
stain upon his official integrity and unflinch- 
ing honesty. He held these trusts most sa- 
cred, and turned them over to his successors 
in better condition than when he took them. 
He never was an office-seeker, and more than 
once when his friends had made up a ticket 
with his name for some leading county office, 
he has ordered his name taken off and some 
other name substituted. He would convince 



his friends that this was for the best, and 
they would acquiesce and follow his instruc- 
tions. Judge Gillenwaters has been a con 
sistent Democrat all his life. He was born 
in the " State of Andrew Jackson," and his 
nature partook largely of the cast of the old 
hero. Any one familiar with the portrait of 
" Old Hickory " will be reminded of them the 
moment he looks at the portrait of the Judge 
in this work. There is a semblance in per- 
son as marked as is the character of the two 
men. In 1845, he built a saw-mill, water- 
power, on Salt Creek. After operating this a 
little more than a year, he went soldiering to 
Mexico, and during his absence John F. 
Waschefort purchased it. In 1850, he built a 
horse-power mill, and brought the first circu- 
lar saw to the county. This also was near 
Ewington. After running this about three 
years, it was sold to W. J. Hankins, and 
then he erected a steam mill just west of 
Ewington. In April, 1859, he moved to the 
town of Effingham and opened a hotel in the 
house now occupied by himself and family as 
a residence. In this, as in most of his under- 
takings, he prospered, and, in 1864, he built 
the large brick hotel on the public square, 
and the brick business house adjoining the 
same. Here he kept a public house tintil 
the spring of the year 1882, when he 
leased the establishment to its present pro- 
prietors, and thus at one and the same time 
he retired from business and public and 
official life, and has rested at last in cheery 
old acre from his long, laborious and active 
labors. The history of Effingham County 
and the biography of Judge Gillenwaters are 
very much one and the same thing. His 
coming here and the existence of the county 
were coeval events. To much of its growth 
and prosperity it is indebted to him. He 
has been one of its humblest laborers and 
wisest counselors. He has been a Western 



EFFINGHAM CITY AXD DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



27 



man in the broad pease of that term; he has 
realized the wants of the people and with 
strong brain and hand he has supplied that 
demand most generously and unsparingly. 
And now, when the race is nearly run, and 
the afternoon of life wanes, to see this ven- 
erable, white-haired couple, as hand in hand 
they pass along toward the twilight and the 
journey's end, receiving the love, reverence 
and respect of all, is a picture indeed that 
many loving hearts will wish may never fade. 
SYLVESTER F. GILMORE, attorney 
and County Judge, Effingham, was born in 
Putman County, Ind., August 17, 1837; he 
was educated at Hanover College, Indiana, 
and began the study of law in 1858, at Green 
Castle, Ind., with Col. John A. Matson, and, 
after reading with him about two years, en- 
tered tL e Law Department of the Indiana As- 
bury University, from which he graduated 
in March, 1860, and began the practice of 
law in Carmi, 111., continuing there until 
1862, when he returned to his old home in 
Indiana and enlisted, in 1863, in the Seventy- 
eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and joined 
a portion of the Ai-my of the Tennessee, and 
was stationed at Uniontown, Ky. , and took 
part in engagements near Morganiield, Ky. , 
and at Uniontown, at which latter place the 
whole command was captured, late in 1863, 
and was paroled and sent home, subject re- 
turning to Green Castle, Ind., remaining un- 
til 1867. In September of that year he came 
to Effingham and has been in active practice 
here since. In 1878, he formed a partner- 
ship with Mr. White and the firm has for 
nine years been Gilmore & "White. He was 
elected, in 1869, County Superintendent of 
Schools, and served four years. He was 
nominated for County Judge by the Dem- 
ocratic convention in April, 1882. Mr. Gil- 
more was married, in April, 1860, at Green 
Castle, to Miss Julia A. Matkin; they have 



four children — Clarence, Mary, Willie and 
Thomas. Mrs. Gilmore died June 12, 1881. 
WILLIAM L. GOODELL, M. D., Effing- 
ham, is the eldest son of Dr. William S. and 
Catharine (Herrick) Goodell, and was born in 
Richland County, Ohio, September 28, 1844; 
he was taught by his parents at home with 
the exception of two terms in the public 
schools, and afterward entered college. 
When about nine years old, he came with his 
parents to Illinois and they located at Kan- 
sas, Edgar Co., 111., where his father was a 
merchant and a physician. Onr subject en- 
tered Marshall College in 1858, his parents 
having removed to Marshall, Clark Co., 111., 
in that year, to educate their chihh-en. Our 
subject remained in college until October, 
1860. In September, 1861, he began the 
study of medicine with his father, and stud- 
ied and practiced with him until the latter's 
death. He entered the Medical Department 
of Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, in 
October, 1861, and attended two full courses 
there, and, in 1865, he entered Rush Medical 
College, Chicago, from which he graduated 
in 1866 and located and practiced over a 
year in Coles County, 111. In 1868, he came 
to Effingham and has practiced here ever 
since. He was associated with his father al- 
most to the time of his father's death. He 
has been a member of the Illinois State Med- 
ical Society since 1875, and is a member of 
the Esculapian Society of the Wabash Valley. 
He was a delegate to the International Med- 
ical Congress, held in Philadelphia, Peun., 
in 1876. He was also a delegate to the 
American Medical Association, held in At- 
lanta, Ga., in 1877. He joined the Centen- 
nial Medical Society of Southern Illinois in 
1880. His father, William Sherman Good- 
ell, M. D., was born at Weatherstield, Wind- 
sor Co., Vt., A. D. 1815. He studied medi- 
cine with Dr. Stone, of Lyndon, Vt. , at- 



28 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



tended medical leetiires at Cleveland, two 
full courses at the University of Michigan, 
and one course at Hush Medical College, 
Chicago. Practiced his profession more than 
forty years, and was master of it in all its 
various departments. The Doctor stood very 
high in his profession, having a large prac- 
tice and was very successful. He was a mem- 
ber of Esculapian Medical Society of the 
Wabash Valley. The Doctor's scientific at- 
tainments, literary lore and classical refine- 
ment, coupled with his wondrous conversa- 
tional power, rendered him a favorite among 
original thinkers and investigators. The Doc- 
tor was a perfect grammarian, and in the 
olden time has had teachers come thirty miles 
to have him analyze and parse complex sen- 
tences and decide disputes amongst gram- 
marians. Could solve any mathematical 
problem and wrote an arithmetic, but it was 
never published. He was known to his 
friends and his enemies as an unshaken, hon- 
est Democrat of the " Jackson " type, and, 
although eminent as a politician, he could 
never be induced to accept an office. During 
the hot camj^aign of 1860, he discussed the 
political issues of the day with Mr. Lincoln. 
Was the personal friend of Hon. J. C. Rob- 
inson, Judge John Scholfield, Hon. C. L. 
Vallandigham, Judge Stephen A. Douglas 
and was a correspondent of Gov. H. A. Wise. 
The Doctor married Catharine Herrick 
(daughter of Judge Herrick), of De Kalb 
County, Ind., in A. D. 1840; they had three 
children, viz., William L. Goodell, M. D. , 
Catharine J. Goodell and F. Wise Goodell, 
M. D. In A])ril, 1807, the Doctor saw the 
certain development of Effingham City and 
County, so moved with his family (who are 
yet residents of the city). He bui It two large 
and substantial brick dwellings in the north- 
ern part of the city. He was a Master Ma- 
son. After a long and useful life the Doctor 



passed quietly to that undiscovered country 
from " whose bourn no traveler returns," No- 
vember 20, 1877, of pneumonia, caused by ex- 
posure while engaged in his profession. 

FRANK WISE GOODELL, M. D., 
Effingham, was bom in Marshall, Clark Co. , 
111., March 1, 1858; at the age of sixteen, he 
began the study of medicine with his father, 
and studied in his office and practiced with 
him, and afterward, with his older brother, 
Dr. William L. Goodell, in Effingham, as 
student, and afterward as partner. He was 
a student in the Louisville Medical College 
and the Indiana Medical College, at Indian- 
apolis, and was considered the most popular 
student in his respective classes, being per- 
sonally acquainted with every student and 
professor. He was the youngest student in 
the Louisville school and Vice President of 
thw Sydenham Medical Society. He was 
nominated for the office of Coroner at the 
Democratic Primary Convention, held April 
4, 1882, by over 1,200 majority. 

H. GORRELL, carpenter, Effingham, was 
born in Knox County, Ohio, January 7, 1829, 
son of Joseph and Mary (Van Cleaf) Gorrell, 
he, a farmer, born in Maryland, and died in 
1873, near Columbus, Ohio; she, born in New 
Jersey and died in Knox County, Ohio, in 
1852. They were the parents of eleven chil- 
dren, thi'ee of whom are living. Our subject 
received his education in his native State, 
and was engaged in farming u.ntil he became 
twenty-one years of age. He was married, 
November 1, 1849, in Knox County, Ohio, to 
Miss Sarah Kirkpatrick, born in Harrison 
County, same State, February 22, 1829, 
daughter of John M. and Nancy (Guthrie) 
Kirkpatrick. Mr. and Mrs. Gorrell have had 
six children, two of whom are living — Elca- 
neh and Clementine. Those deceased are 
Ransom, Arvilla, Clara and Alva. Our sub- 
ject has worked at his trade of carpentering 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



29 



since coming to this county. He has been in 
the employ of the Vandalia Eailroad Com- 
pany for nine years, where he has Superin- 
tended a force of workmen. Onr subject's 
son, Elcaneh, lives in Newton, Jasper Coun- 
ty, this State, and is editor of the Jasper 
County Times, a Republican pajaer. He is 
also Lieutenant of the " Newton Guards," 
State Militia, Company B. He married El- 
la Brown, the daughter of Attorney D. B. 
Brown, of Newton. Our subject's daughter, 
Clementine, is the wife of Mr. W. H. Bea- 
ver, a salesman in J. V. Far well & Co.'s 
wholesale dry goods house, Chicago; they 
have one boy — Frank Earl, born January 15, 
1882. Our subject and wife are members of 
the Methodist Church. He is an L O. O. F., 
Dallas Lodge, No. 85. In politics, he is a 
Democrat. 

A. A. GRAVENHOEST, editor of the 
Effingham Volksblatt, son of Theodore and 
Sophia (Oehker) Gravenhorst, was born in 
the village of Neuhaus, in the Kingdom of 
Hanover, now Prussia, March 8, 1839. He 
was educated at the Gymnasium, at Lunen- 
burg, Hanover, and nearly completed a course 
in modern languages, preparatory to enter- 
ing the university. He left school at seven- 
teen and spent two years at agricviltural pur- 
suits. In 1858, being nineteen years of age, 
he came to the United States and located 
near Chicago, 111., and for two years worked 
on a farm in Cook County. In 1860, he 
came to Teutopolis, this county, with little 
in the way of surplus capital. He entered the 
employ of Mr. Waschefort, remaining about 
six months. He enlisted, in 1864, in the 
Forty-second Indiana Volunteer Infantry, 
and served until the close of the war. He was 
at Franklin, Tenn. , Nashville and other minor 
engagements. He retui'ned in July, 1865, 
and, in 1867, went into business here for 
himself and has continued prosperously' ever 



since. In June, 1878, he started the first 
German paper ever published in the coianty, 
and enlarged and improved it to a six-column 
quarto, in October, 1882, and called it the 
Effingham Volksblatt. He married Miss 
Barbara Blattner, January 4, 1871; they 
have four children living. 

J. N. GROVES, physician and surgeon, 
Effingham City, was born in Perry County, 
Ohio, Februaiy 21, 1841. He came to Illi- 
nois at the age of fourteen, and his parents 
first settled in Crawford County. At the age 
of fifteen years, he entered the Ohio Wesley- 
an University, at Delaware, where he spent 
about three years. He returned to Illinois 
and began the study of medicine, in 1858, 
with Dr. S. M. Meeker, of Hardinsville, 111., 
and, in the fall of 1860, he entered the Chi- 
cago Medical College, in which he spent a 
winter and summer term. In July, 1861, he 
settled in "Watson, this county, where he be- 
gan to practice, which he continued until 
1862, when ho enlisted in the Ninety-eighth 
Illinois Mounted Infantry, as private in Com- 
pany F, Capt. Le Crone, and was made Hos- 
pital Steward at once, and, in 1863. he was 
made First Assistant Surgeon of the Ninety- 
eiarhth Regiment. Dr. Groves was detailed to 
accompany, as Surgeon, the Fourth Michigan 
Cavalry, in quest of Jeff Davis, and was 
present at his capture. He remained until the 
close of the war, in July, 1865, when he re- 
turned to Effingham and formed a partner- 
ship with Dr. John Le Crone, of this city, 
and practiced here until October, 1865, when 
he entered the Rush Medical College at Chi- 
cago, from which he graduated January 24, 
1866, and returned to Effingham for a year, 
when he moved to Freemanton, just before 
the Vandalia road was built, and when the 
station was located at Altamont, he located 
and remained there luitil 1880, when he 
moved to Effingham. In September, 1880 



30 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



he established the Effingham Surgical Insti- 
tute and Eye and Ear Infirmary, in con- 
nection with Dr. L. J. Schifferstein, an oc- 
ulist and aurist. Dr. Groves and" his asso- 
ciate are in charge of the Mercy Hospital 
at Effingham. He is Surgeon-in-chief of 
the Springfield, Effingham & Southeast- 
ern Railway, and local surgeon of the Ohio 
& Mississippi Railroad. He has built up a 
very large practice and eatablishod an envi- 
able reputation as a surgeon. 

J. N. GWIN, lawyer, Effingham, whose 
portrait appears in this work, first breathed the 
vital air in Crawford County, 111., near where 
Robinson, the county capital, was shortly af- 
terward located. His parents, John W. and 
Lucindes Gwin, obeyed the admonition " to 
get married and go West." They moved from 
Virginia to said county in 1830, when that re- 
gion was almost a wilderness, the wolves 
and deer being almost the sole occupants of 
the prairie. Here the subject of this biog- 
raphy was reared, being the fourth child of 
his parents, but the oldest now living. He 
was brought up on a farm and accustomed to 
a life of toil. Having received a liberal edu- 
cation by going to the country schools, some 
three miles distant, for three or four 
months of each winter, during the time he 
worked on the farm. At the solicitation of 
some friends, his father sent him to an acad- 
emy at Marshall, 111., in 1857, then in suc- 
cessful operation under the control of the M. 
E. Church, where he remained one year. 
The year spent at the academy created such 
a desire for knowledge in the young man that 
his father sent him to McKendree College, in 
1858, where he entered the classical course 
and remained two years, from which institu- 
tion, in 1S60, he went to the Indiana Asbury 
University, at Green Castle, Ind.,for the pur- 
pose of studying German and French, where 
he remained one year, retiu-ning to McKen- 



dree College; he remained one year, graduat- 
ing in the classical course, in the ever mem- 
orable class of June 19, 1862. with the de- 
gree of Bachelor of Arts. His father died a 
few days after the completion of his colle- 
giate course, and he was left to commence 
life on his own resources; he taught school 
successfully for one year, then read law for 
a year with Judge Kitchell, at Olney, 111. ; 
served one year in the army, in the Fifth In- 
diana Cavalry; was on detached duty as 
Clerk of the General Court Martial, at Pu- 
laski, Tenn. , during the summer of 1865- 
Was mustered out of the service with his 
regiment aff-er the expiration of the war, and 
immediately entered the Cincinnati Law 
School, in October, 1865, at which institu- 
tion he graduated in 1866, with the degree 
of Bachelor of Laws. In June, 1865, the de- 
gree of Master of Arts was conferred on him 
by McKendree College. Was admitted to the 
bar at Mt. Vernon, in June, 1866, and com- 
menced the practice of the law at Effingham 
August 1 of the same j'ear, where he has 
ever since resided and practiced his chosen 
profession. Was the candidate for Presi 
dential elector on the Liberal Republican 
ticket for the Fifteenth Congressional Dis- 
trict in 1872. Elected Mayor of the city of 
Effingham in 1877, overcoming a Democratic 
majority of over one hundred, being the OQly 
one on the ticket that had any opposition 
that was elected, which position he held for 
two years, acquitting himself with the almost 
universal declaration that he made the best 
Mayor Effingham ever had. He is a gentle- 
man of excellent exemplary habits for one of 
his profession; he neither chews, smokes nor 
uses intoxicating drinks of any kind except 
for medicinal purposes. During his colle- 
giate course of five years, so staid and rigid 
were his conscientious convictions of right 
that he never received a demerit mark, un- 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



31 



excused absence from recitation or private 
reproof, being the only one in hia class that 
had a perfect record. Knowing the advan- 
tages of a religious and educational training, 
ho has eyer since manifested a great interest 
in the Sabbath and week day schools, and, as 
Secretary of the Board of Education, he has 
been untiring in his efforts to secure none 
but first-class teachers in the public schools 
of the city of Effingham. Sixteen years ago, 
he arrived at Effingham without a dollar that 
he could call his own, and among entire stran- 
gers, but by leading a life of sobriety, econ- 
omy and industry, he has accumulated some 
property, and now, with his aged mother, oc- 
cupies the most beautiful home in the city of 
Effingham. In politics, he was a Republican 
from boyhood, making an active canvass for 
Abraham Lincoln in 1860, with which party 
he continued to act until 1876, when he joined 
the National party, and was sent as a delegate 
from Illinois to the National Convention at 
Indianapolis, that nominated Peter Cooper 
for President; in 1880, was a delegate to the 
National Convention at Chicago that nomi- 
nated Gen. Weaver as a candidate for Presi- 
dent. He is one of the oldest members, in 
point of membership, of Dallas Lodge, No. 
85, I. O. O. F. He has also taken all the 
degrees in White Hall Lodge, No. 134, and 
Encampment at Effingham. Is a mem 
ber of Gates Post, No. 88, of the Grand 
Army of the Republic, and was one of its 
charter members. 

HENRY G. HABING, agent Adams Ex- 
press Company, insurance and real estate, 
Effingham, was born near the town of Essen, 
Oldenburg, Germany, January 13, 1S37. 
His parents died in Germany, and, in 1844, 
subject, then seven years old, came to the 
United States with his grandfather, Casper 
Waschefort, who settled in Teutopolis, this 
county, and subject lived in the village until 



1854, when he went to Evansville, Ind. , 
where he was clerk in a general store for 
three years, and, in 1857, returned to Teu- 
topolis and clerked for his uncle, John F. 
Waschefort, three years, and, in 1860, came 
to Effingham, and the same year Mr. Wasche- 
fort opened a store here, which Mr. Habing 
ran for three years, and in 1863 opened a 
general store of his own, which ho ran until 
1866, when he sold it and engased with 
Thomas D. Craddock in the banking business, 
the firm of Craddock & Habing conducting a 
private bank until 1873, when the partner- 
ship was dissolved and subject continued by 
himself until 1876. In 1876, Mr. Habing 
engaged in the insurance business, which he 
has continued with good success. In ad- 
dition, he became the first agent of the Wa- 
bash 'Railroad, in 1879, and is still its agent. 
Also became agent of the Adams and Pacific 
Express Companies in 1881. He was agent 
of the American Express Company at Effing- 
ham from 1860 to 1866. He was elected on 
the Independent ticket, in 1867, and served 
two years as County Treasurer, and again 
elected in 1873, on the Democratic ticket as 
County Treasurer for one term. He was 
Mayor of Effingham in 1875, and the same 
year Chairman of the Board of Supervisors; 
served several terms in other offices of trust, 
as Alderman, Trustee and School Treasurer. 
RUFUS C. HARRAH, State's Attorney, 
Effingham City, was born in Putnam County, 
Ind., October 10, 1846. He came with his 
father to Jasper County, 111., in 1858, and 
lived on a farm. He was educated at West- 
field College, Illinois, which he left iu 1870 
and taught school two years, in Putnam 
County, Ind. March 10, 1872, he came to 
Effingham and studied law with J. N. Gwin, 
and was admitted to the bar June 18, 1874, 
and has been practicing here since. He was 
Police Magistrate of Effingham from 1873 to 



32 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



1881. He was elected State's Attorney for this 
county in ISSO, for four years, by the Democrat- 
ic party. His parents still live in Jasper Coun- 
ty, 111., where his father has followed the 
life-long occupation of farming. His father, 
Daniel F. Harrah, was born iu Montgomery 
County, Ky., and came to Indiana about 1835. 
He was the son of Daniel Harrah, a Holdier of 
the war of 1812. Our subject was married, 
in 1873, to Mrs. Ellen Warren, of Jasper 
County, 111. They have two children living. 
GEORGE HARVEY, farmer, P. O. Effing- 
ham, was born in Schuylkill County, Penn., 
January 18, 1832, son of Liaac and Sarah 
(Wunder) Harvey, he, born in Berks County, 
Penn. , in 1800, was a blacksmith and died 
in Schuylkill County, same State, in 1874; 
she was also a native of Berks County, Penn., 
born in 1802, and died in Schuylkill County, 
same State, in July, 1853. They were the 
parents of fifteen children, ten of whom are 
living. Our subject received his education 
in his native county, and was engaged in 
farming till 1860, when he went to work in 
the coal mines of his State, in which occupa- 
tion he was engaged until 1879, at which 
time he came to Illinois and purchased a 
farm of 500 acres in this county, paying $18 
per acre. His place is adjoining to the city 
limits of Effingham, and includes 120 acres 
of timber land. He carries on general farm- 
ing. Our subject was married, in his native 
county, August 12, 1853, to Miss Mary N. 
Dentler, born in the same county, daughter 
of Jacob Dentler, born in Lewisburg, Union 
Co., Penn. Mr. and Mrs. Harvey have nine 
children living — Theodore H., Isaac A., 
Charles, Anna Maria, Esther, George, Sam- 
uel, Richard and Bessie. Mrs. Harvey is a 
member of the Church of the United Breth- 
ren. He is an I. O. O. F., Pine Grove Lodge, 
No. 148, and is also a member of the En- 
campment. In politics, he is a Republican. 



ALPHEUS J. HASBROUCK, Effingham, 
watchman, was born in Kingston, Ulster Co., 
N. Y. , March 1, 1826, son of Jacob and Ari- 
etta ( Schoonmaker) Hasbrouck, he, born in 
Kingston, N. Y., April 2, 1800, was a stu- 
dent under Dr. Mott, and afterward a phy- 
sician, died in Seneca County, N. Y. ; she 
was of Holland descent, born in 1802, and 
died in New York State in August, 1882. 
The history of the Hasbrouck family is in- 
teresting as well as somewhat peculiar. Our 
subject's ancestors (as far back as the history 
can be traced) were two Frenchmen, who, in 
Coligny's time, during the early persecution 
of Protestants in France, fled to Holland, 
where they took refuge among the Huguenots, 
and afterward emigrated to America, sailing 
from England for Boston, in April, 1675, 
thence to New York and from there to Eso- 
pus (now Kingston, N. Y.), arriving in the 
latter place in July of the same year. One 
of the brothers, Joseph, remained in Esopus, 
while the other, Jacob, settled in Poughkeep- 
sie, N. Y'., and both intermarried with the 
French and Hollanders. Our subject's great- 
grandfather and Mi-s. Hasbrouck' s great great- 
grandfather were first cousins, so the two 
families, though at intervals, would be quite 
distant from each other, time would bring 
them together again. Our subject's grand- 
father was a Captain in the Revolutionary 
war and a Colonel in the war of 1812. In 
the great civil war, there were eighteen repre- 
sentatives of the family in the army, ranking 
from a private to a General. Our subject is 
the descendant of the oldest child in each 
generation, with one exception. The first 
child in each generation happened to be a 
boy. In early life our subject was a farmer. 
He was man-ied, in Seneca County, N. Y., 
October 8, 1851, to Miss Mary Ann Has- 
brouck, born in Kingston, N. Y. , May 5, 
1829, daughter of Louis and Margaret (Van 



>5- J*— .-«»?■* 'yj^"^^'. 



/*&^\ 



^'^^ffii 





^u^<^<^hyi/H_ 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



38 



Vleck) Hasbrouck, be, born in New Paltz, 
now Poughkeepaie, N. Y., in 1797; she, 
born in the same place and year as her hns- 
band. Our subject has six children living 
and two deceased. Those living are Lou- 
ise, Mary, Josephine, Frank Calvin, Louis 
and Viola. Mary is a teacher on the west 
side school of Effingham. Mr. Hasbrouck 
came to Effingham in 1870, and has since 
resided here. He had previously filled a 
number of offices in Mattoon, Coles County, 
this State, being at one time Mayor of that 
city and President of four societies, and also 
Superintendent of Sabbath school. He 
takes great interest in educational matters. 
He is a member of the Masonic fraternity 
and is also an I. 0. O. F. He has been in 
the employ of the Vandalia Railroad Com- 
pany for most of the past eleven years. ' In 
religion, he is a Presbyterian, and in politics 
a Republican. 

CHARLES G. HARTMANN, wool dealer 
and merchant, Effingham, was born in the city 
of Neustadt, near Stolpen, Saxony, Germany, 
March 10, 1824. His father was a weaver in 
Neustadt, and subject learned the trade with 
him ■when a boy and traveled six years as a 
journeyman in Germany. He came to the 
United States in 1856, and first settled in 
South Bend, Ind., where he lived two years, 
when he removed to Shelby County, 111., and 
established himself in the weaving business 
in Shelby vi lie, and, in May, 186-1, he came 
to Effingham, where he engaged in buying 
wool, weaving and dealing in woolen goods. 
He carries a full line of woolen fabrics of all 
kinds and deals in wool generally, handling 
the bulk of the wool produced in the county. 
He is a member of the School Board and is 
serving his second year. His father, John 
G. Hartmann, mari'ied Julia Kretschmar, by 
which marriage there were ten childi'en, of 
whom our subject is the seventh child; six of 



1 the family are yet living. Our subject was 
married, in 1847, to Paulina Grahmann. 
They have five children — Matilda, married 
John Simow, of Effingham; Bertha, married 
to Henry Rawe, of Christian County, 111. ; 
Emma, at home; Charles A. and Henry, both 
in Chicago. 

I ANTON J. HENNING, butcher, Effing- 
ham, was born on the Atlantic Ocean, October 
8, 1854, son of Charlie and Theresa (Vogt) 

I Henning, natives of Germany; he, a miller, 
came to the United States in 1854, was a 
farmer in this country, and died near St. 
Louis; she died in Effingham June 29, 1880. 
They were the parents of seven children, five 
sons and two daughters. Our subject's 
schooling consisted of four winters' attend- 
ance at school in Monroe County, this State, 

j and six months' study at Teutopolis, this 
county. He was engaged in farming till 
seventeen years of age, afterward working 

\ some in the employ of the Vandalia Railroad 
Company. He opened a butcher shop in 
1876, which was destroyed by fire on March 
5, 1879, after which he rebuilt on the same 
place. He was married, in Effingham, July 
2, 1878, to Miss Anna Ungrum, born in Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, July 2, 1855, daughter of 
George and Marguerita (Tiepen) Ungrum, 
natives of Germany; he died in this county, 
and she is still living here. Mr. and Mrs. 
Henning have two children — Rosa and Liz- 
zie. Our subject has lived in Effingbam for 
the past twelve years. He is a member of 
the Catholic Chiu-ch and in politics a Dem- 
ocrat. 

LOUIS HILL, retired, P. O. Effingham, 

i was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, 
March 4, 1817; came to the United States in 
1829. His parents fii-st stopped in New Y'^ork 
Citj' about two years, when they moved to 

I Pittsburgh, Penn, and our subject learned the 

trade of tinner in Donisonstown, Westmore- 

c 



34 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



land Co. , Penn. , where he served three years' 
apprenticeship. He then started a tinshop 
for himself in Allegheny County, Penn., 
which he ran about three years, and after- 
ward ran a shop in Cambtidgo, Guernsey 
Co., Ohio, about four years, when he sold 
out and came to Illinois, in 1851, and bought 
prairie farm in Jackson Township, this county, 
entering 240 acres of it, and remained on 
the farm till the spring of 1881; he had ac- 
quired a half -section of land, which he placed 
in a good state of cultivation and kept up 
good buildings. Mr. Hill came tu Effing- 
ham in the spring of 1881, to epjoy the rest 
which his toils have richly earned him. He 
was mari'ied, the first time, in March, 1840, 
to Miss Amanda Whiteman; five children 
'were born of this marriage, all of whom are 
dead, except one daughter — Geomima, wife 
of Lorenzo Ward, of Cumberland County, 
111; she was born May 18. 1855. Our sub- 
ject's first wife died in January, 1874. His 
second marriage occurred June 15, 1874, 
when he wedded Miss Catharine Wade, of 
Perry County. Ohio. Three of Mi-. Hill's 
children died young — one daughter, Sarah 
Jane, died in 1877: she was born in 1841, and 
man-ied John Corral, and left sis children, 
five of whom are still living. 

JOHN HOENT, Sr., editor and publisher 
Effingham Times, was born in the town of 
Ruehnda, District Melsungen, Hesse-Cassel, 
Aug. 27, 1824. He received his education in 
the parochial school of his native place, and in 
the village of Waldau. His father was a 
damask weaver, and after leaving school sub- 
ject worked at that for a few years. He also 
received lessons from a private teacher, and 
prosecuted his studies until the age of eight- 
een. February 2, 1842, he landed at New 
Orleans, La., and from there came to Leitch- 
field. Ky. He engaged in farming and in the 
meantime pursued the study of English with 



the closest application. He took private les- 
sons of Volentine Yates, and in three years 
taught English himself. He was married, 
April 2, 1846, to Miss Aldegundis Bozarth. 
of Grayson County, Ky. After being en- 
gaged in agricultural pm'suits for three years, 
he began teaching English schools, both pub- 
lic and private, and that was his almost ex- 
clusive work until the spring of 1861. In 
the winter of 1851, he came to Illinois, locat- 
ing at Old Ewington, and first taught a 
school in Sprinkle neighborhood, near Wat- 
son, then went to Teutopolis, where he taught 
in a Catholic parish school for three years, 
when he came to Effingham and clerked in 
the first general store in Effingham, and 
afterward kept a boarding-house here and 
was also the first Postmaster. In the fall of 
1855 or 1856, he moved to Waterloo, III, 
where he remained one year, then went to St. 
Clair County, where he taught for six years; 
then returned, in 1861, and bought the Effing- 
ham Gazette, of Mr. Rose, and ran this and 
its successor, the Democrat, continuously un- 
til October, 1881, with the txception of the 
year 1869. February, 1882, he started the 
Effingham Times, which now enjoys a large 
circulation. Since coming to this country 
Mr. Hoeny has acted with the Democracy in 
political affairs. He served on the old Vil- 
lage Board of Trustees of Effingham, and 
served as Mayor of Effingham for two 
years, 1879 and 1881. Mr. Hoeny is the 
father of twelve children, six sons and 
six daughters; six are living, as follows: 
Mary Elizabeth (Mrs. H. C. Nolte;; Anna 
T. , wife of J. B. Costigan; John, Jr.; 
Archibald A., Eugene F. G. and Rose F. 
Of those deceased, all died young, except the 
oldest son — Martin W., who served in the 
Sixty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, in 
the regimental band, during the war, and 
died April 8, 1872, of consumption, which he 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



35 



contracted in the army. He was a partner in 
the publication of the Democrat and a writer 
of much promise. 

NATHANIEL B. HODSDON, Superin- 
tendent of Schools, Effingham, was born in 
Bethel, Oxford Co., Me., Augiist 20, 1833; he 
received his education in the common schools 
of Maine, and in Gould's Academy, at Bethel, 
Me., and began teaching at the age of twenty- 
two in his native State, and in 1856 entered 
the Bridgewater State Normal School, Massa- 
chusetts, and spent two years there, graduat- 
ing in February, 1858. In August, 1858, he 
camo to Carmi, White Co., 111., whore he had 
charge of the schools four years. In August, 
1802, he resigned his position to enlist in the 
Eighty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
and served three years in Company F. He 
entered as Second Lieutenant and during the 
last years had command of Company F as 
First Lieutenant. He was in the siege and 
capture of Vicksburg and the Red River ex- 
pedition and other engagements on the Mis- 
sissippi River; was mustered out at Spring- 
field. 111., in July, 1865. His health was so 
impaired that Mr. Hodsdon did not resume 
teaching until 1874, when he became Princi- 
pal of the schools at Carmi. 111., and re- 
mained as Superintendent there four yeai-s, 
and next became Principal of the public 
schools at Metropolis, 111., for two years, and, 
September, 1881, he was made Professor of 
English literatiu'e in the Christian Collegiate 
Institute at Metropolis, 111. , where he taught 
one year, when he resigned to accept the 
Superintendency of the Effingham schools in 
June, 1882, and is now filling that position. 
He was married, in 1861, to Miss Mary F. 
Chaplin, of Maine, who died in 1874, when he 
married. December 30, 1875, Miss Flora Pol- 
lard, of Evansville, Ind., daughter of the late 
Dr. William Pollard, of Cynthiana, Ind. The 
father of our subject was James Hodsdon, who 



served as private in the war of 1812 and who 
was a farmer. He resided at Bethel, Me., 
until his death. The mother of our subject 
was Esther Bartlett, who had eight children, 
of which subject is the youngest and the only 
survivor. 

JOHN F. HOMANN, lock and gun smith, 
Effingham, was born in Hanover, Germany, 
Oct. 7, 1805, son of Johan F. and Henriette 
(Noavohner) Homann, he, a wagon and pump 
maker, born in 1708, in Germany, where he 
died in 1836; she was born and died in Ger- 
many also. They were the parents of three 
children — one son and two daughters. Our 
subject received his schooling in his native 
country, where he also learned his trade, in 
which he was engaged in various places in 
Germany and Switzerland. He was married, 
in Neukirchen, Hanover, Germany, December 
31, 1830, to Anna Maria Vallors, born in 
Bremen, Germany, December 28, 1809, daugh- 
ter of Henry and Marguerita'(Delves) Vallers, 
natives of Bremen, Germany. Mr. and Mrs. 
Homann have three children — Frioderich 
Adolph, Wilhelm Henry and Dena. The two 
sons are married and have farms in Moccasin 
Township, this county. The daughter is liv- 
ing at home. Our subject came to the Unit- 
ed States in 1845, and lived six years in St. 
Louis, Mo., twelve years in Washington 
County, this State, and in 1865 came to 
Effingham, where he haB since worked at his 
trade of lock and gun smith. He is an excel- 
lent mechanic and a fine old gentleman, re- 
spected by all who know him. He is a mem- 
ber of the Lutheran Church and in politics a 
Republican. 

U. M. HUTCHINS, farmer, P. O. Effing- 
ham, was born in Shelby County, HI., June 
9, 1855, sou of M. and Susan (Carter) Hutch- 
ins, natives of Tennessee; he, born May 1, 
1810, is a farmer in Douglas Township; she, 
born August 13, 1810. and died in Douglas 



36 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Township June 20, 1881. They had twelve 
children, four of whom are living. Our sub- 
ject received his education in his native 
county, and made a start iu life as a farmer. 
He came to this county in 1872, at which 
time his father purchased 213 acres of land, 
at $10 per acre, which is now owned by our 
subject, who engages in general farming. 
He was married, in Douglas Township, Au- 
gust 19, ISSl, to Tomana Rose Clark, born 
March 11, 1861, in this State. Mr. and Mi-s. 
Hutchins have one child- Michael, born 
September 5, 1882. In religion, our subject 
is a Baptist, and in politics, a Democrat. 

CAPT. WILLIAM H. HYDEN, merchant. 
Effingham, was born in Vigo County, Ind. , 
near the State line, Ms-rch 10, 1831. At the 
age of fourteen, he was bound out to learn 
the tanner's trade, in Vigo County, and 
served three yeai-s, and at nineteen he went 
to Indianapolis, Ind., and for two years was 
in the employ of the Madison Railroad Com- 
pany, as brakeman on a passenger train. He 
worked in a saw-mill in Marion County for 
three years, and farmed one year, when he 
began the manufacture of brick near Indian- 
apolis, in which he continued till the war 
broke out. He enlisted in Company F, of 
the First Indiana Cavalry, in Jime, 1861, for 
three years, or dui'ing the war. Company 
F was transferred in the spring of 1862 to 
the Third Indiana Cavalry. He was in the 
Army of the Potomac for two and one- 
half years, under command of Gen. Pleason- 
ton. He served two years and seven months 
as Second Sergeant of Company F, Third In- 
diana Cavalry, and, including skirmishes, 
took part in thirty-nine engagements, the most 
important of which were Poolsville. Frederick 
City, Middletown, South Mountain, Antietam, 
mouth of the Monocacy, Charleston and 
Barnsville Ford. He fought twelve days in 
Amosville, Fredericksbiu-g, in January, 1863, 



Beverly's Ford, Chancellorsville, Dumfries, 
Warrenton, Spottsylvania, Aldie, Middle- 
bmy, Snickers Gap and Upperville. He 
was wounded three times, first at Beverly's 
Ford, by a saber. His horse was shot in the 
fall of 1^64, below Pulaski, Tenn., and our 
subject was crippled by the fall of the animal. 
He received a gunshot wound at A.ldie, through 
the right foot, in 1863, just before the battle 
of Gettysbm-g. He came home on a leave of 
absence and was commissioned Second Lieu- 
tenant of the Ninth Indiana Cavalry, by Gov. 
Morton, and January 1, 1864, he was com- 
missioned Captain of Company H, Ninth 
Cavalry, One Hundi-ed and Twenty-first Regi- 
ment, having raised and drilled the majority 
of the men in the Ninth Cavalry. He went 
out -find served till the close of the war as 
Captain of Company H, being assigned to the 
Army of the Cumberland. After the war, 
Capt. Hyden resumed the manufacture of brick, 
at Indianajwlis, until the winter of 1867, when 
he removed to Effingham County and farmed 
here until 1874. In that year, he engaged in 
the merchandising, and kept a general stock 
for seven years at Elliottstown, 111. August, 
1881, he came to Effingham, and was em- 
ployed until March, 1882, as a salesman by 
Col. Funkhouser. March 8, 1882, he opened 
a general store on the north side of the pub- 
lic square, which he has since conducted with 
good success. He was first married, June 16, 
1854, to Miss Margaret A. Leeper, of Acton, 
Marion Co., Ind. They had three children. 
His wife died in August, 1872. He remar- 
ried, Miss Sarah Creech, of this county, Jan- 
uary 12, 1874. They have three children by 
this mairiage. 

JOHN GEORGE HYNEMAN, baker and 
confectioner, Effingham, was born in Baden- 
Baden, Germany, August 11, 1850. He left 
school at the age of seventeen, having complet- 
ed a college eoiu-se at the city of Constanz. He 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



37 



learned tlie confectionery trade with an uncle 
in the city of Reichstadt, serving three years, 
when at the age of twenty, he enlisted in the 
German Army as volunteer in the Sanitary 
Corps, remaining until February 1, 1871, 
when he was excused from service for disa- 
bility, and he came to the United States, 
leaving May 16, 1871, landing at New York 
City, where he was pastry cook and confec- 
tioner for a year and six months; then he 
went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he followed 
♦he same occupation £or three years. In No- 
vember, 1876, he came to Effingham, and 
was afterward, for a few months, at St. 
Louis, Mo. Jiily 1, 1877, he opened his 
present establishment on Jefferson street, 
conducting a restaurant, confectionery and 
bakery with good success, the different 
branches of the business employing from 
five to six persons. He was married, in 
1877, to Miss Louisa Heer, of Cincinnati, 
Ohio. Three children were born of this 
marriage, and two of our subject's last 
marriage. His father, Joseph George 
Hyneman was born in Baden, Germany, 
and graduated from the University of 
Heidelberg, Germany. He joined the Revo- 
lution of 1848, and espoused the cause of the 
people, and wascaptured and cast into prison 
in Reichstadt, but was afterward pardoned 
by the Duke and restored to the office of At- 
torney and rose to the rank of a Judge. 

WILLIAM H. JACKSON, grocer, Effing- 
ham, was born in Marion County, Ky., April 
5, 1844. He was raised in Lebanon, whore 
he served an apprenticeship at blacksmithing. 
He enlisted at eighteen in Morgan's Cavalry 
and sorvod until 1863, when he was captured 
at Buffington, Ohio, and was held as prisoner 
of war at Camp Morton and Camp Douglas, 
from which he escaped in November, 1863. 
He located in Wisconsin at the close of the 
war and came to Effinfrham in 1869. He was 



hotel clerk in the old Moore House for some 
years, and engaged in the retail grocery busi- 
ness here about 1872, and has been in that 
business ever since, except three years, which 
he spent in different parts of Texas to recuper- 
ate his health. His location is on Jefferson 
street, where he does a prosperous business in 
groceries and queensware. He served as City 
Clerk of Effingham for three terms. In poli- 
tics, he is a Democrat. He was married, Oc- 
tober 8, 1873, to Miss Amanda Myers, daugh- 
ter of W. T. Myers, of this county. 

ANTHONY BERNARD JAN SEN, farmer, 
P. O. Effingham, was born in Oldenburg, 
Germany, February 20, 1822. He was 
twelve years old when he came to America. 
He lived two years in Schuylkill C<junty, 
Penn. ; at the age of fourteen, was appren- 
ticed to learn the carpenter's trade, in Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, where he served five years, 
and afterward working as a journeyman for a 
short time, he came here in 1840 on a visit 
to his parents, then went back to complete 
his term of service with a contractor named 
Baldwin. Subject came in 1841 to stay, ana 
went to work on a farm for John B. Bnun- 
mer, on Green Creek, and in April, 1842, he 
married Elizabeth, the only daughter of his 
employer, and farmed with his father-in-law 
for about ten years. In about 1850, he 
bought 160 acres in two tracts of well-im- 
proved land here; about three years later 
moved here, and has lived on it ever since. 
At the time he came here, there was consider- 
able Congress land, which afterward became 
railroad lands. Of this land Mr. Jansen 
bought several tracts. He has 227 acres 
here, besides the 160 acres formerly belong- 
ing to the estate of Brummer. He has been 
very successful in raising both grain and 
stock. He has eight children living and 
three deceased — John Bernard, died when 
young; Anthony Bernard, died when foiu'- 



38 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



teen years and seven months old; Henry Jo- 
seph, farmer in Cumberland County, 111.; 
Mary Margaret, died after marriage to Fer- 
dinand Kaufmann; John William, living in 
.Clinton County, 111. ; John Heni-y, farmer 
in this county; Elizabeth, wife of Bernard 
Husmann, of Shelby County, 111. ; Margaret 
Malama, wife of Clemens Kaufmann; Anna 
Helena; Catharine Philomina; Francis An- 
thony, who is at home. The father of Mrs. 
Jansen was l)orn in the Kingdom of Hanover, 
July 28, 1796. He learned the trade of 
weaving and worked at it. He married Mar- 
garet Suer, and had biit one child. He came 
to America in 1839, and settled here on 
Christmas of that year. Our subject's father 
was Francis Anthony Jansen, born in Olden- 
burg, Germany, where he learned the carpen- 
ter's trade, but followed farming and also 
herring fishing in the North Sea for many 
years and was ship carpenter on sailing ves- 
sels bound for distant ports, and sometimes 
worked at his trade in shipyards in Holland. 
In 1834, he came to the United States on the 
same vessel with Clemens Uptmore, and 
brought his wife and family of three chil- 
dren, one having come to this country two 
years previous. He worked in the coal mines 
of Pennsylvania, and at his trade in Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, until 1839, when he came to Illi- 
nios and settled near Teutopolis, adjoining 
the place where H. H. Huels now lives. He 
lived there for some years with his son-in- 
law, where his wife died in 1841. He after- 
ward made his home with his son-in-law, H. 
H. Wempe, who moved to St. Clair County, 
111., where the father died in 1862, in his 
eighty- eighth year. He was the father of 
four children, who grew to maturity — Ber- 
nard Henry, who is a lawyer in Cincinnati, 
Ohio; Elizabeth, wife of Jopeph Buckmann, 
dead; Catharine Alexandrina, wife of Henry 
Wempe, dead; subject and one who was the 



youngest of the family. Mr. Jansen is a 
Democrat and has served as Supervisor of 
the township. 

BERNARD JANSON, wagon manufact- 
urer, Elfingham, was born in Schleswig- 
Holstein, Germany, February 14, 1843, and 
was educated in his native country. He 
learned the trade of wagon and carriage 
making in his native town, at] which he 
worked for six years. March 8, 1863, he 
reached the United States, landing at New 
York; he went direct to Chicago, 111., where 
he worked in the large wagon factory of 
Peter Schuttler, one year, when he entered 
the employ of the Government as blacksmith 
and horseshoer, at Nashville and Chattanoo- 
ga, until September, 1865. when he came to 
Effingham, and in October, 1865, located 
here permanently. He bought the present 
lot, then covered with hazel-brush, and built 
a small shop on the old National road, and 
for about two years conducted a general 
blacksmthing business in a small shop, and, 
in 1867, built his present wagon shop, which 
he has enlarged by several additional build- 
ings until the present shop and factory are 
100x34, a two-story frame, with three floors, 
with large sheds, 100x16 for storing and sea- 
soning lumber. Since 1867, he has turned 
his entire attention to the manufacture of 
wagons, and employs six hands in the various 
departments of the business, with an average, 
during the last five years, of 100 wagons per 
year. These vehicles find a market princi- 
pally in Effingham and adjoining counties. 
He has also manufactured spring wagons and 
buggies. His vehicles are constructed of the 
best material and workmanship, and com- 
pares favorably with the best. His machinery 
is propelled by a twelve-horse engine. He 
was married, in 1875, to Catharine Bremer, 
of Sigel, 111., and has two daughters living 
and one dead. 



EFFINGHAM CrTY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



39 



JAMES H. JOHNSTON, dealer in books 
and stationnry, Effingham, waa born in Effing- 
ham County, 111., in the town of Freeman- 
ton December 8, 18-13, only son of William 
and Melcenia E. (Saslay) Johnston. The 
father was born in Scotland and came to the 
United States when thirty years old and lo- 
cated at Gallipolis, Ohio, about 1835. and 
farmed in Gallia County, Ohio, for about iive 
years, and came to Freemanton about 1841 
or 1842, where he opened a store, beginning 
on about $50. He was one of the first Post- 
masters of Freemanton and kept a hotel 
known as the " Travelers' Rest," for many 
years. He was a strong temperance man, 
and never drank or kept bar, and was one of 
the three men of his township who voted for 
Gen. Fremont in 1856. He was a Mission- 
ary Baptist, but his house was the home of 
ministers of all denominations. About 1858, 
he sold out his store and property, and re- 
moved to Cumberland County, 111. , where he 
resided until his death, in 1863. He married 
in Ohio, and had seven children, all living — 
Margaret A, wife of William C. Wright, of 
Effingham; James H., subject; Ellen B., 
wife of George Phipps, of Cumberland Coun- 
ty; Melcenia M., wife of J. A. McCandlish, 
Sheriif of Cumberland County, 111.; Lucy V., 
wife of Mr. N. B. Hollsapple, of Cumberland 
County, 111.; Sophrona, wife of William 
Wharf, insurance agent at Olney, 111. ; Rose, 
■wife of James Reed, Jamesville, 111. The 
mother remarried L. D. Gloyd,of Summit 
Township, still living. Subject was educated 
in the schools of this and Cumberland Coun- 
ties. Subject enlisted in December, 1861, and 
was discharged in Octobei', 1862, on account of 
disability. He belonged to Company K, 
Sixty-third Volunteer Infantry, and was taken 
ill soon after enlistment. He was married, 
in 1871, to Miss Fannie Hawley, daughter of 
Rev. N. Hawley, of the M. E. Church. Wife 



died in 1873 at Olney, 111. At the close of 
the war, he went into business at Charleston, 
111., where he remained for eighteen months. 
In 1873, he went into the insurance and real 
estate business at Olney, 111., for a few 
months. In 1877, he became Deputy Post- 
master under W. C. Wright for four years. 
In June, 1881, he engaged in the book and 
fanc}- goods trade in Effingham, and has since 
conducted a prosperous business on Jefferson 
street. 

JUDGE JOSEPH B. JONES, County 
Judge, Effingham, was born in Coshocton 
County, Ohio, April 22, 1835; he was raised 
on a farm and came to Illinois in 1856, on 
foot and alone, locating in Crawford County, 
where he taught school in the winter of 
1856-57, and in the spring of 1857, came to 
Effingham County, where he farmed during 
the summer and taught a winter school in 
Crawford County, 111., and returned, in 1858, 
to Ohio, for eight months, and, in February, 
1859, returned to this county and located at 
Freemanton, where he engaged in farming 
and trading in stock until 1860, when he was 
appointed Deputy Sheriff of this county and 
acted nearly foui- years, and during that time 
helped to move the county's books to the 
new county seat, dm'ing the holidays of 1860 
-61. He next engaged his services to C. H. 
McCormick & Bro. , of Chicago, and sold 
reapers and mowers here for about five years. 
In April, 1869, he was elected Justice of the 
Peace, or Police Magistrate of the city of 
Effingham and served four years. November 4, 
1873, he was elected County Judge of Effing- 
ham, and re-elected in November, 1877, for a 
term of four years, and, under an amendment 
of the constitution, his term of office was 
extended to December, 1882, and at that 
time he will have served nine years. 

JOHN JONES, druggist, Effingham, was 
born in North Germany, near the city of 



40 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Schleswig, October 19, 1846. He was edu- 
cated in the public schools of his native 
country. He came to the United States in 
1864, and located in Tuscola, Douglas Co., 
111., where he entered a drug store to learn 
the business, with Davis & Niles, and served 
thi-ee and one-half years as clerk. In the 
summer of 1868, he came to Effingham, and 
clerked in a drug store until June, 1869, 
when he bought a stock of drugs and medi- 
cines of Thomas D. Craddock, and has con- 
tinued in the di'Ug business ever since with 
good success. He was married, in 1871, to 
Miss O. M. Loomis, 'step-daughter of A. S. 
Moore. 

REV. HERMANN JUNGMANN, rector, 
Effingham, was bom in Westphalia, Germany, 
in the town of Ochtrup, October 1, 1846. He 
was educated in the Gymnasium at Mtinster, 
which he left in his twenty-second year and 
entered the School of Philosophy at Roulers, 
remaining one year; then entered the Ameri- 
can College at Louvain, Belgium, where he 
stiidied theology for three years. In the 
same year he left school, September, 1872, 
and came to America. He had received the 
order of Prisethood in December, 1871, at 
Malines, Belgium. He was first appointed 
rector of St. Andrew's Church, at Murfrees- 
boro. 111., in October, 1872, where he con- 
tinued until March, 1877, when he was ap- 
pointed rector of St. Anthony's Church, at 
Effingham, 111., of which church he has since 
been pastor. 

A B. KAGAY, deceased, died February 
15, 1877, aged seventy-four years and five 
months. He was of German parentage, born 
in the State of Virginia September 17, 1802, 
and did not learn to speak English until he 
was ten years old. His parents emigrated 
during his infancy to Fairfield County, Ohio, 
where he was raised on a farm. His educa- 
tion was limited, yet was sufficient for all 



practical purposes. He was married, on the 
17th day of August, 1826. In 1832, he emi- 
grated to Findlay, Hancock Co., Ohio, where 
he engaged in the tanning business. He 
subsequently engaged in the mercantile busi- 
ness, but with indifferent success, and also 
carried on a harness and saddlery shop. In 
1841, he emigrated to Ewington, 111., and 
engaged in the saddlery and harness busi- 
ness. In the fall of 1842, he was elected 
County Clerk, which office he filled for four 
years, being succeeded by Daniel Rinehart. 
In November, 1853, he was elected County 
Treasurer and Assessor, which offices he held 
until succeeded by G. W. Barcus, in 1860. 
As Assessor, he was required to traverse the 
entire county and visit every resident to take 
his assessment of taxable property; hence, no 
man at that time was so well acquainted with 
all the people in the county as he. In 1861, 
he was elected Justice of the Peace or Police 
Magistrate of the city of Effingham, and, in 
18(35, he was elected Township Justice of the 
Peace which office he held until 1873. He also 
held the offices of School Director and Town- 
ship Treasurer for a number of years. In 
1830. he joined the Old School Predestinarian 
Baptist Chui'ch, and has ever since been an 
active member of that church. There was 
nothing he prized so much as attending his 
chiu'ch meetings. In his opinion, when once 
formed, he was fixed and positive, and his at- 
tachment to his friends were ever constant 
and confiding. Being scrupulous and honest 
himself, he believed others to be the same, 
and was therefore often deceived and imposed 
upon. Kind to all, he was an affectionate 
husband and indulgent father, doing all in 
his power to rear his children to make goo 1 
and useful members of society, by giving 
them as good an education as the educational 
facilities of the country then afforded. * His 
first wife died at Ewington in the fall of 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOAVNSHIP. 



41 



1857, and he was married again, in Septem- 
ber, 1859, to Ursella Miller, a widow, who 
survives him. By his first wife he had five 
children — two sons and three daughters, of 
whom one son and two daughters survive. 

BENJAi\nN F. KAGAY, lawyer, Effing- 
ham, was born in Pleasant Township. Fair- 
field County, Ohio, February 27, 1831. His 
father, A. B. Kagay, died a few years ago at 
the age of seventy-foui*. His mother, Sarah 
(Hall) Kagay, was of Scotch-Irish parentage, 
and died while in her fifty-fourth year. Our 
subject was the recipient of a common-school 
education, perfected by his own after efforts. 
From his sixteenth to his twenty-second year, 
he was occupied in teaching, and in the 
meantime prosecuting the study of law, en- 
tering subsequently upon the active practice 
of his profession. He soon built up a large 
and remunerative business in this county, 
which has since engrossed his whole time 
and attention. He was President of the 
Board of Trustees of Effingham, and for three 
terms was the Supervisor of Douglas Town- 
ship, this county. For two terms he was 
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of 
Effingham County, and was also Chairman of 
the Building Committee of the Effingham 
County Court House. He was the first Mayor 
of the city of Effingham, serving two terms — 
1867-68. He was a member of the Legisla- 
ture of 1871 and 1872 filling the vacancy in 
the office occasioned by the death of David 
Leith. He was a member of the firm of 
Cooper & Kagay, and commenced practicing 
law in 1855. He was maiTied, February 6, 
185.S, in Fayette County, 111., to Martha J. 
Starnos, and has had five children, three of 
whom are living— the oldest child, a daugh- 
ter, is the wife of A. B. Judkins, of Spring- 
field, 111., an accomplished musician; Ben- 
jamia F. and Mattie. Our subject is now 
Police Magistrate of the city of Effingham. 



In politics, he is a Democrat, an independ- 
ent thinker and actor in political affairs. 

JOSEPH KAUFMANN was born in the 
vicinity of Green Creek May 29, 1856. He 
was educated at St. Joseph's College, Teu- 
topolis, where he spent twelve months, and 
began teaching in Cumberland County, 111., 
in 1876, and taught seven months in public 
schools at Lillyville, and, in 1878, he took 
charge of the Green Creek School which num- 
bers from thirty-six to forty pupils; both 
English and German languages are taught. 
Oiu- subject's mother is the daughter of Her- 
mann H. Niman, who was born in Oldenburg, 
Germany, where he married Mary Selhorst, 
and had three sons and one daughter. Sub- 
ject's wife, Anna Elizabeth, was eighteen 
years old when she came to this county, in 
1838. Her father settled where his son, 
Clemens Niman, now lives; they bought 
out a little improvement, came and settled 
there some time in the spring of 1839. She 
only remembers a Mr. Stewar't and Cohee in 
all this township at that time. She went to 
Hutchins' water mill, on the "Wabash, seven 
miles, and carried a bushel of meal on her 
shoulder home. She married Mr. John F. 
Osterhaus, in about 1842, and settled, after 
marriage, where her son Henry Osterhaus 
now lives. Two childi'en were born of this 
marriage, only one son survives, above men- 
tioned. After about foiu' years of married 
life, Mi\ Osterhaus died, and subsequently 
she maiTied Ferdinand Kaufmaan. He was 
born in Prussia, and came to this county be- 
tween 1840 and 1850, and bought a fai-m, 
where Clemens Kaufmann now lives, where 
he died about 1860, leaving eight childi'en, 
five of whom are yet living, as follows : Fer- 
dinand, in Shelby County, farmer; Sophia, 
wife of Henry Jansen, of this township; 
Catharine, married; Clemens, farmer, of this 
township, and Joseph. 



42 



BIOGUAPHICAL: 



ALFRED H. KELLY, County Sheriff, 
Effingham City, was born in Fairfield Coun- 
ty, Ohio, May 17, 1837. He came to Illinois 
when four years old, his parents settling in 
what is now Summit Township in 1841. His 
father entered eighty acres in Blue Point, in 
the edge of the timber, which only had few 
settlements. He went twenty miles in those 
days to a raising, and broke prairie after 
night to avoid the flies. Our subject re- 
ceived his education in a log sehoolhouse. 
His first teacher was Sarah Spaulding. The 
sehoolhouse was situated on the Johnny 
Brown farm. The father of our subject 
went to the Mexican war, and subject went 
to Cumberland County and lived four years 
with an uncle. His father died when he 
(subject) was twenty years of age, and our 
subject started in life for himself. He 
worked by the month and day for about three 
years, when he ran a threshing machine for 
about one or two years. He was married, in 
1859, to Miss Elizabeth Burrell, a native of 
Fairfield County, Ohio, and afterward bought 
eighty acres of land, which he still owns, in 
Banner Township, where he is still farming, 
raising grain and stock He has always been 
connected with the Democratic party, and 
served as Supervisor of his township for five 
terms. He was elected Sheriff of EJSngham 
County in November, 1880, and was renomi- 
nated by the Democratic primary in April, 
1882, for a term of four years to same office. 
He has two children living and two dead. 
His father, Hugh Dennis Kelly, was born in 
Ohio about 1804. He was a stone mason by 
trade, but farmed in later years. He served 
with Judge Gillen waters in the Mexican 
war. His health was permanently impaired 
by his service. He kept a hotel at Ewington 
for two years, and was book-keejaer for a time 
for the Illinois Central Railroad. He died 
on the farm about 1858. Om* subject has 



two sisters living — Electa and Sarah A., the 
latter the wife of L. J. Hankins, of this 
county. 

HENRY B. KEFLEY, attorney at law, 
Effingham, was born on Limestone Creek, in 
Effingham County, 111., June 20, 1836. He 
was raised on a farm, and, until the age of 
eighteen years, was principally engaged in 
farming pursuits. From childhood he was 
dependent upon his own efforts for support 
and education. He had great desire to at- 
tend school, but his circumstances were such 
that he could not do so, except occasionally, 
twenty or thirty days at a time, and conse- 
quently his early education was quite limit- 
ed, though at an early age he became able to 
read. He had great fondness for reading, 
and, by the time he was ten years old, had 
read probably every book in the neighbor- 
hood, the number of which, however, was by 
no means great; but among which were the 
Bible, the Columbian Orator, the English 
Reader, Peter Parley's Tales, Horry's Life of 
Marion, Weem's Life of Washington, the lat- 
ter of which had been bought for him, and 
which he had read and re-read, until he could 
repeat from memory page after page of it. 
One Friday afternoon at the close of school, 
the teacher, J. W. P. Davis, announced that 
he would give a reward to the puj)il who, on 
the next Monday, at the opening of school, 
could recite the greatest number of sentences 
from some history or similar book. On Mon- 
day morning, when it came Henry's tui'n to 
recite, he handed to the teacher his "Weem's, " 
and continued to recite page after page, till 
finally the teacher interrupted him by saying: 
" Y'ou have undoubtedly recited enough to en- 
title you to the reward, and we will defer 
your reciting the rest of the book till some 
other day." When about thirteen years of 
age, he for the first time attended Sunday 
school, at New Hope Church. Here, in con- 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOi:(JLAS TOWNSHIP. 



43 



testing for the prize offered for committing 
to memory and reciting the greatest number 
of chapters of the New Testament during the 
term, he committed to memory all of the 
Book of Matthew, except the first three chap- 
ters, all of the Book of Mark, and nearly all 
of the Book of Luke, gaining the prize — a 
small Testament, which, though of small val- 
ue in money, was by him highly prized as 
the token of his success. His success in such 
matters was attributable more to industry or 
persevering effort than to any special faculty 
From fifteen to eighteen years, of age, he was 
coiistantly employed as a hired hand, mostly at 
farm labors, but part of the time onthe Illinois 
Central Railroad, which was then being con- 
structed through Effingham County. The 
proceeds of these three years of labor, above 
necessary expenses, were invested in a hun- 
dred acres of land, which, in the fall of 1854, 
he sold for $500. He now decided to direct 
his attention to obtaining education, and to 
use the money he had got for his land in de- 
fraying his expenses while attending school. 
During the winter of ]85-l:-55, he attended 
the district school taught by Dr. Wborton at 
New Hope Church. During the spring and 
summer of 1855, he attended a private school 
at Mason, kept by A W. Avery. In the win- 
ter following, he attended a school kept 
by Uriah McCoy, near Watson. ■ In March 
4, 1856, at Georgetown, 111., he began teach- 
ing his first school, which lasted six months. 
In September, 1856, he went to Franklin 
College, at Franklin, Ind., which he attend- 
ed one year. His money being now exhaust- 
ed, he could no longer attend college, much 
to his retrret. as he had agi^eat desire to con- 
tinue his collegiate course till he graduated. 
But. as he was not able to do this because of 
the lack of moans, he continued his studies 
privately while teaching school, which voca- 
tion he resumed alter leaving college. In 



February, 1859, he began the study of law, 
with the view of becoming a lawyer. Here 
again he encountered the difficulties arising 
from lack of money, as he had no means with 
which to defray the expenses of a regular 
course of law studies. In March, 1860, he 
passed a successful examination, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar, and in May following he 
began the practice of law, in the meantime 
continuing to teach school and read law the 
same as before his admission to the bar, un- 
til November, 1862, at which time he came 
to Effingham and opened a law office, where 
he has since been in the active practice of 
his chosen profession. Whatever success 
Mr. Kepley has achieved has been the result 
of his great industry and untiring persever- 
ance, and it gives to all young men an exam- 
ple well worthy of their strictest emulation. 
Havincr no influential friends to assist him in 
his advancement, he has at all times had to 
rely on his own efforts. As a lawj'er, he 
stands deservedly high among his fellow-mem- 
bers, and is known as a faithful, earnest and 
hard-working advocate. Since arriving at 
the age of manhood, he has at all times taken 
an active part in public affairs in his county. 
As a citizen, he is public-spirited, broad in 
his views and progressive, and is an active 
worker in the temperance reform. On No- 
vember 7, 1867, he was married to Ada H. 
Miser, of Effingham, and she is associated 
with him in his practice. 

ADA H. KEPLEY, attorney, Effingham 
(with H B. Kepley). is the daughter of Hen- 
ry Miser, and was born in Somerset, Perry 
Co., Ohio, February 11, 1847. In her thir- 
teenth year, her parents removed to St. Louis, 
where she attended the Clay Grammar 
School, then taught by Dr. William T. Har- 
ris, and afterwai'd attended the St. Louis 
High School for two years. In September, 
1866, she came with her parents to Effing. 



41 



BIOGBAPHICAL: 



ham, 111., and was married, November 7, 1867 
to Mr. Henry B. Kepley, a sketch of whom 
will be found elsewhere. In 1868, she be- 
gan the study of law with her husband, and, 
in September, 1869, she entered the Law De- 
partment of the University of Chicago, and 
graduated from it in 1870, and applied for a 
certificate to Mr. Charles Reed, who said he 
was willing personally to give certificates to 
the ladies to practice, but the law prevented 
them from entering the learned profession. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kepley prepared a bill in 1871 
to allow women the right of admittance, 
which was presented by Capt. Ed Harlan, of 
Marshall, who was representing this Senato- 
rial District in 1871-72. The bill was ably 
defended by such men in the Lower House 
as Judge J. B. Bradwell, of Chicago, and 
Mr. Reddick, of Ottawa, and others, and it 
passed and became a law during that session. 
Mrs. Kepley applied for admission to the bar 
at Springfield, and was admitted January 27, 
1881. She was also commissioned Notary 
Public August 20, 1881, and is now in regu- 
lar practice of the profession. She is serv- 
ing her "third year as member of the Effing- 
ham School Board, being the first lady elect- 
ed to that body. 

ANTHONY KREKE, contractor and build- 
er, Effingham, was born in Effingham, this 
county, February 16, 1849, son of Arnold 
and Gertrude (Dreismana) Kreke, natives of 
Oldenburg, Germany; he, a farmer, died in 
Effingham, this county, in 1852, where the 
mother died also. They had five children. 
Our subject received his schooling in Effing- 
ham, and began life as a farmer, and in 1861 
learned the carpenter's trade, which he has 
since followed, mostly in this county, and in 
which occupation he is a skilled workman. 
He was married, in Effingham, November 26, 
1875, to Mary Goldstein, born March 31, 
1855, in Missouri, daughter of Heury Gold 



stein, a native of Germany, and a soldier. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kreke have three children — 
Lizzie, born April 4, 1875; Joseph, July 26, 
1878; and Anna, July 29, 1882. In relig- 
ion, our subject is a Catholic, and is a Dem- 
ocrat in politics. 

JOHN H. I. LACY, American Express 
Agent, Effingham, is the son of Isaiah and 
Mary A. (Wright) Lacy, and was born in 
Clay County, 111., September 16, 1833. His 
father died when he (subject) was ten months 
old, at which age he came to this county with 
his mother and grandfather, Jonathan 
Wright, who settled at Ewington, where sub- 
ject lived with his mother until of age. 
There were no public schools when he was a 
boy, and his first teacher was Joe Wheeler, 
who taught about the fLrst school in Ewing- 
ton. Our subject became a clerk for Dr. 
Hamilton L. Smith in his store at the age of 
nineteen, and was afterward a clerk in the 
store of Presley Funkhouser. At the age of 
twenty-one, he began the study of dentistry 
with Dr. Floyd, of Greenville, and traveled 
with him to different places for two years, 
remaining a few weeks in a place. Mr. Lacy 
began the practice of dentistry at Ewington 
about 1856, where he remained until he re- 
moved to Effingham, in about 1858, and trav- 
eled in the surrounding counti-y until the 
war broke out. He enlisted in the spring of 
1861, at the first call for three-months men, 
and was First Lieutenant of the Effingham 
Guards, which was Company G of the Elev- 
enth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and he 
served until the term expired, when he re-en- 
listed, in 1862, in the Ninety-eighth Illinois 
Infantry, and was Adjutant of the regiment, 
and joined the Army of the Cumberland, re- 
maining with the regiment until after the 
battle of Stone River, when he resigned and 
came home in 1863 on account of sickness in 
his family. In the spring of 1865, he re- 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



45 



joined the service as Major of the One Hun- 
dred and Fifty-fifth Illinois, and was mus- 
tered out at the close of the war at Spring- 
field, 111. After the war, Mr. Lacy practiced 
dentistiy for about two years. In 1867, he 
became agent of the American Express Com- 
pany, and has conducted their agency ever 
since. 

JOHN W. LACOCK, Dep.ity Postmaster, 
Effingham, was born in Gallatin County, Ky., 
near the village of Patriot, Ind., in 1843. 
This town is situated just across the river. 
He is the eighth child of the family. His 
father's name was Joseph, and his mother's 
maiden name was Maria Wetherbee, of In- 
diana. His fatherwas of French origin, and 
is supposed to have been born in Pennsylva- 
nia or Ohio, at a date not known to subject. 
He was a school-teacher, which he followed 
from early life to the time of his death. His 
children were Mary, wife of Peter Lankins; 
she resides near the old homestead at Patriot, . 
Ind.; Phfjebe W., wife of James K. Eeed, of 
Mason, 111. ; James W. , a resident of Ken- 
tuclcj': Susan, wife of William Keneday, a 
resident of the old homestead in Patriot, Ind. ; 
Anna, wife of S. E. Herrick, of same place; 
Jane, wife of William G. DeHart, of same 
place. His mother was of English descent, 
and was born in America. Both parents died 
while subject was young, soon after which he 
went to Oldham County, Ky., where he en- 
gaged as errand boy in a store kept by Dr. 
E. W. Beckwitb. While thus employed, he 
received such advantages of an education as 
the situation afforded. He remained there 
imtil 1859, when heretiu'ned to Patriot, Ind., 
and entered a drug store as clerk for the 
same Dr. Beckwitb, who bad removed to that 
place in the meanwhile. He remained here 
until the breaking-out of the war, when, 
after two unsuccessful attempts, he finally 
succeeded in joining the Ninety-third In- 



diana Infantry, in which he served three 
years, during which time he participated in 
all the battles in which his regiment was en- 
gaged — first at Jackson approach to Vicks- 
burg. At this fight, the regiment had been 
marching through a drenching rain, in con- 
sequence of which they were unable to dis- 
charge their guns, on which account they 
charged and took one of the enemy's batter- 
ies. He was appointed Deputy Postmaster 
in 1882. After his army service, he returned 
to Patriot, Ind., where, in 1806, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Wright, of Quercus 
Grove, Ind. They have had five children, 
two of whom are deceased. Those living are 
Effie and Pearl, and one not named. He is an 
Elder in the Presbyterian Church. In j^olitics, 
a Republican. A member of Grand Army 
and Red Men, and was the first to establish 
the latter order in Illinois, beintij at that time 
Sachem of the Seminole Tribe. He also rep- 
resented the State at the Grand Council held 
in Philadelphia in 1870. During his army 
service, he was a constant contributor to his 
home papers. 

HENRY J. LAMPING, deceased, was 
born in Germany February 20, 1846, son of 
Joseph and Friedericka (Vorwerk) Lamping, 
natives also of Germany, he born September 
27, 1818, she November 22, 1817. They are 
farmers in the old country, and are parents 
of four children— three sons and one daugh- 
ter. Our subject received his schooling in 
his native country, where he also learned the 
shoe-maker's trade, which he followed up to 
the time of his marriage, which occurred in 
Teutopolis, this county, June 27, 1871, when 
he married Catharina Uptmore, born Febru- 
ary 11, 1850, in Teutopolis, daughter of 
Clemens and Elizabeth (Niehaus) Uptmore, 
natives of Germany. Oiu- subject came to 
this county in 1866, and resided in Teutopo- 
lis until 1879, when he came to Effingham 



46 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



City and opened a general store, with a stock 
consisting of groceries, queensware and dry 
goods, which business his widow now man- 
ages. Mr. Lamping was a member of the 
Town Board of Teutopolis. He was a mem- 
ber of the Catholic Chiu'ch, and a Democrat 
in politics. He died September 11, 1882. 

WILLIAM A. LAYTON, dealer in agri- 
cultural implements, Effingham, was born in 
Knos County, 111., February 29, IS-tS, and 
moved to Bishop Township, this county, in 
1852, where he lived about one year. His 
father. William Layton, became a foreman 
on the Illinois Central Railroad, and moved 
to Mason with his family and worked on the 
railroad construction during four years, su- 
perintending the grading, etc. Subject 
live<l at Mason but a year, when he moved to 
what is known as the old patch on north side 
of Wabash, between Mason and Watson, for 
three years, and kept boarders When the 
road was completed, his father moved back 
to a farm in Bishop Township, and bought 
the 160 acres where Wm. Endebrook now 
lives. Oui' subject received his education at 
Bishop Point, in a log schoolhouse with pa- 
per window lights, with tire-place across the 
end of the house. At the ago of sixteen, he 
began buying stock for Zion Frost and S. D. 
Dole, and bought in this and Jasper Coun- 
ties for six years. He was married, in 1809, 
to Miss Annie Downs, of Paris, Edgar Coun- 
ty, and settled in Nelson Township, Moultrie 
Co., 111., where he remained until 1872, en- 
gaged in farming, and, in the latter part of 
1872 and 1873. he carried mail from Sulli- 
van to Decatur, before the railroad was built. 
His wife died in the fall of 1872. He took a 
trip West in 1875, as far as Fort Benton. D. 
T., in search of health and aaventui'e, spend- 
ing the summer there. He farmed in 1870, 
and in 1877 he began selling goods for Mr. 
Tedrick, at Teutopolis, for eighteen months, 



when he moved stock to Effingham, and con- 
tinued until 1880. In 1881, he formed a 
partnership with Mr. J. E. Tedrick, under 
the lirm name of Tedrick & Layton, and they 
have conducted a prosperous business in ag- 
ricultural implements, with warerooms on 
Washington street. Our subject was mar- 
ried a second time, in 1879, to Miss Mary E. 
Funk, daughter of J. R. Funk, of this coun- 
ty. They have one daughttjr living. The 
father is stiil living, at Wheeler, Jasper Co., 
111., engaged as section foreman on the nar- 
row-gauge railroad. 

DR. JOHN LE CRONE. Few of the pio- 
neers of Effingham County have a history of 
more general merit than Dr. John Le Crone; 
coming here in an early day, and during his 
long residence no one has identified himself 
more with the county's general j)i'ogress and 
advancement than has Dr. Le Crone. To the 
genial and healthful influences of such char- 
acters does the county owe its present ad- 
vanced condition. Dr. Le Crone was born 
in Fayette Coiinty, Penn., December 12, 1816, 
where he spent his boyhood with his parents 
on a farm, enjoying only the common school 
■advantages of that day. He had a natural 
inclination for study, however, and what lit- 
tle opportunities he had were employed to 
good advantage. In 1832, he, with his par- 
ents, removed to Fairfield County, Ohio, 
where he resided with his parents for twelve 
years. The bent of his mind was for a more 
thorough and finished education than was 
afforded by the common schools, and, at the 
age of seventeen, he entered Marietta Col- 
lege, enduring a great many privations to en- 
joy the collegiate instructions. He remained 
in college for two years, recuperating his de 
plenished purse by teaching school at all 
available intervals. At the end of two years, 
financial embarrassments compelled him to 
entirely relinquish college life, and, as a 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



47 



means of replenishing his finances, he again 
resorted to the schooh-oom. The close of an 
other year found him with a sufficient sur- 
phis and a maturity of years to begin to cast 
about for a permanent trade or profession, 
the rush of years and press of business con- 
siderations having compelled him to give up 
the cherished ambition of his life — that of a 
thorough classical education. The practice 
of medicine was his adopted profession, and, 
at the age of twenty, he entered the office of 
Drs. Hyde & Evans, at Rushville, Ohio, 
where he prosecuted his study at intervals 
until 184'J, relying on pedagoging in the 
winter to support him in his professional 
studies. In 1842, he was admitted to prac- 
tice, and began his professional career at 
Geneva, Ohio, remaining there two yeai's. 
During the fall of 1844, he came to Effing- 
ham County, locating with his father in a 
small cabin on the James Turner farm, near 
Watson. In the spring of 1845, he removed to 
and took up his residence at Ewington, then 
the most important point, in this section of 
the State, and began a practice in hii profes- 
sion which made Dr. Le Crone's name a tow- 
er of strength and a fountain of hope to 
the afflicted of this and adjoining counties. 
At the time of his location at Ewington, there 
were but two other physicians in the county 
— Dr. J. M. Long, now of California, and 
Dr. C. F. Falley, now of Wisconsin; and as 
both these gentlemen have long since removed 
from the county, they leave to Dr. Le Crone 
the proud distinction of being the oldest res- 
ident physician of the county. In those 
days, good physicians were few, and a man 
of Dr. Le Crone's reputation had a practice 
that covered a great many miles in circum- 
ference. It embraced Shelby, Fayette, Clay 
and Jasper Counties, and frequently included 
trips over swollen streams and impassable 
roads of a week's duration. It required a 



strong and vigorous constitution to prosecute 
a practice of that kind without falling a vic- 
tim to its hardships, and the present excel- 
lent preservation of the Doctor's health evi- 
dences the fact that he had the constitution 
to combat the privations. When, in 1859, 
the county seat was moved to Effingham, the 
Doctor followed in the course of the empire, 
and, in the spring of 1801, came to Effing- 
ham to reside, where he has been since, ex- 
cept three months in the summer of 1864, 
when he served as Assistant Surgeon of the 
One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Illinois Regi- 
ment. During his twenty-two years' resi- 
dence in Effingham, he has steadfastly stood 
at the head of his profession, and nothing 
but advancing years is now compelling him 
to relinquish the professional standing he has 
so honorably occupied for so many years. 
Dr. Le Crone stands high in general public 
esteem, but it is with his professional asso- 
ciates that his highest esteem lies, especially 
with the young practitioners, who have need 
of the advice of riper experience. Possessing 
a nature that was a stranger to jealousy, he 
naturally labored for the elevation of his pro- 
fession. To the young reader and the be- 
ginner his counsel was always free and open, 
and many young physicians in this county 
can testify to the assistance ho has given 
them. In their professional infancy, they 
have often needed wise counsel, and they al- 
ways found Dr. Le Crone's strong arm 
stretched forth to sustain them. He is a 
member of the State Medical Society, and for 
many years of the Esculapian Society, the 
oldest organization in the State. In 1836, 
he was man-iod to Miss Elizabeth Allen, of 
Virginia, by whom he had eleven children, 
nine of whom are now living. As might be 
supposed. Dr. Le Crone's long and honorable 
career has placed him high in public estima- 
tion. For three different terms he was called 



48 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



to tlie Mayor's chair of the prosperous little 
city of Effingham, when public emergencies 
demanded the services of clean hands and a 
conscientious mind, and the large majorities 
by which he was always elected are sufficient 
attestations of his upright and pui-e public 
character. Dr. Le Crone shows his supe- 
riority of character by the fact that he still 
occupies a first place in the society, the cult- 
ure and the civilization of to-day. Most pio- 
neers of his i^rominence only held that prom- 
inence for a short period — while brute force 
can keep them in the van. They are always 
submerged and swept out of sight by the riper 
civilization that always follows in the path- 
way made by their sturdy blows — by their 
brawn and muscle. Not so with Dr. Le 
Crone. He possessed a constitution to be 
prominent in all jiioneer hardships and pri- 
vations, and he also possessed the ciilture and 
learning necessary to assimilate himself with 
the civilization that followed, and occupy a 
prominent position in all the successive steps 
of development. He was prominent when 
prominence consisted of a good shot and a 
brave spirit; and he is prominent now, when, 
to be prominent, it is necessary to cast aside 
these attributes of the pioneer, and take on 
the habiliments of the polished and learned 
gentleman. To the steady, constant and 
healthful influence of such characters does 
society owe its condition; and to no one does 
Effingham County owe more for its present 
greatness than it owes to Dr. John Tje Crone. 
CAPT. A. W. LE CEONE, attorney, 
Effingham, is the son of Dr. John Le Crone. 
He was born October 5, 1839, in Fairfield 
County, Ohio, and came with his parents to 
this county in 1844, and spent his youth in 
Ewington, where he received his education, 
except one year spent in the noi'mal school 
at Bloomington, 111., at its opening, in the 
fall of 1857. He began the study of law in 



the winter of 1858, with William B. Cooper, 
at Ewington, and was admitted to practice in 
May, 1860, and began practice at Ewington 
as partner of W. B. Coojjer and William J. 
Stevenson, until he enlisted, April 'Al, 1861, 
in Company G, Eleventh Illinois Infantry, 
for three months, and served as Orderly Ser- 
geant. At the re- organization of the com- 
pany for three years, he was elected Captain 
of the company, but the Siirgeon refused to 
pass him on account of a fractured bone. 
His partner, Stevenson, enlisting at this 
time, he went home to look after the inter- 
ests of his firm in August, 1861. In July, 

1862, he, with Judge Wyatt Cook, raised a 
company, which became Company F, 
of the Ninety-eighth Illinois Mounted In- 
fantry. Our subject was elected Captain at 
the organization of the company, and led the 
company in several engagements with Ander- 
son's squadron and Morgan's command. 
They were at Hoover's (l-ap, and a number 
of other engagements, until December 24, 

1863, when he was sent back from Hunts- 
ville, Ala. , to Nashville, Tenn. , on account of 
continued sickness, and received his resigna- 
tion papers February 7, 1864, while on duty 
at the Court Martial. He came lo Bowling 
Green, Ky. , where he married Elizabeth C. 
Collett in February, 1864, and came home, 
where he remained until August, 1864, then 
retm-ned "to Bowling Green, Ky. , and imme- 
diately accepted a position as Quartermaster's 
Agent at Nashville, Tenn., remaining until 
August, 1865, when he retiirned to Effing- 
ham. In March, 1866, he returned again to 
Bowling Green, where he was Chief Clerk in 
the Revenue Assessor's office, Third District 
of Kentucky, for four years, when his health 
failed, necessitating a retirement from active 
business for over a year. In the fall of 1871, 
he opened a law office at Bowling Green, and 
practiced there until 1876, with good sue- 




„;->l 





EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



49 



cess, when health again gave way. He has 
been practicing in Effingham since 187(5. 
His wife died at Bowling Green, Ivy., in Au- 
gust. 1873. She bore him three children, 
one of whom died in 1S7S, of yellow fever. 
Oar subject married, in 1877, to Miss Lizzie 
B. Wood, of this county. In addition to his 
law practice, Caj)t. Le Crone is a member of 
the firm of Le Crone & Worman, real estate 
agents, abstracters and loan brokers. 

GEORGE M. LE CRONE, insurance 
agent, Effingham, is the son of Dr. John Le 
Croue, and was born in Ewington, this coun- 
ty. December 23, 18-53. At the age of seven 
years, his father moved to Effingham, 
and our subject went to the public schools of 
the city until 1870, spending his summer va- 
cations at different kinds of labor in the city 
and on the farm. In the fall of 1870, he en- 
tered the State Normal University at Nor- 
mal, 111., from which he gi'aduated in June, 
1873. He then taugbt a district school in 
this county for a year, and. in 1875. became 
the Principal of the Effingham East Side 
School, serving as such for a yeai\ He then 
accepted the position of Peputy Circuit 
Clerk, and was for two years thus engaged. 
In January, 1878. he purchased a half- inter- 
est in the Effingham Democrat, and for three 
years was a joint editor with John Hoeny, 
Sr.. of that paper, and continued with his 
successor, Mr. Scott, until October 1. 1881. 
He sold out and escaped the horrors of jour- 
nalism for a brief but happy period, and for 
a time kept books for Osgood & Kingman. 
In December, 188 1 , he, with C. F. Coleman, 
started the Altamont News, and has since 
been one of its proi^riet-ors. October, 1882, 
he formed a copartnership withN. D. Clutter, 
and under the tirm name of Clutter & LeCrone, 
has conducted real estate, insurance and loan 
agencies. Our subject was married, in 1879, 
to Miss Frances K. Nitcher, of Effingham. 



WILLIAM C. LECRONE, traveling sales- 
man. Effingham, was born in Fairfield Coun- 
ty, Ohio, August 1, 1837. He was seven 
years old when his father, Dr. John Lecrone, 
moved with his family to this county. In 
1854, he went to Vandalia as a clerk in a 
store for one year, then returned to Effing- 
ham in 1856 and took charge of a dry goods 
store here, for Thomas Ewing, of Princeton, 
Ind. This was the first general dry goods 
store in Effingham. He closed the business 
in the winter of 1855-56. He returned for 
a year to Vandalia, 111., afterward coming 
back to Effingham, and sold goods for Ham - 
ilton L. Smith until he moved his stock to 
Mattoon. He began reading medicine in 
March, 1857, but discontinued it in the fall 
of that same year. In the spring of 1858, 
he sold fruit trees in this and adjoining 
counties until October, 1858. In May, 1858, 
he married Miss E. E. Kagaj'. They have 
five children living — Emma K., Anna, Sarah 
E., John W. and Nellie J. In 1859, he en- 
tered the employ of Presley Funkhouser, 
where he continued as clerk and collector un- 
til the war broke out. He enlisted in the 
first company that was formed in this coun- 
ty, under Capt. Filler. They were a part of 
the Elevpnth Illinois, and served until ex- 
piration of his term. On his return, he en- 
tered the employ of MuiTay & Moffitt until 
186'?, when he entered the employ of the 
Government as Chief Clerk of a Brigade in 
the Quartermaster's Department fi'om No- 
vember, 1862, to August, 1865. He was in 
Chicago from the fall of 1865 to 1866. He 
was appointed, in May, 1866, Assistant .As- 
sessor of Internal Revenue, and acted in that 
capacity until August, 1868. He was em- 
ployed by a construction company on the 
Vandalia Railroad until January, 1869. In 
February of that year, he entered the Cir- 
cuit Clerk's office as Deputv, and in 1872 

1) 



50 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



was electod to the office of Circuit Clerk, and 
served until December, 1880, being re-elected 
in 1876. Since January, 1881, he has been 
employed as traveling salesman in this State 
for Culver, Page, Hoyne & Co., Chicago. 

THOMAS^D. LEITH, baggageman, Effing- 
ham, was born in Mason Township, Effing- 
ham County, October 11, 1855, son of David 
and Amanda (^Wilson) Leith. He became a 
clerk in the freight office of the Vandalia 
Railroad at Effingham in 1876, remaining in 
that capacity, for two years. In 1878, he 
was appointed baggageman of the Vandalia 
and the Illinois Central Railroads at this 
place, and has served in that capacity ever 
since. His father, David Leith, was born in 
Fairfield County, Ohio, and came with his 
family about 1840 and settled in Mason 
Township, where he engaged in farming and 
catile-raisiug. 

SAMUEL W. LITTLE, retired, Lincoln, 
Neb., was born in Butler County, Peun., 
September 6, 1818. He passed his youth in 
Pennsylvania. At the age of sixteen, he 
learned the trade of glass-blowing in Pitts- 
burgh, Penn. He left Pittsburgh at the age 
of nineteen, and followed the Ohio, IMissis- 
sippi and Missouri Rivers as second cook on 
steamboats for a year, when he became cook 
on a Government snag-boat to go up the Mis- 
souri River. He remained on the river until 
1839, when he left St. Louis for Pittsburgh, 
and there engaged to go to Keene, N. H., 
where he worked at his trade for about nine 
mouths; afterward worked in New Jersey at 
his trade, and, in June, 1840, vrent to Pitts- 
burgh, when the tariff was removed from 
glass, and all manufactories were stopped, 
and he shipped to New Orleans, on a coal 
boat, and from there he went to Natchez and 
formed a partnership with his brother in the 
lumber and sand business, which they con- 
tinued until 1841, when he Returned to Pitts- 



burgh, and, with D. B. Alexander, bought a 
flat-boat, and began the manufacture of tin- 
ware, on the boat, on the river, and sold to 
the river cities by wholesale and retail. This 
was the first boat of the kind ever on the 
river, and made two trips a year each way. 
He sold the boat in New Orleans in 1843, 
and went to Rome, Ga. , where he opened a 
store and kept it six months, when he had a 
boat built and went trading by river from 
Rome, Ga. , to Mobile, Ala., and again sold 
his boat and returned to Pittsburgh in 1844 , 
where they fitted out another trading boat, 
Mr. Little buying out Alexander at Shaw- 
neetowu, 111. At Cairo, 111., he employed a 
man to make and give exhibitions of lamp- 
work and fancy glass blowing. They gave 
daily and nightly exhibitions, on the boat, 
where they stopped, and at Memphis hired a 
hall and gave exhibitions with great success, 
and sold out at Yazoo City in 1845, and re- 
turned to Cincinnati, Ohio, and, with a man 
named Laird, put up glass works. He went 
to Pittsburgh, Penn., and married, in Octo- 
ber, 1845. His glass works proved a fail- 
ure, and, with his family, spent the winter 
at Zanesville, Ohio, and the summer at Pitts- 
burcfh, Penn,, working at his trade. In the 
fall of 1846, in company with others, he 
started a glass factory at Cincinnati, Ohio, 
with same result as at fu^st. He sold a pet 
bear to get money enough to get out of th e 
city. He then worked at his trade in Wheel- 
ing, W, Va. , for three years, and, with his 
old partner, with §1,900, came to Green Cas- 
tle, Ind. , where they engaged in the hard- 
ware, glassware, and stove and tinware busi- 
ness, and in foiu' years made over $13,500. 
In 1853, when it was known that the Illinois 
Central and the Atlantic & Mississipjii Rail- 
roads would cross in this vicinity, our subject 
and Mr. Alexander came here and bought 
305 acres of land here, on which the town is 



EFFINGHAM CITY AXD DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



51 



built. Our subject moved here in 1856, and 
lived here until 1867, when he went to West 
Virginia, but returned in 1868, and again r«- 
sided here till 1871. In October of that 
year, he moved to Lincoln, Neb., where he is 
still residing. 

JOHN J. LOER, telegrapher and City 
Treasurer, was born in Alton, Madison Co., 
111.. December IG. 1S51. Hegrewu]i in Al- 
ton, and was educated there. At the age of 
eighteen, he began to learn telegraphy in 
the office of the Western Union at Alton, and 
in 1867 he became operator at Delhi, 111., on 
the Chicago & Alton Railroad, for a short 
time, when he went to Alton for six months. 
In Novembei', 1868, he engaged his services 
to the Vandalia Railroad, and was two years 
night operator in its office at East St. Louis, 
Mo. He came to Effingham December 22, 
1870, and has been day operator in the "Van" 
office here ever since. He was elected City 
Treasurer of Effingham on the Republican 
ticket in April, 1881, and served two terms. 
He was married, September 14, 1876. to Miss 
Kate Wortman, of Effingham. 

DAVID W. LOY, deceased, was the son of 
Thomas and Susan (Wright) Loy, and was 
born in Watson Township, this county. May 
6, 1837. He remained at home until eight- 
een years of age, when he became a clerk for 
Col. J. J. Funkhouser, in Effingham. He re- 
mained with him for some years. He ran a 
saw mill at Ewington for several years, and 
invested his means in lots in Effingham, and 
erected houses on them. During this period, 
he built some of the first business houses of 
the place. He was a contractor on the Van- 
dalia Railroad, and graded a mile of it in this 
county. During the last seven years of his life, 
he was gradually going down with consump- 
tion, and died in June, 1877. He was married, 
July 17, 1873, to Mrs. Emma J. Freece. and by 
her had two children — Estella and Jarvis V. 



FERDINAND W. LOY, attorney at law, 
Effingham City, was born in Watson Town- 
ship, this county, • March 10, 1859, son of 
Thomas M. and Susan (Wright) Loy. Our 
subject was raised on a farm, where he lived 
until fifteen years of age, when he came to 
Effingham and attended the public schools. 
He began teaching in 1876, and continued 
four winter terms of six months. In 1878, 
he began the study of law under Hon. E. N. 
Rinehart, and continued about one year, 
when he entered the Law Department of the 
Northern Indiana Normal School, from which 
he graduated in June, 1881, and was admit- 
ted to the practice of law in Indiana in May, 
1881, and, in February. 1882, to the Illinois 
bar He located in Effingham and formed a 
partnership with William B. Wright, under 
the firm of Loy & Wright, and they are lo- 
cated in Wright's Building. 

JOHN LUNDRY, grocer, Effingham, born 
in Phillipsburg, Miami Co., Ohio, April 9. 
1841. He learned the wagon-maker's trade 
with his father from boyhood. Came to Il- 
linois with his father in 1860, and worked at 
trade until late war. He enlisted in fall of 
1861, aud served until fall of 1865. He en- 
listed in the Sixty-first Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry, Company H, for three years. He 
served under Grant and Sherman. He was 
in the battle of Shiloh and other ontrase- 
ments. He was Orderly Sergeant. He was 
in active service in Army of Tennessee until 
three years expired, then came to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, and re-enlisted in the One Hundred 
and Ninety-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
and served under Gen. Hancock until close 
of war, when he joined his father at Mattoon, 
111., and bought his shop in 1867, when fa- 
ther moved to Iowa. He ran wagon shop at 
Mattoon until 1870, when he sold out and 
went to Lockport, Ind., where he engaged in 
carpentering until 1872, when he moved to 



5i 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Effingham, 111., and engaged in carpentering 
for six years as contractor, when he again 
became a partner with his father in wagon shop 
until September, 1882, when he formed a23art- 
nership with John M. Johnson, and, under the 
tirm name of Ijundry & Johnson, opened a 
grocery on Railroad street, and has since con- 
tinued fair business in groceries and provis- 
ions. Married, in 1866, to Miss Nancy J. 
Haskell, of Mattoon, 111. Has five children 
living — Lulu. Leonard, Jessie, William, Eva. 

NICHOLAS LUNDRY, wagon-manufact- 
urer, Effingham, was born in Cincinnati, 
Ohio, August 30, 1810, and lived in that 
State until I860. At the age of sixteen, he 
learned the trade of wagon-maker in Dayton, 
Ohio, where he worked for seventeen years — 
served four years as apprentice, and then 
worked as journeyman for a year; then 
bought the shop and ran it until 1860. He 
came.to Cumberland County, 111., in the fall 
of 1860, and bought a saw-mill there, which 
he ran about three years, then moved to Mat- 
toon, 111., where he rented a shop and ran it 
for some three years, and went to Iowa in 
1806 and opened a wagon shop in Marshall- 
town, Iowa, which he ran until November, 
1877, when he came to Effingham, 111. He 
bought the present shop on Railroad street 
of Mr. Lilly, and has usually employed three 
assistants — one blacksmith, and, with himself, 
three in wood shop — and turns out about sixty 
wagons per year; also a repair business. His 
work finds a ready market at home. The ma- 
terial is carefully selected, and the work has 
a good reputation. He was married, in Mi- 
ami County, Ohio, May 1, 1833, to Eliza Fry, 
who was raised in Stark County, Ohio. They 
have two sons and two daughters living. He 
is a Republican in politics. 

REV. ROBERT H. MANIER, minister, 
Effingham, was born near Nashville, Tenn., 
November 23, 1828. He spent his early life 



on a farm in Tennessee, and was educated 
first in Union Academy, Wilson County, 
same State. At the age of twenty, he came 

I to Illinois and entered Marion Academy, 
where he remained two years, and then 
taught in the public schools of Saline Coun- 
ty, 111., four years, and entered the ministry 
of the Methodist Episcopal Chm-ch in 1854. 
His first pastoral work was in the Du Quoin 
Circuit, being a member of the Southern Ill- 
inois Conference. He was afterward at Cen- 
ti'alia, Cairo, Carbondale, Chester and Mt. 
Vernon. In the fall of 1861, he enlisted in 
the Forty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
as Chaplain, and remained one year, when 
he resigned on account of lost health. On 
his retiu'n, he joined the St. Louis Confer- 
ence, and was stationed in Jefferson City, 
Mo., and while there he served two years as 
Chaplain of the Missouri State Senate, and 
two years as Chaplain of Missouri Peniten- 
tiary. He re-entered the Southern Illinois 
Conference in 1874, and was pastor at Har- 
risburg, Hawthorne, Shawneetown, Enfield, 
and is on his third year as pastor of the Cen- 
tenary Methodist Episcopal Chm-ch at Effing- 
ham. He united with the church at the age 
of fourteen, and entered the ministry at 
twenty-six. He married, in 1852, Miss Sar 
ah Lovina Jones, of Raleigh, 111., and five 
children are living of this man-iage. His 
wife died July 12, 1879, He married a sec- 
ond time, Mrs Lucy J. Hartgrove, of Shaw- 
neetown, 111. , and by her has one son. 

DR. J. G, McCOY was the second child of 
Samuel and Mary T. (George) McCoy, and 
was born in the village of Smithfield, Jeffer- 
son Co.. Ohio, on the 13th day of March, 
1836. When fourteen years of age, his par- 
ents changed their residence to New Phila- 
delphia, Ohio, near which place the subject 

r grew to his manhood. At the age of seven- 
teen, he commenced his own independent ca- 



EFFINGHAM CITY AXD DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



53 



reer. and taught school for three months each 
year, and the other nine months attended 
college at Mt. Union, Stark County. He 
studiixl medicine with an uncle in New Phil- 
adelphia during 1855 and 1856. In the year 
1857, with his parents, he removed to Wayne 
County, 111., and here he resumed his profes- 
sion of teaching, but added to it the practice 
of medicine. The breaking-out of the late 
war found him thus peacefully occupied, but, 
recognizing his counti'y's call as above all 
else, he dropped the ferule and " throwed 
physic to the dogs," and at once, in coifipany 
with A. J. Judy, raised a company of sol- 
diers, eightj-seven in number, forty-eight of 
them his immediate neighbors. This was 
Company K, Sisty-lii-st Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry. He was elected First Lieutenant, 
but, after six months' service, was made Cap- 
tain, and contimied to command the company 
during the war, the regiment bearing a con- 
spicuous part in the Shilob, Gun Town, siege 
of Vicksburg and its capture, Little Rock 
campaign, as well as the Red River expedi- 
tion, etc. Fully one-half of the original 
company had been either killed in battle or 
died of wounds and disease. At the close of 
the war. Dr. McCoy fixed his residence at 
Effingham, 111. In 1875, he purchased an 
interest in the woolen-mills at this place, 
which, by his energy and business capacity, 
he soon increased from a little concern of $5,- 
000 a year to an establishment doing an an- 
nual business of §100,000, running a con- 
stant force of over thirty employes. The to- 
tal destruction of this mill by fire in Octo- 
ber, 1881, was a severe affliction to the city 
and her valuable industries. Dr. McCoy was 
married, in 1859, to Letitia M. Lock, of 
Grayville, 111. Twelve children have been 
born to them, ten of whom are now living — 
seven daughters and three sons. The Doctor 
has been a consistent Republican in politics, 



but always more of a temperance man than 
politician. He, with a few friends, organ- 
ized and successfully carried through the 
temperance cause in Wayne County, and to- 
day he prides himself more in his temperance 
work and eiforts than all else he hae ever ac- 
complished of a public nature. His whole 
j life and purpose has been that of an enthusi- 
I astic prohibitionist. In good or in evil re- 
port, his purpose or energy has never flagged 
in the cause. 

HENRY MERZ, deceased, was born in 
Menzikon. Switzerland, in 1836. He came 
to the United States in 1856, and lived four 
! years in Indiana, working on a farm, then 
went back to Switzerland and brought the 
rest of his father's family over in I860. He 
came to this county in 1860, where he estab- 
lished a cigar factory and ran it until his 
death. He married Martha Schwarz, of 
Madison County, 111. , in 1861, and left six 
children living. 

JOHN MERZ, tobacconist, was born in 
the town of Menzikon, Switzerland, March 
4, 1846. At the age of fourteen, he came 
with his parents to the United States, and 
settled in Madison County, 111., and subject 
lived with them on a farm about three years. 
He began at the age of ten, or earlier, to 
learn cigar-making, in a factory in the town 
of Menzikon, Switzerland, where he worked 
at this trade about four years. He came to 
Effingham County in 1867, and worked with 
his brother Henry until his death, in 1875, 
our subject carrying on the business for the 
widow of his brother about four years. In 
May, 1879, he bought her interest, and has 
since continued in the manufacture of cigars. 
His factory employs three assistant journey- 
men, and, with his own labor, turns out from 
100,000 to 125,000 cigars per year. His fac- 
tory is No. 6 in the Thirteenth Collection 
District, is located on Jefiferson street, and 



54 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



he turns out at present seven brands. His 
manufactured goods find a ready sale in this 
and neighboring towns. He also runs a t jbae- 
co store in connection with the factor}'. 

BENJAMIN ' B. MINOR, grain - dealer, 
Effingham City, was born in Seneca County, 
N. Y., October 20, 1840. and was raised on a 
farm. At the age of twenty he came West, 
first in 1800, and taught one term of school, 
and then returned, and came again in 1862 
and located at Champaign, 111., remaining in 
that county about five years. In September, 
1867, he came to Effingham, in the employ 
of E. & I. Jennings, of Mattoon, III, and took 
charge of the present warehouse on the Cen- 
tral Railroad tracks. He bought grain for 
them, and, at the end of twenty-two months, 
formed a partnership with his former employ- 
ers, under the style of Jennings & Minor, 
which has lasted ever since. This company 
buy and ship grain, and deal in coal. They 
have warehouses at six points in this county 
— Effingham, Montrose, Altamont, Moccasin, 
Shumway and Deitrich. They also have two 
warehouses in Shelby County, at Cowden and 
Strasburg. In the months of July and Au- 
gust of 1882, they handled 75,000 bushels of 
grain. They have nine men in their employ. 
The business is entirely under the personal 
supervision of 'Mi: Minor. Our subject 
taught school four years in New York State 
and three years in Illinois, commencing to 
teach at the age of sixteen. He was married, 
in 1866. to Alice J. Page, daughter of Dr. S. 
K. Page, of Champaign, 111. They have five 
children living. 

GEORCE C. MITCHELL, grocer, Effing- 
ham, was born in Turner, Me., February 14, 
1848. He received a common-school educa- 
tion, and entered a store at the age of twelve 
j'ears. At the age of seventeen, he came 
West and located in Ottawa, 111., just after 
the war. where he became clerk in a retail 



grocery store or two years, and came from 
there to Champaign, 111., and made Cham- 
paign his headquarters until 1871, first en- 
tering the law office of J. S. Lothrop, where 
he studied law for six months, but did not 
like the confinement, and became abrakeman 
on the Illinois Central, and in six months 
became conductor of a train running from 
Champaign to Centralia during 1869 and 
1870. He was next baggage- master on the 
I., B. & W. for about seven months. From 
the spring of 1871 to the fall of 1872, he 
ran a flrain on the Missouri Pacific from St. 
Louis to Jefi'erson City, when he entered the 
employ of the Vandalia Railroad, and was 
conductor and yardmaster until 1876, with 
headquarters at Effingham, 111. He ran a 
train on the Wabash Railroad for a year, 
and resided at Springfield, 111. In 1877, he 
rented the Fleming House at Effingham, and 
ran it fifteen months. He was, while in the 
hotel business, elected Secretary of the 
Springfield, Effingham & South - Eastern 
Railroad, and. in connection with his other 
duties, took charge of a store at Palestine, 
111., and ran that four months, when the road 
passed into the hands of a Receiver, when he 
went to Champaign and again entered the 
law office of his brother-in-law for three 
months, when he returned to Effingham and 
became a salesman for Col. Funkhouser for a 
short time. June 11, 1880, he bought a gen- 
eral stock of goods of J. E. Tedrick, and has 
since conducted a good business in the dry 
goods and grocery trade at the old Orange 
stand. In March, 1881, he established a 
branch store near Neoga, which he ran seven 
months, with larcje sales to rail men on the 
narrow gauge line. May, 1881, he started a 
store at Holliday, and another in June at 
Beck's Creek, near Cowden, and both of these 
are still in active operation. He employs 
from four to ten persons. He was married. 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



55 



in 18 1 4. to Nannie E . daughter of Col. J. J. 
Funkhouser, jf Effingham. 

ALEXANDER S. MOFFITT, grocer, Ef- 
fingham, was born in Wayne County, 111., Octo- 
ber 12. 1827. He received his education in 
the common schools. He lived on a farm in 
Wayne County until he came to this county, 
in 1856. He stopped at Ewington from De- 
cember, 1856, to April, 1857, when he settled 
in Effingham, which had at that time about 
ten families, and there is only one man living 
in the city now that was here at that time. 
He enrolled about twenty-five pupils, only a 
few of whom are now left in the county — 
Byron Whitfield and Mrs. Dr. Thompson — 
the only two in town. Subject next taught 
six mouths at Ewington, and retui-ned here 
in 1860. He was elected County Surveyor in 
about 1860 or 1861, and served until he en- 
tered the army. He enlisted in August, 
1862, in, Company K, Ninety-eighth Illinois 
Eegiment, Col. Funkhouser. This portion 
of the town was laid out that spring by Lit- 
tle & Alexander, and was bristling with the 
stakes of the surveyor and along Jefferson 
street there was willow waist high. There 
were only two stores. Subject taught school 
for eighteen months, six mouths each year, 
in a little, frame house of two rooms. He 
lived in one end and taught in the other. 
It stood at the northeast corner of the court 
house square. It was a public school, and 
he received $33 per month. Our subject 
went in as First Lieutenant, and was pro- 
moted to the Captaincy of Company K at the 
death of Capt. Kelley, who was killed in a 
railroad accident in Bridgeport, 111. The 
Ninety eighth was a p&vt of the Armj- of the 
Cumberland. Capt. Moffitt remained with 
the regiment until July, 1863, when he re- 
signed on account of continued ill health, 
and after his return was elected County Sur- 
veyor and served in that office altogether 



about ten years, and made surveys in every 
township in the county, and has tramped over 
three-fourths of the sections of the county. 
He bought city property in 1863. In March. 
1881, he engaged in the grocery business on 
Jefferson street, and has since continued, 
having a good trade. He was married, in 
Wayne County, 111., in 1853, to Mary Gash, 
who died January 5, 1859, leaving no children. 
He remarried, December, 1861, Mary C. 
Funk, of this county. Two children are liv- 
ing of this marriage. Mr. Moffitt has always 
been a Democrat. In addition to holding the 
Surveyor's office for ten years, he was Deputy 
Sheriff two years under Huram Mansfield and 
Master in Chancery for six years of this 
county. He has also served as Alderman 
five terms. 

A. S. MOORE, livery, Effingham, was 
born in Chester County, Perm., Jan. 27, 
1824. He came West about 1830, and set- 
tled in Trumbull County, Ohio, and lived in 
Ohio about fifteen or sixteen years, when he 
moved to Butler County, Ky., where he lived 
seven years, and run a saw-mill on the Green 
River at Lock No. 4 for about five years. 
He came to Illinois in 1852, and settled 
in this county, entering 160 acres of land in 
prairie, on the north side of Blue Mound, 
Mound Township, and put up the first house 
that was erected on the prairie, and farmed 
there until 1863, when he moved to Effing- 
ham and engaged in the livery business, in 
which he has been engaged for nineteen 
years, with fair success. He has built "two 
stables, and conducts a good livery business, 
his present stable being located on Banker 
street. He was married to Mrs. Mary E. 
Loomis March 17, 1857, in Stark County, Ohio, 
by Rev. Leiter. As before stated, he moved 
to Blue Mound, this countj-, on the Big 
Prairie, where the roads ran through the tall 
prairie grass and the wolves came to the door, 



56 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



and the wild deor grazed in the field, and a 
few log cabins dotted the prairie. Mrs. 
Moore taught school in Fayette County, at 
116 per month, in a log cabin. Our subject 
broke prairie with three horses, in the spring, 
and run a threshing machine after harvest. 
In 1861, a son was born — Clella G., and, 
January 1, 1862, Mr. Moore moved to Effing- 
ham, where he had a house and stable built. 
He kept a hotel, which was called the Union 
House, and also a livery stable. Mr. Moore 
would drive out from fifteen to twenty men 
each week to look at the Illinois Central 
Railroad lands, the agent, M. Hoffman, mak- 
ing the Union House his stopping place, 
would telegraph ahead to Mr. Moore to have 
meals and wagon ready to feed and convey the 
amount of men that would arrive, which at 
one time was thirty-one. Mr. Hoffman, An- 
drews or Vally would accompany them. Mr. 
Moore did a thriving business outside of his 
livery. He would be up in the early morn- 
ing, hauling sand and loading cars for ship- 
ment, and he filled several contracts in Mat- 
toon,Tuscola and other towns. Mrs. Moore kept 
boarders, and many can vouch the good meals 
served by her, as she was called a first-class 
cook and made her house a pleasant home 
for all who stopped with her. Our subject 
enlarged his stable as business increased, 
and has followed the livery business since. 
He also built a new stable called the City 
Livery Stable. His residence is on the cor- 
ner of Railroad and Franklin avenue. 

W. H. MOORE, livery, Effingham, was born 
in Trumbull County, Ohio, in 1843. His 
parents moved to Butler County, Ky., when 
he was in his second year, where he lived 
until he was ten years old. His father, 
Samuel Moore, died while on a journey here, 
near Owensburg, Ky., and the mother of oiu- 
sxibj^ct came on with two wagons and ten 
children. The eldest son, A. S. Moore, came 



first and entered land in what is now Mound 
Township, and the family settled on the 
prairie rear Blue Mound in March, 1853. 
The mother died six months after she came 
here, and the children lived together as a 
family until 1861, when our subject stai-ted 
for himself, going to Hancock County, 
111., and worked by the month there until 
1865. In the fall of that year, he went 
to Kansas, and the following summer was 
employed as teamster for several months in 
a wagon train, driving from Fort Riley to 
Fort Dodge. He came to Olney, 111., in the 
winter of 1866, and remained there until 
July, 1867, when he began the erection of a 
stable in Effingham, in partnership with his 
brother Samuel. It was opened for business 
on September 25, 1867, and the business has 
been conducted ever since, under the firm 
name of Samuel Moore & Bro. They made 
additions to their original stable until its 
present size is 150x50 feet, having thirty 
stalls, and they do a livery, feed and sale 
business, having a full line of livery outfit, 
including twelve horses. 

JOHN MORHINNERS, miller, Effing- 
ham, was born in Clinton County, this State, 
March 14, 1846, son of Francis and Mary 
(Waschefort) Morhinners, natives of Olden- 
burg, Germany, he born in 1807 and she in 
1812. They are both living in Teutopolis, 
this county, are farmers and the parents of 
four children — three sons and one daughter. 
The mother is a sister of J. F. Waschefort, 
who was one of the founders of the German 
Colony at Teu.topolis, this county, mention of 
which has been made in the historical portion 
of this work. Our subject received his 
schooling in his native county, under the 
disadvantage of the schoolhouse being four 
or five miles distant. He began life as a 
clerk and for ten years was engaged in that 
capacity in the employ of Mr. J. F. Wasche- 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



57 



fort, in a general store at Teutopolis, this 
county. Our subject was married, Septem- 
ber 21, 1875, to Miss Catharine Wegman, 
born in this county in 1851, daughter of J. 
W. and Catharine (Lobmeyer) Wegman, na- 
tives of Germany. The father is living in 
Teutopolis, this county; the mother died in 
this county in 187G. In 1877, our subject 
accepted a clerkship in the Excelsior Mills of 
Effingham, in whose employ he has since 
remained. He is an Alderman of Effingham, 
and as such is serving his second term. 
He has two children — Louis, born Septem- 
ber 23, 1879, and William, born April 26, 
1S82. Our subject is a member of the 
Catholic Church, and in politics is a Dem- 
ocrat. 

JOHN N. MURPHY, Constable, Effing- 
ham, was born in Scioto County. Ohio, Oc- 
tober 24, 1828; he came West when six years 
old. His father emigrated to Vermillion 
County, 111., in 1834, and subject lived on 
the farm until some six years since." His 
father came to Effingham County, 111., and 
settled near the site of Elliottstown in what 
is now Bishop Township, about 1840. He 
bougrht his claim, consisting of a cabin and 
about forty acres, fenced, and afterward en- 
tered 120 acres on the same site, now owned 
by William Underbrook and Tedrick. Our 
subject went to school in the old log house 
on the east part of his father's farm, for two 
winters, to his brother, "William H. Murphy, 
and three winters to another teacher at the 
same place. Our subject bought a Mexican 
land warrant, which he laid on 160 acres in 
what is now Watson Township, and improved 
it from a wild state and lived on it until 
about 1868, when he sold it and moved near 
Effiogham. He has been actively associated 
with the interests of the Democratic party, 
and has served on the Board of Supervisors, 
while in Bishop Township, two terms. He 



served four years as Constable in the old 
Teutopolis Precinct, and nine years as Con 
stable of Douglas Township, which he is still 
serving in a Constabulary capacity. His 
father, David Miu'phy, was born in Old Vir- 
ginia, and came to Scioto County, Ohio, 
when young and married Catharine Williams, 
a native of Virginia, and they were parents 
of ten children, six sons and four daughters; 
only three sons are living at this date (1882) 
— John N., George "W., of Cass County, 111., 
and David P.^ also in Cass County, 111. The 
father died in Bishop Township, this county, 
in 1844, in his seventy-seventh year, and his 
wife at the age of seventy-eight, in the same 
place. 

J. P. NELSON, Effingham, is the son of 
Jacob and Nancy (Watkins) Nelson, and was 
born in Warren County, Tenn., December 3, 
1827. He came to White County, 111., with 
his parents, when one year old, and they 
stopped at White County one year. and. in 
1829, settled in what is now West or Mound 
Township, on Limestone Creek, in the fall of 
1829. His father lived thei'e a year, when he 
removed to the place where Calvin MitcLiell 
now lives, in Jackson Township, and cut the 
first " stick " there. He improved the place, 
and some years afterward entered the land 
and cleared thpse bottoms of heavy timber, 
making a large farm. He (father) died in 
this county in 1856. Our subject, when he 
grew up to be a boy of about ten, went to a 
school taught by James White on the old 
Houston place, on Big Creek. The school 
taught by Mr. White was the first taught in 
that neighborhood. Subject went to these 
schools quite regularly from the year 1840, as 
he was crippled by a fall at the age of ten. 
He continued to attend school until eighteen, 
and then taught two terms in his home 
school. He left this county at the age of 
twenty, and settled in Fayette County. 111.. 



58 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



and engaged in selling, having a country 
store in the northeastern part of the county 
for about three years. He returned to his 
father's farm and worked two years, then 
learned the cabinet trade and worked at it 
about five years, and afterward engaged in 
selling goods in Greenland, Fayette Co., 
111., for twelve years, and, at the opening of 
the Springfield & Illinois Southeastern Rail- 
road, he removed to Beecher City and en- 
gaged in merchandising there two years. He 
met with reverses at Beecher City in 1874, 
including the loss of his house by tire. He 
han been engaged at various pursuits since, 
and has resided in the county, with the ex- 
ception of one year. He was married, in 
1850, to Miss Luvesta Miller. They have 
six children, all living — ^Nancy U., wife of 
Henry Musser; Franklin P. ; Mary E., wife of 
William Lane; Thena E., wife of Henry 
Tresh; Benjamin M. ; and Laura L., wife of 
William Garner. 

LAWRENCE NEWTON, photographer, 
Efiingham, was born in Chenango County, 
N. Y., June 22, 1840. He lived in his na- 
tive State until 1861, when he removed to 
Owatoana, Minn., and in 1861, he began to 
learn photography in that place, and ran a 
gallery there until 1864, when he returned to 
his old home in Bainbridge, N. Y., and con- 
ducted a gallery there, with the exception of 
three years, until 1877. He was also con- 
nected with the State Military service for nine 
years, as leader of a regimental band belong- 
ing to the Forty-third New York National 
Guards. In the spring of 1877, he came to 
Effingham and established a gallery on Jeffer- 
son street, and has conducted it with good 
success ever since. He has been loader of 
the Effingham Cornet Band for the past thi-ee 
years, and also musical director in the First 
Presbyterian Church and Sabbath school of 
Effinsham. 



CASPAR NOLTE, Justice of the Peace, 
Effinjjham, is the son of John and Brig- 
ita (Karthoff) Nolte, and was born in the 
city of Merchede, Province of Westphalia, 
Prussia, December 3, 1819. At the age of 
thirteen, he was apprenticed to learn the car- 
penter and cabinet-maker's trade, serving two 
years and nine months, and afterward worked 
four years as a journeyman in various German 
States. He came to the United States in 
1839, and worked at carpentering in New 
Orleans and Vicksburg, Miss., and Little 
Rock, Ark., and went to St. Louis, in 1840,. but 
returned in the winter to New Orleans. In 
1841, he permanently located in St. Louis, 
where he worked as a joiu-neyman until 1847, 
when he became a contractor, architect and 
builder in the same city, and continued until 
1852. In January of that year, he made a 
contract with the building committee of the 
St. Peter's congregation, at Teutopolis, to 
build their church. The Building Commit- 
tee was composed of Joseph Cogler, pastor, 
John F. Waschefort, John Fecthrup, John 
Osthoff and Joseph Bergman. His contract 
was to fiu'U'sh the pine lumber and to do the 
wood work on the church and superintend the 
brick work, and he came in April, 1852, and 
completed the church in that and the following 
year, and remained to do other work in Teu- 
topolis imtil 1855. when he returned to St. 
Louis, where he worked for the Government, 
building the post office and the old custom 
house. He also built the Visitation Convent 
on Cass avenue, James Clements' residence, on 
Cass avenue,Widows' and Infants' Asylum, on 
Tenth and O'Falion streets, St. Joseph's 
Half Orphan Asylum and other prominent 
buildings. He remained in St. Louis until 
July, 1863, when he retm-ned to Effingham 
and kept a general store for about two years, 
during which time he erected some buildings. 
He continued as contractor and builder until 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



59 



1873. He took a coutract to build St. An- 
thony's Catholic Church, which he completed 
in 187-1. He has served one year in the City 
Council of Effingham and one year as Super- 
visor, and, in 1873, was elected Justice of the 
Peace, and has served in that office ever since, 
being elected and re-elected three times. 
During the last nine years, he has drawn ar- 
chitectural plans for buildings, several public 
and private buildings in this and other coun- 
ties, and has also conducted an insurance 
business. He was married, in St. Louis, Mo. , 
in 1842, to Miss Fredericke Bollen, who died 
in 1849. leaving two sons and a daughter — 
Henry C. , Charles H., who died in Effingham 
July 10, 1881, and an infant daughter, who 
died ten days after her mother. Our subject 
remarried, in November, 1849, Miss Catharine 
Earnhardt. They had ten children, five of 
whom died in infancy, two sons and three 
daughters, living, as follows — Mary, wife of 
Frank Kreke, of this county; Josephine, 
Caroline, Lawrence and Frank. The parents 
of the subject came to St. Louis in 1841, and 
both died in that city. 

HENRY C. NOLTE. grocer. Effingham, 
son of Caspar Nolte, was born in St. Louis, 
Mo., July 8, 1845; he was educated in St. 
Louis and St. Vincent's College, at Cape Gi- 
rardeau, Mo., where he spent four years. 
At the age of eighteen, he began as clerk in 
a commission house, Memphis. Tenn. , for 
four years, and retiu'ned to St. Louis for a 
year. In 1869, he came to Effingham, and 
entered the employ of F. A. Von Gassy, in 
grocery, on the same site of H. C. Nolte & 
Co.'s grocery, over seven years. In March, 
1878. subject, with his father-in-law. John 
Hoeny, bought the present grocery, which has 
been run by Mi\ Nolte under the firm name 
of H. C. Nolte & Co., and is enjoying a pros- 
2>erous trade. Subject was married, in the 
fall of 1873, to Miss M. E., daughter of John 



Hoeny, Effingham, from which unioQ there 
have been born four children. 

GERHARD OSTHOFF, farmer, P. O. 
Effingham, was born in Westphalia, Germany, 
January 24, 1817, son of J. H. and Maria C. 
(Zurtorf) Osthoff, natives, also, of Germany, 
he, born in 1770, and died in his native land 
in 1847; she born in 1780, and died in the 
land of her birth in 1866. They were the 
parents of eight children, three sons and five 
daughters. Our subject received his educa- 
tion in Germany, where he was also married, 
September 24, 1848, to Clara Grosze Streinen, 
born in Germany in 1822, daughter of Bern- 
hard Gro.szen Streinen, also a native of Ger- 
many. Mr. and Mrs. Osthoflf had eleven chil- 
dren, six of whom are living — John, Frank, 
Bernhard, Wilhelmiua, Elizabeth and Anna. 
Our subject served two years' active service in 
the German Army. He came to the United 
States in 1848, landed in New Orleans. He 
resided three years in Cincinnati, Ohio, and 
then came to this county, where he purchased 
ninety acres of slightly improved land for 
$170. He now has 260 acres of good land, 
about 100 acres being in timber. He carries 
on general farming with the assistance of 
his two sons. He is a member of the Cath- 
olic Church, and in politics a Democrat. 

BARNEY OVERBECK, clerk, Effingham, 
was born in this county November 27, 1850, 
son of George and Elizabeth (Berghause) 
Overbeck, natives of Hanover, Germany; he 
was a farmer, born in 1806, and died in Teu- 
topolis Township, this county, in 1873; she, 
born in 1810, and is still living in Teu- 
topolis Township, this county; she is the 
mother of eight children, four of svhom are 
liviiig. Our subject received some schooling 
in Teutopolis, but experience has been fais 
main teacher. He learned the shoe-maker's 
trade in Teutopolis, which he followed till he 
became nineteen yeai-s of age, when he went 



60 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



to Kansas City, Mo., and worked in a shop, 
afterward becoming a partner in tho business. 
He sold out and walked to Baxter Springs, ' 
Cherokee Co., Kan,, a distance of 165 miles, 
and worked there, afterwai'd starting a store, 
which he sold to W. Crawford, for whom he 
worked about a yeai". He then traveled ; 
through the Indian Territories, trading with 
the Indians and buying hides and pelts, 
which occupation he followed for a year and 
a half. He retui-ned home in the year of his 
fathei-'s death, and visited his friends and 
relatives. In August, 1873, he retui-ned to 
the West, and was for six months engaged 
in the grocery business in Baxter Springs. 
Kan., after which he moved to Joplin, Mo., 
where he remained about a year, a fire de- 
stroying his store December 16, 1874, when 
he returned to Kansas, and, in company with 
" Buifalo Bill," and another man, went to 
Ai'kansas, returning to Baxter Springs, and 
from there to this county, and has since re- 
sided here. Anecdotes of his travels with 
" Buffalo Bill " were published in many 
Western papers at the time. He has been 
correspondent of the Effingham Democrat, 
and, in 1879, was Chief of the Fire Depart- 
ment. He has filled many offices, including 
that of Constable, Deputy Sheriff, Tax Col- 
lector and Assessor. Mr. Overbeck was mar- 
ried, in Effingham, September 23, 1879, to 
Maggie Bushue, born in Ohio, daughter of 
Mike and Barbara Bushue, natives also of 
Ohio. Our subject is a member of the Cath- 
olic Church, and in politics is a Democrat. 

HENRY C. PAINTER, editor, Effingham, 
was born in Spencer, Ind., March 8, 1845. 
His father, David Painter, died when our 
subject was a child of but three years. He 
lived with his mother, Elizabeth Painter, 
until he was thirteen years of age, when, in 
the spring of 1859, he apprenticed himself to 
learn the printing business with J. F. Har- 



ner, editor of the Owen Countij Journal, 
published at Spencer, in which vocation he 
remained three years as an apprentice, receiv- 
ing the first year only his board and clothes, 
and for the third his board and $100. He 
was First Sergeant in Company H, One Hun- 
dred and Thirty-seventh Indiana Volunteers, 
for the period of 100 days, after the expira- 
tion of which time he re-enlisted, for one 
year, in Company B. One Hundred and Forty- 
ninth Indiana Volunteers, or during the war, 
and was mustered out of the service, at In- 
dianapolis, Ind, in the fall of 1865, the war 
having terminated. Returning to his old 
home at Spencer, he engaged in the " art 
preservative" until the spring of 1866, when 
he concluded to take the advice 6t Horace 
Greeley, and accordingly " went West." Ar- 
riving at Paua, 111., he there found his old 
preceptor, Mr. Harner, publishing the Pana 
Orient, and succeeded in seciu'ing a situation 
with him for a time, and for almost two years 
divided his time by working for Ben Winters, 
who was editing the Taylorville Press. In 
June. 1868, he again returned to his old home 
in Indiana and purchased material and estab- 
lished the Independent, at Gosport, Ind. . is- 
suing the first number on the 20th day of Au- 
gust, and the same evening, with grip in 
hand, started for Pana, 111., where, on the 
23d day of June, 1868, he was married to 
Miss Amanda Eskridge, and returned to In- 
diana, where he continued the publication of 
the Independent for four years. He then 
sold his office and material, and, in March, 
1873, went to Illinois and spent some time in 
selecting a congenial field for a location, 
finally locating in Effingham, where he pur- 
chased the 'Ei&a^a.m. Republican, in October, 
where he still successfully holds the fort. 
David Painter, father of our subject, was a 
miller by occupation. He was born June 12, 
1799, and died at Staunton, Va. The mother 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



61 



of our subject, who still survives at the ripe 
old age of eighty-two years, is residing with 
him, who is the yoiingest child of a family 
of nine children, three only of whom are now 
living— George, a farmer, residing in Craw- 
ford County, Kan., and Eliza E., widowed 
wife of George E. Allison, a resident of Den- 
ver, Colo. Mrs. Painter's maiden name be- 
fore marriage with David Painter was Eliza- 
beth Mowery; she was born in Augusta 
County, Va., July 21, ISOl, five miles from 
Staunton. Our subject's wife was born in 
Susses County, Del., April 28, 1842. Her 
father was Oakley Eskridge, and her mother, 
before marriage, was Miss Mary Griffith; she 
was born in Maryland, and Mr. Eskridge in 
Delaware. Mr. Painter is a member of the 
Methodist Church; in polities, a Republican, 
and also an I. O. O. F. 

JOSEPH PARTRIDGE, proprietor of the 
Pacific House, Effingham, was born in Meade 
County, Ky., July 26, 1832. He lived there 
until he was thirteen years old, when he re- 
moved with his parents to Evansville, Ind. , 
where he lived in 18G1. In November of 
that year, he removed to Cairo, 111. , wheri he 
lived during the war. acting as agent of the 
American Express Company. He was route 
agent of the Merchants' Union and American 
Express Companies, with headquarters at St. 
Joseph, Mo., for three years. In 1868, he 
engaged in the hotel business, at Richmond 
and Lexington Junction, Mo., and kept a 
railroad eating-house for a year. He was 
next proprietor of a railroad eating-house at 
Jewett, 111., on the Vandalialine, for twenty- 
one months. In 1872, he came here and 
leased the Effingham Hotel, which he ran six 
years with good success. In November, 1878, 
he bought of D. Schmidt the Pacific House, 
which consists of two buildings, the main one 
located on Banker street, near the Vandalia 
& Illinois Central depot. It is a three and 



a half story brick, 63x45, and contains thirty- 
four rooms, thirty-two of which are fitted 
with all the modern conveniences, including 
three sample rooms. The other building is a 
two-story brick, at the crossing of the Van- 
dalia and Central roads, and has a dining- 
room, lunch-room and sixteen sleeping-rooms. 
Mr. Partridge gives employment to twenty- 
one persons, and a transfer wagon is run to 
the Wabash road. The main building was 
erected about 1868, at a cost of S15,60il, and 
the other building was erected in 1880, by 
Mr. Partridge, at a cost of §6,000. 

DAVID PHILIPS, carpenter, Effing- 
ham, was born in Circleville, Pickaway Co., 
Ohio, May 19, 1826, son of James and Eliza- 
beth (Wolf) Philips, he born in Anne Arundel 
County, Md. , in 1780, was a farmer and died in 
1850 in Parke County, Ind. He was in the 
war of 1812. The mother of our subject was 
born in Chester County, Peun., in 1795, and 
died in Edgar County, this State. They were 
the parents of nine children, six sons and three 
daughters. Our subject received some 
schooling in Parke County, Ind., but is 
mainly self-oducated. He worked on his fa- 
thers' farm till he became twenty.one years 
of age. He learned the carpenter trade in 
his native State, and worked at it for three 
years, afterward clerking for five years in 
Edgar, this State, during which time he also 
contracted for the Illinois Central Railroad 
Company. He was married, in Edgar, this 
State, in September, 1851, to Miss Margaret 
Love, born in Edgar County, this State, in 
1835, daughter of John and Ellen (Watson) 
Love, natives of Ohio. Mr. Philips had five 
children by this wife — Elizabeth E., Maria 
Bell, Anna, Horace G. and Charles F. Mrs. 
Philips died in March, 1859. Our subject's 
second marriage occurred December 2, 1865, 
in Montezuma, Ind. He wedded Mrs. Clara 
A. (McDonald) Halladay, born May 6, 1826, 



03 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



in Parke County, Intl., daughter of Jacob 
and Betsey (Taylor) McDonald, natives, re- 
spectively, of New Jersey and New York. 
Our subject has one boy by his second wife 
— Frank. In August, 1862, Mr. Philips en- 
listed in the Eighty-lifth Indiana Infantry, 
Company B, Capt. Brooks. He was First 
Lieutenant, and toward the close of the war 
he took sick and returned home and took iip 
carpentering, which he has followed ever 
since. In early life, after working three 
years at carpentering, he met with an acci- 
dent by falling a distance of thirty feet with 
a scaffold, from which he received injuries 
which rendered him unable to follow his 
trade, and so for three years he taught 
school. He came to Effingham in 1867, and 
has since resided here. Mrs. Philips had 
six children by her first husband. In relig- 
ion, our subject is a Universalist. He is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity, Montezu- 
ma Lodge. No. 59. In politics, he is a Re- 
publican, and was a strong Abolitionist. 

HERMAN REAGELMAN, merchant, 
Effingham City, was born in the city of Dar- 
feld, Prussia, February 3, 1836. At the 
age of fifteen, he began to work at the stone- 
mason's trade, and at nineteen became a con- 
tractor on the public works for the King of 
Prussia, building turnpikes in Westphalia 
until 1807, and worked as high as 180 hands. 
In November, 1867, he landed at Baltimore, 
Md. , and came direct to St. Louis, Mo. , 
where he followed excavation of cellars and 
other contract work for about four months, 
and carae to Teutopolis in the sjiring of 1868, 
and his first contract was on the convent, for 
stone work, and, after working there about 
two years, he came to Efiingham and built 
the stone work on both of the mills 
here, and the round-house and shops of the 
Vandalia Railroad. In 1870, he bought his 
present business block on Jefferson street, of 



S. W. Little, and, one year afterward, 
bought the Farmers' Home, on Center street, 
and, for one and a half years, conducted bus- 
iness there, and in 1871 a fire destroyed his 
house on Jefferson street, with a net loss of 
$1,000. After rebuilding, Mr. Reagelman 
began business himself, and is at present car- 
rying a good trade in groceries and liquors, 
lu 1875, he bought the Cedar Pai'k, consist- 
ing of five acres, at the terminiis of Jefferson 
street, a portion of which is devoted to pleas- 
ure grounds, and is a beautiful summer resort, 
shaded with evergi'eens, and with a seating 
caiaacity for several hundred persons, a music 
and speakei''s stand, and large dancing floor. 
Other parts of Cedar Park are devoted to 
fruit and grape culture. Our subject was 
married. May 2, 1871, to Miss Anna B. H. 
Hille, of this county. They have four daugh- 
ters and one son living, Lizzie, Annie, Laura, 
Katie, Joseph, and one deceased. He is 
a Democrat in polities. Mrs. Reagelman is 
a daughter of B. H. Hille, of Teutopolis, 
where she was born. 

FREDERICK REINHA.RT, butcher, 
Effingham, the son of Conrod and Lena 
(Bloom) Reinhart, was born in Hessen, Ger- 
many, March 9, 1837. At the age of three 
years, he came with his father's family to 
America, who settled on a farm in St. Clair 
County, 111. In this occupation the subject 
of this sketch spent his boyhood, only alter- 
nating the labors of the farm with such brief 
terms of the neighborhood schools as offered 
chances for gaining a little rudimentary 
learninjr. His father having; died when Mr. 
Reinhart was nine years old, his mother mar- 
ried a second time, to Mr. Henry Culp, and 
he continued to assist about the farm until 
the age of eighteen. Dm'ing these years of 
his minority, however, his brain was not idle, 
and the hard toil of his willing hands by no 
means exhau.sted his energies or extinguished 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOAVNSHIP. 



68 



his ambition. Nerved by the desire for 
something worth living for; though poor, 
yet possessed with the riches of hardihood, 
frugality, and the Dutch characteristics of 
indomitable energy and perseverance, he made 
a start in life, and, notwithstanding the fact 
that he was shorn of all he possessed by lire, 
he has at the pi'esent time, and is conducting, 
two of the principal meat markets in Effing- 
ham — one on Fayette and one on Jefferson 
street. In connection with his regular city 
trade, he packs and supplies other smaller 
dealers throughout the county. These facts 
establish Mr. Reinhart's reputation for ener- 
gy and business capacity better than any ful- 
some phrases of adulation could possibly do. 
They mark him as a peer amongst his fellow- 
men, and fully justify the high esteem placed 
upon him by the business community in 
which he lives. March 9, 1857, he was 
joined in marriage to Miss Anna Burgmaun, 
of Madison County, 111. The result of this 
happy union was nine childi-en born to them 
as follows: Carrie, wife of John Shay, they 
were married December 7, 1879, and have 
one child, Ten-ence; Edward, Matilda. Rob- 
ert, Emma, Fred and William. Those not 
named died in infancy. Mr. Reinhart is a 
member of the Odd Fellows Lodge; in poli- 
tics, conservative Democrat. Mrs. Reinhart 
was the only child of her father's family. 
She was born in Germany in 1840. 

OTTO REUTLINGER, saloon, and coal 
agent, Effingham, was born at Frankfort-on- 
the-Main, Germany, April 14, 1833, son of 
Johan Jacob and Katharina (Rullmann) Reut- 
linger, natives of Germany, where they also 
died. He was born in 1795, and was the fa- 
ther of eight children, three of whom are 
residing in this country. In 1813, the fa- 
ther was a volunteer in the Prussian service 
when that country was engaged in warfare 
against Napoleon. Our subject received his 



education in his native town, where he also 
learned the jeweler's trade, afterward open- 
ing a store of his own. He was man'ied, No- 
vember 17, 18G4, to Miss Eliza Schott, born 
in Germany June 11, 1841, daughter of Ger 
hard and Emily (Knatz) Schott, nativfes also 
of that country. Mr. and Mrs. Reutlinger 
have ten children — -Carl. Gerhard, John, 
Otto, Anna, Greta, Lulu, Emilie, .Wolph and 
Nellie. Oiu' subject came to the United 
States in 1880. and resided one year in High- 
land, Madison County, this State. He is a 
member of the Lutheran Church, and in yjol- 
itics is an Independent. 

HON. ERASTUS N. RINEHART, attor- 
ney at law, Effingham, was born in Watson 
Township, this county, March 1, 1847. His 
father's family moved to Ewington when sub- 
ject was small, and the father bought a prai- 
rie farm about two miles south of Effingham, 
and subject, with three brothers, opened this 
farm, and reduced it fi'om wild prairie to cul- 
tivation. In 18G9, he entered McKendree 
College, at Lebanon, 111., and remained there 
two school years. He began the study of 
law in 1871, and studied about eighteen 
months with Cooper & Kagay, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in February, 1871, and has 
practiced law here ever since, first as jsartner 
with John C. White for a year, and afterward 
with W. B. Gilmore for three years, and since 
then by himself. He was City Attorney in 
1872, and was elected, on the Democratic 
ticket, in 1878, to the State Senate, from the 
Thirty-third Senatorial District, for four 
years, and was renominated August 3, 1882, 
at Windsor, for a second term. He was ap- 
pointed, by the Circuit Court, Master in 
Chancery, in 1880, and is still serving. His 
father was Daniel Rinehart. born in Fairfield 
County, Ohio, in 1812. He married Barbara 
Kagay February 9, 1839. He came to this 
countv in 1841, and was soon afterward elect- 



64 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ed Justice of |-.he Peace, serving until 1844. 
He first settled in Watson Township; entered 
the farm now owned by Michael Sprinkle. 
He moved to Ewington, being elected Coun- 
ty Clerk of Effingham County, and served 
one term, and was defeated by Thomas M. 
Loy for a second term, and while Loy served 
his term, he kept a store and ran a pork 
packing house. He was then again elect- 
ed County Clerk, and served in all eight- 
een years, serving until 1869, being nom- 
inated and elected last time without op- 
position. He died January 8, 1877, on his 
farm, where his widow still lives. He also 
served as Treasurer and Assessor of the coun- 
ty in 1844. In 1849 and 1850. he was a 
merchant. He had six children — four sons 
and two daughters, all of whom are living 
but the oldest daiighter. He was a member 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in 
politics was a life- long Democrat. 

HANLEY R. ROBBERTS, grocer, Effing- 
ham City, was born in Decatur County, near 
Greensburg, Ind., April 19, 1834. He was 
raised on a farm in Indiana, and received a 
common-school education. He came to Illi- 
nois the first time in 1851, and lived in Fay- 
ette County for ten years, on a farm, and was 
engaged in farming near St. Elmo at the out- 
break of the war. He went to Greensburg, 
Ind., where he bought a stock of goods, and 
engaged in merchandising two years there, 
and then came to Altamont, this county, in 
1863, and, with his father-in-law, Joel Blake- 
ly, built a livery stable in Altamont, which, 
in the fall of same year, they traded for a farm 
near Mason, this county, which he conduct- 
ed for about two years, then exchanged it for 
a hai-dware stock of goods at Richmond, Ind., 
and brought the stock to Mason, 111., at once, 
and dealt in hardware for about five years, 
when, on account of his wife's failing health, 
he traveled through the Western States of 



Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska, and returned 
to Effingham in November, 1880, and has 
since engaged in the grocery business here. 
He is at present located on Railroad street, 
where he has a good trade in groceries and 
provisions. He was married, July 2, 1865, 
to Mary Elizabeth Blakely, a daughter of 
Joel Blakely, of Fayette County, 111. Mr. 
and Mrs. Robberts have three children liv- 
ing — Sarah J., Mabel, Louis E. 

IVnCHAEL RUSSELL, deceased, was born 
in Ireland December 15, 1829, and came to 
this country with his parents about 1830. 
His father settled at Burlington, Vt., where 
he was engaged jjrincipally as gardener until 
his death, in 1865. Subject grew up in Bur- 
lington, Vt., where, at the age of fifteen 
years, he began to learn the brick-layer's and 
plasterer's trade, at which he worked in Bur- 
lington until 1852 — three years as journey- 
man — when he removed to city of Worcester, 
Mass., and engaged in the ice business for 
two years. He came to Chicago, III., iu 
March, 1856, and worked at his trade there 
during summer, and in November left, to 
work on station houses of the Illinois Cen- 
tral Ralroad, plastering, and built flues, first 
at Edgewood, this county, afterward at Fa- 
rina. Kinmundy and Centralia, where he 
located until 1863, and his wife died there 
October 23, 1863. Mr. Russell was at the 
time working in Effingham, and. after the 
death of his wife, brought his only son here, 
whom he placed in school at Teutopolis, and 
located permanently here. He worked at his 
trade at intervals ever since. About 1867. 
he became a member of the old hook and 
ladder company of Effingham, and, after 
purchase of an engine, a member of Deluge 
Fire Company No. 1, and has been Foreman 
of that company for three successive years, 
and is now serving his second term as Chief 
of the Fire Department of Effingham, ap- 



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~^% 



KM 






%v 




^'^^o^(2UaI^ 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



65 



pointed by the Council, with the concurrence 
of thfit company. He was elected Justice of 
the Poace in the spring of 1881, for a term 
of four years, by the Democrats. He also 
conducts a collection agency. He was Town- 
ship Collector during three terms, at differ- 
ent times — first, in 1865, one term, and in 
1879 and 1880. Married, in April, 1866, to 
the widow of the late David M. Shepheard, 
of Mason, 111. Has one son and one daugh- 
ter — Cora and Delia. He was first married 
to Miss Julia Power, of Burlington, Vt., in 
1850. One son was born of that marriage, 
who was drowned in the Mississippi River, 
near St. Louis, Mo., in June, 1881, in his 
twenty-seventh year. His name was Edward 
M. 

JOHN SCHELLENBACH, iron foundry. 
Effingham City, was born on the River Mo- 
selle, Province of the Rhine (now Prussia), 
March 1, 1834. When eight years of age, 
he went to Paris, France, where he lived un- 
til eighteen years of age, and where he 
worked in a chemical laboratory in the man- 
ufacture of gas and water tubes. He sailed 
from Havre de Grace in 1852, and landed, 
November 9 of that year, in New Orleans, 
La., where he remained four months, when 
he went to Hamilton, Ohio, where he entered 
the employ of Hon. Lewis D. Campbell as 
overseer of his farms iu Butler County, Ohio. 
He remained with him about five years, and 
had charge of a large farm there until 1858. 
About this time, he engaged his services to 
Long, Black & AUstatter, manufactm-ers of 
reapers and mowers, at Hamilton, Ohio. He 
remained with them as machinist until the 
fall of 1861, when he volunteered in Col. 
Campbell's regiment, Sixty-ninth Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry, and served until January 
11, 1865, when he was mustered out at Co- 
lumlms, Ohio. He was a Sergeant at the bat- 
tle of Stone River, and was after this assigned 



to the Corps of Engineers, and was de- 
tailed a member of the corps of Topograph- 
ical Engineers at Gen. Rosecrans' headcpiar- 
ters, and remained in this capacity, with the 
Army of the Cumberland, until the battle of 
Atlanta, when he was assigned to Gen. Sher- 
man's headquarters, and served there until 
his term of service expired, in January, 1865. 
He was employed in making maps for the 
movements of the army. After the wai-, our 
subject, with his brother, M. Schellenbach, 
and William Bechtel, of Hamilton, formed a 
partnership and built a foundry and ma- 
chine shop at Seymour, Ind., and, iu about 
one and a half years, subject bought his part- 
ners out, and ran the business until 1872, 
when he sold out and went to Columbus, 
Ind., where he was foreman of the machine- 
shop of Pine, Bush & Co., for about seven 
months, when he went to St. Louis, Mo., 
where he worked in the Eagle Iron Works 
for about one year, when his family took sick 
and he returned home. In 1874, he bought 
the old St. John Foundry at Shelbyville, 
Ind., and ran it for about sis months, 
when he moved it here, and, in April of 1875, 
located near the Vandalia Railroad. He 
erected the present shops l.hat year, which 
consist of a brick, 50x25, with a frame foun- 
dry in the rear. He employs six men con- 
tinuously, and has an engine of six- horse 
power. They do a general jobbing and re- 
pair business, and maniifacture Perkins and 
Lambert's patent stove casting, and do all 
kinds of house work, and molding in iron 
and brass. Our subject was married, Feb- 
ruary 7, IS58, to Miss Rosalie Schafifner, of 
Hamilton, Ohio. She was born in Alsace, 
France, and came to the United States in 
1857. She was a governess in France and 
Germany in several noble families. Mr. and 
Mrs. Schellenbach have eight children living 
— Anna Paulina, now Sister Hyacintha, a 

K 



66 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



teacher in the Convent of the Immaculate 
Couception at Oldenburg, Franklin Co., Ind., 
in charge of the order of St. Francis; John 
Albert, at Milwaukee, Wis. ; Michael, Peter, 
Henry L., George W., Margaret R., Anna 
Clara, at home. 

DR. L. J. SCHIFFERSTEIN, physician, 
Effingham City, was born in St. Marie, Jas- 
per Co., 111., March 1, 1850. At fifteen years 
of age, he entered St. Louis University, where 
he spent a year, and next spent a year at 
Bardstown, Ky., in St. Thomas College. In 
1867, he became agent of the Adams Express 
Company at Olney, 111., and was thus en- 
srao-ed until the fall of 1869. During these 
two years, he employed his spare time in the 
study of medicine, under the direction of Dr. 
H. A. Lemon, of Olney. In 1 869, he went to 
St. Louis, and, shortly after, entered the St. 
Louis Medical College, from which he grad- 
uated March 17, 1873, after which he became 
Assistant Physician in the City Hospital at 
St. Louis for one year. He came home in 
1874, and practiced at Olney, 111., until May, 
1882, when he took charge of the Eye and 
Ear Department of Effingham Surgical Insti- 
tute, with Dr. J. N. Groves. During his 
medical studies in St. Louis, subject spent 
each summer with Dr. H. Z. Gill, Professor 
of Eye and Ear College, and pursued those 
studies as specialties, and has since given 
them special attention. Before he entered 
upon the study of medicine, he was a practi- 
cal chemist for about fourteen years. 

W. SCHNAVELIUS, saloon, Effingham. 
He was born in Selters, Germany, in 1835. 
His father's name was W. Schnavelius, who 
was born in the same place June 1, 1800. 
His mother's name was Augusta Guenquest. 
She was bom in Emmerichhein, Germany, at 
a date unhnown to the subject of this sketch. 
In this family there were four children, 
named in the order of their births as follows: 



Henry, Augusta, Hermine and Elise. Our 
subject was educated in Weisbaden (Ger- 
many) High School. At the age of sixteen, 
he became engaged as a seaman on board of 
a merchantman. He served five years in this 
capacity as Second Mate, during which time 
he several times visited the Chinese ports, 
San Francisco, New York and other ports in 
the United States. In 1855, he joined the 
Russian Navy, aud served one year, after 
which he bought and commanded his own 
vessel, a merchantman, and made several trips 
to the United States. He was married, in 
Germany, in 1862, to Miss Elise Ketteler, of 
Papenbiurg. By the union they have had the 
following children: Augusta and William. 
Augusta was born in Germany, and William in 
Effingham, 111. Wife's father's name was An- 
tone Ketteler, and mother's maiden name was 
Katrine Biedenhorn. She was born in Ger- 
many. Our subject's father and mother both 
died in Germany, and are reposing in St. 
Goorshausen Cemetery. The father died in 
1853, and mother in 1858. In religion, sub- 
ject is a Lutheran; in politics, a Republican. 
The name of the vessel in which he was first 
employed was the Venerve. His own was 
named Amphitrite. 

GUST.kVUS S. SCHURICHT, M. D., 
Effingham, was born in St. Louis, Mo., June 
1, 1853, and was raised in that city. He was 
educated in the Concordia Academy at St. 
Louis, and began the study of medicine in 
the summer of 1869, reading with Dr. R. 
Luyties, and at the same time entered the St. 
Louis Homoeopathic College of Medicine and 
Surgery, and pursued a special course under 
Drs. Helmuth, Comstock and Luyties, dur- 
ing the summer vacation. In 1869, he en- 
tered the college proper, and attended three 
regular courses of lectures, graduating Feb- 
ruary 29, 1872, and, at the competitive ex- 
amination, won the prize medal as the most 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



67 



proficient student in chemistry. Shortly af- 
ter his graduation, he located at Columbia, 
Monroe Co., 111., until 1874, and then re- 
turned to St. Louis for over a year. In the 
fall of 1875, he went to New Orleans, where 
he practiced until 1878. He came to Effing- 
ham in October, 1878, where he has since 
practiced with good success, and is at pres- 
ent the only representative of his school in 
the county. He is a member of the Western 
Academj' of HomcBopathy. 

JOSEPH P. SCHWERMAN, farmer, P. 
Effingham, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, 
Mai-ch 25, 18-49, son of Joseph F. Schwer- 
man, who is mentioned in the historical part 
of this work. Our subject received his school- 
ing in Effingham, and has been engaged in 
farming all of his life, living with his father 
till the age of twenty-six. He was married, 
in Effingham, June 22, 1879, to Miss Mary 
Ungrun, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 
23, 1853, daughter of George and Margue- 
rite (Tiepen) Ungrun, natives of Germany; 
he died in this county, where she is still liv- 
ing. Mr. and Mrs. Schwerman have one 
child, Joseph Lawrence, born August 25, 
1880. Mr. Schwerman has 213 acres of land, 
and carries on general farming. He is a 
member of the Catholic Chiu'ch, and in poli- 
tics is a Democrat. 

DR. JOHN O. SCOTT, retired, Effingham, 
is a native of Davidson County, Tenn., where 
his infant eyes fu-st stared in wonder at this 
curious world December 8, 1805. He was 
reared on his father's farm, within six miles 
of Nashville. His father was a soldier in 
the war of 1812, in the mounted cavalry, un- 
der Gen. Coflee, being severely wounded, 
December 28, in the skirmish preceding the 
battle of New Orleans. The family moved 
into Nashville after the wounded father re- 
turned from the army. In the city of Na.sh- 
ville. John O. Scott's boyhood and meager 



attendance in the schools, until he was fif - 
teen years of age, were passed, neither in 
affluence nor in poverty. The family needs 
were such that, at the age of fifteen years, 
the serious work of life commenced, and the 
boy was put to work in a bakery, where he 
labored for one year. Almost in the days 
of his own infancy, being only sixteen 
years old, and in the year 1822, in the 
babyhood of Illinois, he caught the infection 
of the romance of the far West; the land of 
hope and promise in its newness, freshness 
and breeziness, and, in company with his fa- 
ther, made the long trip, on horseback, to 
Franklin County, in this State. The light- 
hearted boy here encountered for the first 
time the " Illinois shakes," an indigenous 
Western animal, and it is no figure of speech 
to say it " floored" him. Between "shakes." 
he shook the Franklin County dust from his 
heels, and, with his father, went to Gibson 
County, Ind., where the two engaged in 
farming. In 1825, being then twenty years 
of age, he retm-ned to Clay County, 111., 
making a short stay here. He joined a fam- 
ily named Elliott, and, in company with 
them, moved to Shelby County, passing en- 
tirely through what is now Effingham Coun- 
ty, and camping one night at Blue Point. 
(This is referred to fully in the general coun- 
ty history.) In 1827, he returned to Gibson 
County; for the next year, he worked as a 
farm hand at $10 a month, in Posey County, 
and returned to Shelby County, 111. In 
1831, he came to this county, and worked a 
short time on the National road, and the next 
spring, 1832, he returned to this work, and 
this time came to make this his permanent 
home. Thus, fifty-seven years ago, he was 
here, passing through this wild desert waste, 
and for fifty years and more he has been a 
citizen of this county. He located and made 
his first improvement in what is now Jackson 



68 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



Township, in the spring of 1833. In roam- 
ing over the country, he had called to see his 
old Smith County, Tenn., friends, Jonathan 
Parkhurst's family, and here he met his des- 
tiny in a pair of bright eyes that belonged 
to Martha, the daughter of Jonathan, and 
they were duly married, March 28, 1833. It 
is possible the little flame that culminated in 
this vast conflagration that consumed the 
young lives of " single wretchedness " was 
started away back in Tennessee, where, as 
innocent children, they played "come to see," 
" keep house" and " hide and seek" about the 
Tennessee cabins. They will not tell now. 
They may even affect to believe this ques- 
tioning twaddle and nonsense, but the kindly 
smile upon their faces as they watch the in- 
nocent gambols of their grandchildren tells 
plainly enough that the old, old story is not 
forgotten by them; and that in the twilight 
of their old and cheery lives, memory often 
turns backward, and brightens and sweetens 
life with that sacred joy tliat comes only to 
the pure in heart, the upright, just and good. 
Mrs. Martha Scott was born August 25, 1806, 
in Smith County, Tenn., and the Parkhurst 
family came from White County, in this 
State, to what is now Mason Township, in 
the year 1829. John O. Scott was elected 
Constable at the first county election ever 
held in the county. For aaore than seven 
years he was County School Commissioner, to 
which office he was elected first in 1842. 
During his term of office, be had to manage 
and dispose of all the school lands in the 
county. The mental activity and energy of 
the man is aptly told in the fact that, imme- 
diately after he had built himself a house and 
opened his small farm, and the winter had 
come, when out-door work was principally 
stopped, instead of idling away his time, he 
borrowed medical books of Dr. Le Crone and 
studied medicine. In a short time, he had so 



mastered his books that his services were called 
for to attend the sick, and for the next 
twenty years his practice was extensive and 
his success unusually good. In 1875 — his 
sons being all grown men and out in the 
world doing for themselves — Mr. and Mrs. 
Scott left their farm in Jackson Township, and 
commenced their residence in the city of 
Effingham. Their family is four sons, name- 
ly: Samuel Thomas, a farmer in St. Clair 
Coiinty, Mo.; Elisha W., William F. and 
Owen, the last three residing in this county, 
and one daughter, Cynthia Ann Gillespie, 
who was the eldest child, and who is now de- 
ceased. Dr. John O. Scott is now seventy- 
seven years old. His residence in this coun- 
ty has passed the half- century mark, and, 
hale and cheery, he and his beloved helpmeet 
are spared to family and friends, and let us 
hope they may yet long be with us, and when 
that other, and more important in their lives, 
half-century — the golden wedding day — 
comes, and that is now so near at hand, may 
no shadow yet and for aye flit across the 
smiling heaven above them. 

SAMUEL N.' SCOTT, Postmaster, Effing. 
ham City, was born in Guernsey County, 
Ohio, October 22, 1843. He learned the 
printer's trade at the age of twelve, in the 
office of the Cadiz Republican. In 1860, 
his parents moved to this county and settled 
on a farm in Lucas Township, where our 
su-bject lived until the breaking out of the 
war. He enlisted, in August, 1861, in the 
Thirty-eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
for three years. He was in the Department 
of Missouri until June, 1862, when they were 
ordered to re-enforce Halleck at Corinth, and 
left the Army of Mississippi in August, 1862, 
and joined Buell at Nashville, and served 
with the Army of the Cumberland until after 
the Atlanta campaign, and came home late in 
the fall of 1864, having' served over his term. 



EFFIXGIIAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



6» 



He was engaged in the battles of Frederick- 
town, Mo., Pen-yville, Ky., Stone River, 
Tenn., where he was captured and held until 
March, at Libby Prison, and was paroled and 
sent North. He joined his old command at 
Murfreesboro, and was at Chickamauga. He 
was with the command in all ongagementa 
from Tunnell Hill, Ga., to A.tlanta. In No- 
vember, 1864, he went to Columbus, Ohio, 
where he was employed in a hardware store 
as book-keeper until 1808, when he went to 
Helena, Ai-k. He came to Effingham, and, 
his health breaking down, he went to Colusa, 
Cal., and was afterward in Plumas County, 
where he ran a mine as Superintendent until 
1877, when he returned to Effingham, re- 
newed in health. He engaged in farming 
with his brother, and had a store at Winter- 
rowd, and afterward a boot and shoe store 
until appointed Postmaster, being appointed 
by President Arthur in November, 1881, for 
four years. He was married, in December, 
1876, to Miss Lizzie C. Williams, of Califor- 
nia. Her father was from Huntingdon 
County, Penn., born in 1792; came to Guern- 
sey County, Ohio, in 1818, and lived there 
until ISOO, when he came to this county, 
where he died February 1, 1866. He had 
eight sons and four daughters, all of whom 
grew up. Four sons were in the army — Rob- 
ert G., in Ninety-eighth Illinois Infantry, 
served till 1866; Peter N., Thirty-eighth Ill- 
inois, was Second Lieutenant of Company 
K, and was killed at the battle of Stone 
River; Curtis M., Eighth Illinois Infantry, 
served three years. 

OWEN SCOTT, lawyer, and editor of the 
Effingham Democrat. This gentleman is 
the son of Dr. John O. and Martha B. (Park- 
hurst) Scott, natives of Tennessee, he bom 
in 1805, is still living; she in 1806. They 
were the parents of five children. Subject 
was born in J.ackson Township, this county, 



July 6, 1848. Our subject went to school 
first to James B. Gillespie. He attended the 
country schools in Jackson and Watson 
Townships until sixteen years of ago, when 
he began teaching, and his first school was 
near his birthplace, in Jackson Township, 
called the Carpenter School. He taught 
twelve months in succession in this vicinity, 
the last six months of which he taught in a 
grove out of doors, and he and pupils crawled 
into an old hut when it rained. His journey 
to and from school lay through the woods, 
about two and a half miles distant, and he 
carried his gun each way, and supplied par- 
ties at both ends of the route with game. 
When about eleven years old, his parents be- 
ing poor, he was in need of boots, to go to 
school, and, during the term, he stopped one 
week and went to the woods with dug and 
caught enough rabbits, at 5 cents apiece, to 
buy new boots, and was in his place next 
Monday morning. He spent the year of 1868 
in school at Kinmundy, under Prof. E. O. 
Noble, and, after teaching for some time in 
the county, he entei'ed, in September, 1S69, 
the State Normal University at Normal. 111., 
and remained for one year, resuming teaching 
here in 1870, in Watson Township, at Loy 
School, and received $65 per month and 
board, and next took charge of the Watson 
Township Schools, and, in 1871, he was em- 
ployed as Superintendent of Effingham City 
Schools, in which capacity he remained one 
year, when he resigned, and entered the law 
office of S. F. Gilmore to read law, where he 
studied his profession and was admitted to 
the bar January 10, 1874, being a member of 
the second class that was examined by the 
Supreme Court at Springfield. He was elect- 
ed County Superintendent of Schools No- 
vember 4, 1873, and two days later was mar- 
ried to Miss Nora Miser, of St. Louis, Mo. 
They have one daughter — Henrietta L. He 



70 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



continued to hold the office of County Super- 
intendent for eight years, being re-elected in 
November, 1877. He visited every school in 
the county every year during the first term, 
and each year held a Normal School for the 
teachers of the county, and all were well at- 
tended. During the interval between official 
duties he devoted to the practice of law. He 
bought a half-interest in the Effingham Dejn- 
ocrat, and, October 13, 1881, he purchased 
the remaining half-interest of Mr. Q. M. 
LeCrone, and has since conducted the paper 
with good success. It is a nine-column folio, 
and since 1855 has been the official paper of 
the county. Mr. Scott served as Deputy 
Treasurer for one year, under Noah Jen- 
nings, and two years under Mr. Wernsing. 
He was City Attorney during the years 1877 
and 1878. He is a member of the Bajstist 
Church, and in politics is a Democrat. 

WILLIAM W. SIMPSON, Circuit Clerk, 
Effingham. He was born in Buffalo, N. Y., 
June 'il, 1817; he came to Chicago, 111., 
with his parents in 1851, and resided there 
ten years, coming to Effingham County in 
1861. His step-father, George Screeton, 
bought a farm in Siunmit Township, and 
subject resided on the farm with him eight 
years, and by his own personal efforts picked 
up a good general education. Thirteen 
years ago, he became agent for W. W. Kim- 
ball, of Chicago, and has sold musical in- 
struments ever since with good success. He 
was candidate before the Democratic prim- 
ary, in 1876, for nomination for Circuit 
Clerk, and was defeated, and, in 1880, ran 
the second time against same opponent and 
was nominated and elected for a term of 
four years to the same office. 

LEWIS W. SMITH, physician, Effing- 
ham, was born in Zane.sville, Ohio, November 
13, 1825; at ten or twelve years of age, ha 
came to Terre Haute, Ind., where he grew to 



manhood and married in 1848. A few years 
after his marriage, he removed to Charleston, 
111., and there studied medicine with Dr. A. 
M. Henry, then of Charleston, now at Mat- 
toon, 111. He graduated from the Cincinnati 
Eclectic Medical Institute during the session 
of 1859-60, and began his practice at Effing- 
ham, 111., in tbe spring of 1861. Dr. LeCrone 
being the only other practicing physician 
here at that time, and our subject has been 
here in active practice since, except four 
years when he was Postmaster at Effingham, 
serving from 1869 to 1873. He has been a 
Republican since the foundation of the party, 
and has several times been nominated for 
important offices. 

ROBERT SPECK, merchant, Effingham, 
was born in Baden, Germany, June 6, 1850. 
When live years old, he came with his par- 
ents to the United States, and first lived in 
Terre Haute, Ind., until 1858, when his fa- 
ther came to Effingham. In 1864, oiir sub- 
ject entered J. F. Waschefort's store here as 
clerk, and continued with him in that ca- 
pacity until 1879. In September of that 
year, he formed a partnership with Dr. Hen- 
ry Everamann, and this firm has continued 
business in Mr. Waschefort's old stand, un- 
der the firm name of Eversman & Speck. 
The house carries a large general stock, and 
requires five persons to transact the business. 
Our subject was married, in 1873, to Miss M. 
E. Pearman, of Paris, 111. They have one 
son. Our subject's father, John Speck, was 
also born in Baden. He learned the trade 
of shoe-maker in the city of Strasburg, and 
married Mary Riedmiller, by whom he had 
six sons and one daughter, all born in Ger- 
many, and all are deceased except Robert. 
His father was the first shoe maker to locate 
in Effingham permanently, and he conducted 
a shop of his own here 'from 1858 to the time 
of his death, in May, 1872. He was an ar- 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



71 



dent Republican. Subject was twice elected 
City Clerk of Effingham, ou the Republican 
ticket, overcoming the usual large majority, 
and served four years — from 1877 to 1881. 

THOMAS SPEIRS, foreman blacksmith, 
Vandalia Railroad shops, Effingham, is a 
son of James and Jane (Mason) Speirs. and 
was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, December 
18, 1835. In his seventeenth year, he came 
to the United States with his parents, who 
settled at Detroit, Mich., where he attended 
school some two years; then entered the ma- 
chine shop of De Graff & Kendrick, to learn 
the trade of blacksmith, serving a three years' 
apprenticeship, when he removed to Marshall, 
Mich., where he entered the Michigan Cen- 
tral Railroad shops as blacksmith for a year; 
then came to Galesbui'g, 111., entering the 
shops of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy 
Railroad for a short time, when he removed 
to Eloomington, 111., where he worked at his 
trade in the Chicago & Alton Railroad shops 
for a short period. He has worked in the 
employ of different railroad companies at 
various points in Illinois since 1857, except 
two years spent in Michigan and the South. 
He has been in the employ of the Vandalia 
Company since 1868. He came to Effingham 
about 1871, where he became foreman of the 
blacksmith department, which employs from 
eight to eleven men, while there was onlv 
one man in his department when he first 
came. He married, in 1863, Miss Lucy J. 
Hunt, of Detroit, Mich. They have six chil- 
dren living — James, Walter, Jennie, Guy, 
Nettie, Thomas, all living in this county. 

JAMES STEELEY, proprietor of the 
"Western House, Effingham, was born in Ed- 
gar County, 111., January 3, 1835, and was 
raised on a farm in Coles County, 111. At 
the age of twenty-one, he became a brakeman 
on the I. & St. L. R. R., and in a short time 
became a fireman and engineer on that road. 



and was connected with it for twenty years, 
running mostly on the "Western Division, and 
has been living at Mattoon for the last thir- 
teen years. September 1, 1882, he leased 
and newly fm-uished the Western House, of 
Effingham, and has since run it with a good 
trade. It has twenty large rooms for guests 
— a two story brick, 60x45, with a sample- 
room on the first floor. Employment is fur- 
nished to seven persons. 

W. P. SURRELLS, merchant, Effingham, 
was born in Louisville, Clay Co., 111., in 
January, 1837. He lived in his native town 
until thirteen years old, going to California 
overland, with his father, in 1850. They 
were in the mines of the Upper Sacramento 
and Trinity Rivers three years. Retiu-ned 
Lome in 1858, and, in the spring of 1854, 
came to this county and settled at Free- 
manton, and his father came to take a con- 
tract on the Brough Railroad, but it fell 
through. Our subject moved to Effiugham in 
the sjiring of 1857, and clerked for C. F. 
Falley, who had two stores, and he went to 
Ewington aud took charge of the store there, 
having been clerk at Freeman ton for some 
time before. Om* subject bought Mr. Falley 
out in 1857, and ran the store at Ewington 
for nine months, when he sold out and moved 
to Freemanton and went to teaching there. 
He had previously taught in the Effingham 
public schools, in the winter of 1855-56. He 
married, August 27, 1857, Miss Susan, daugh- 
ter of John M. Brown, of Mound Township, 
now living in Springfield, 111. He taught 
the two winters following in that vicinity, 
and also farmed, when he moved to Free- 
manton and worked in a saw-mill, where he 
met with an accident. He sold the mill, and 
in the spring of 1859, moved back to Effing- 
ham and taught school here until 1861. He 
enlisted, in August, 1861, in the Twenty- 
sixth Illinois. He was first in the Depart- 



73 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ment of Missouri; was in the battlfis of New 
Madrid, Point Pleasant, Mo., and then went 
to Memphis, Tenn. He was next at Farm- 
ington and Corinth, where he was wounded 
by a rninie ball striking him in the ankle, 
which broke both bones, and the surgeons de- 
cided to amptitate the limb, but he removed 
the signal flag three times that marked him 
as a subject for operation, and he was sent 
to the hospital, where he lay seven days be- 
fore his limb was set, and a month passed 
and his wife came and pulled him through. 
He was wounded May 28, 1862, and was dis- 
charged September 19, 1862, at St. Louis. 
He came and taught school at Watson on 
crutches. He settled in Watson and engaged 
in hauling cordwood, and, while putting up 
his horses, was kicked by one of them and 
broke his wounded leg just above where it 
was broken before. While lying sick, he 
bought a stock of goods, and a few weeks 
afterward, the man that was conducting busi- 
ness for him absconded with all the money 
collected, but in spite of this our subject kept 
on with moderate success until 1866, when 
he sold out for $800. In 1868, he became 
clerk for T. A. Brown, in a hardware store, 
where he remained for eight years. He then 
assisted his father three yeai's in the County 
Treasurer's office, until the latter's death, 
January 21, 1879. Our subject was after- 
ward engaged in the real estate business un- 
til June, 1881, when he engaged in the hard- 
ware business on Jefferson street. His fa- 
ther, Jesse E. Surrells, was born in Virginia 
January 10, 1803, and, at the time of his 
death, was aged seventy-six years and eleven 
days. He was of French extraction, his 
grandfather having come to America with 
Lafayette in the days of the Revolution and 
served in the war. His ancestors settled in 
Virginia, after the close of the war of the 
Revolution, and at the age of eleven Jesse 



R., together with his father and family, emi- 
grated to Kentucky, where they remained for 
a time and then moved to Indiana. In 
1831, at the age of twenty-eight, Mr. Surrells 
came to Clay County, 111., where he re- 
sided, with the exception of short intervals, 
until 1854, when he came to this county and 
resided here continuously until the time of 
his death. He was married three times, hav- 
ing five children by the first wife, five by the 
second and one by the third, his present wid- 
ow. Of these, one by the first — W. P. Sur- 
ells, three by the second and one by his j^rea- 
ent widow, sm'vive him. As may be inferred 
from his connection with the early history of 
our county, his life was checkered and 
eventful, but through it all there rises irre- 
sistibly to the surface the motto honesty. 
During his residence in Clay County, he 
carried on the business of raftsman, and 
while engaged in this business he made sev- 
eral trips to New Orleans with produce and 
merchandise. On one of these trips during 
an epidemic, he was attacked with cholera, 
from which he, however, recovered. It was 
no uncommon thing in those days tor mer- 
chants to be their own carriers, and Uncle 
Jesse was one of this class. A flat-boat 
would be built on the banks of some suitable 
stream, and launched, loaded with the prod- 
uce of the country. The boat was always 
well manned with experienced river men, and 
at the first rise of the stream would be cut 
loose and floated all the way to New Orleans. 
Uncle Jesse carried on this business, and as 
already stated, made several of these hazard- 
ous voyages, embarking on the Little Wa- 
bash, near Louisville, Clay Co., 111. In this 
way he accumulated quite a competency, but 
on one trip two of his boats sunk, which left 
him with an indebtedness of some $4,000 
over and above his ability to pay. He did 
not, however, take advantage of any bank- 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



73 



nipt or debtor's laws, but turned over every 
dollar's worth of property lie owned toward 
payment of this indebtedness. Nor did he 
rest here where men of even much reputed 
honesty would have halted. The gold fever 
of California had begun its ravages by this 
time, and Uncle Jesse, with his son Perry, 
started in penury in 1870, for the West. 
Here he was again successful, and in 1853 
returned to Louisville with several thousand 
dollars in gold, with which he paid off every 
cent of the indebtedness left upon his shoul- 
ders by the disaster upon the river. This 
was the crowning act of his life, and in it is 
found the true reflex of his character. It 
takes rank with any act of Aristides, the just, 
and only gives place to Walter Scott's typical 
discharge from indebtedness in point of 
amount. Again a poor man, he came to 
Efi&ngham, in 185-4, goingi behind the coun- 
ters of C. F. Falley, then a merchant of this 
place. After a few years' service for Mr. 
Falley, he became an employe of J. Mette, 
the principal merchant of this place at that 
time, with whom he continued for some six 
years. With his subsequent life our readers 
are familiar. He has held the office of 
County Treasurer for six terms, his death oc- 
curring while yet an incumbent of that office. 
While a resident of Clay County, he was 
similarly honored, being for many years a 
Justice of the Peace, and for twelve years its 
Sheriff. From his settlement in Clay Coun- 
ty, in 1831, he may be really called a resi- 
dent of this county, for his name is indissol- 
ubly connected with the important events of 
our county's history from his first advent in 
Clay. He was a laborer on the National road 
in 1832, and many a shovelful of dirt, now 
unrecognizable in its decaying grade, were 
thrown up by the hands of the deceased. 
His patriotism, too, was aever lacking when 
his country was imperiled. He raised a com- 



pany for the Mexican war, but the quota of 
our State being full, he was compelled to re- 
turn, and age only prevented him from bear- 
ing arms against the Southern confederacy. 
Such was the life to which that large con- 
course of citizens and impressive funeral 
pageant paid such marked tribute upon the 
W^ednesday when his remains were consigned 
to their last resting-place. The men who 
knew of and had be^n the recipients of his 
lavish liberality and favors crowded around 
and followed him to the grave. Perhaps no 
man's name has appeared oftener, and upon 
more paper as seciu'ity than that of Jesse B. 
Sun-ells, and no name has given that paper 
more evidences of value. In life, he bore an 
irreproachable character, was a man of un- 
compromising honor and sterling integrity, 
and in death he commanded that respect 
which these noble qualities inspire. With a 
life untarnished by a single breach of trust, 
either private or public, he will take his 
place in the Valhalla of America's honest 
pioneers among the noblest and the best. 

DR. WESLEY THOMPSON, horticultur- 
ist, Effingham, was born in Fort Wayne, 
Ind., June 30, 1845. He was educated at 
Asbury University, at Green Opstle, Ind., 
which he left in two years to enter the army. 
He began the study of medicine proper after 
leaving, when twenty years old, and read 
with Dr. J. H. Loughi-idge, of Rensselaer, 
Ind. , continuing three years, and afterward 
graduated in 1809, from the Miami Medical 
College. He came to Illinois in 1869, and 
located in Effingham, and bought out his 
brother, Henry Thompson, who was in the 
drug business, in which om- subject continued, 
in connection with his practice, for about four 
years. He removed to Lincoln, Neb., in 
1870, and remained until 1877, in the floral 
and commercial gardening business at Lin- 
coln. In 1877, he returned to Effingham, 



74 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



and engaged in the practice of medicine, in 
connection with his present business, having 
since 1880 given his attention to the orchard 
and garden. The orchard contains about 
fifty-two acres, and has between 3,500 and 
4,000 apple trees, which supplies the local 
market and are also shipped to St. Louis, 
Kansas City, Chicago and Indianapolis. He 
was married, in 1869, to Miss Mellie M. Lit- 
tle, daughter of S. Wj Little, of Lincoln, 
Neb. They have three children. Dr. Thomp- 
son' s father. Dr. John Thompson, wa«i born in 
Hull, England, where he served an appren- 
ticeship as druggist. He came to the United 
States and settled first at Catskill, N. Y. He 
was married in England, and was druggist 
and physician at Rensselaer, Ind., until his 
death, which occurred in 1870. Our subject 
enlisted in the Eighty-seventh Indiana Vol- 
unteer Infantry, Company A, in November, 
18(53, and served until the close of the war. 
He was detailed as Regimental Clerk in the 
headquarters of Col. Hammond, from July, 

1864, to the close of the war. He was in all 
of the principal engagements of the Atlanta 
campaign, and never sick or excused from 
duty for a day, and mustered out at Louis- 
ville, Ky. , |n August, 1865. 

BERNARD TRAYNOR, machinist, Effing- 
ham, was born in County Down, Ireland, 
June 11, 1837, and was raised in Belfast. 
At the age of sixteen, he went to Manchester, 
England, and entered Fairburn's great en- 
gine and machine shops, serving five years' 
apprenticeship as machinist. He returned to 
Killyleagh, Ireland, and worked at repairing 
machinery of the flax factory there until 

1865, when he came to the United States, 
landing in New York City in December. He 
went to Central Falls, R. I., where he worked 
for Gov. Spraguo as Superintendent of ma- 
chinery in the flax factories there for one 
year. He afterward worked at Philadelphia, 



Penn., and came to Chicago, 111., in 1867, 
and remained nine months. He was next 
employed at Ladoga, Ind. , and next at Vin- 
cennes, Ind. , whore he was employed in the 
foundry of Clark & Buck for three years as 
foreman. He was next in the Eagle foundry, 
at Terre Haute, Ind., about one year. He 
then entered the employ of the T., H. & I. R. 
R. Company, in 1872, remaining foui- years. 
In November, 1876, he came to Effingham, in 
the employ of the Vandalia road, and is now 
foreman of the machinery department. 

ANTHONY UNDERRINER, business 
manager of Miller's old stand, Effingham, 
was born in Perry County, Mo., March 3, 
1856. He came to Illinois when nine years 
of age and resided until 1869 at Sigel, Shel- 
by Co., 111. He came to Effingham in 1869, 
and spent about foiu- years in the public 
schools. In 1874, he entered a store at Si- 
gel, 111., as clerk, and spent one year there. 
In 1875, he returned to Effingham and en- 
tered the employ of John J. Miller & Co. as 
clerk and salesman in their dry goods store, 
and has been at the same stand for seven 
years. The business changed hands in 1879, 
and under the new firm he has been head 
clerk and business manager, having the entire 
charge of the purchase and sale of goods. 
The house employs from four to five salesmen, 
and does a large business in dry goods and 
notions. 

CORNELIUS A. VAN ALLEN, County 
Surveyor, Effingham, was born in Jefl'erson 
County, N. Y., September 20, 1837. He 
came West in 1855, having charge of a party 
of land examiners for the Illinois Central 
Railroad. There were eight Division Engi- 
neers, and each man had two chain carriers. 
Subject with two men made surveys and 
notes describing lands to prepare them for 
the market. He was emjiloyed in this work 
from Decatur to Cairo, and remained until 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOAVNSHIP. 



75 



all the railroad lands of the Central were ex- 
amined. He made his home with his brother 
here, who had the land office, selling Central 
lands. In the fall of 1856, he entered the 
employ of the Government as chief surveyor, 
making original survey of lands in Northern 
"Wisconsin for nearly a year, and returned in 
the fall of 1857, and laid out the town of 
Edgewood and Farina. In the fall of 1857, 
he made a visit home, and returned here in 
March, 1858, and located permanently and 
became Deputy Surveyor for Allen Howard 
until his term expired. He began farming in 
Bishop Township in the fall of 1858, and broke 
the first prairie farm in that township, continu- 
ing until the war broke out. He enlisted in 
the Fifty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
in October, 1861, and served until the spring 
of 1862, when he was wounded by the acci- 
dental explosion of a shell at Columbus, Ky., 
which made a compound fracture of limb, 
and he was discharged and returned home, 
and entered the employ of J. F. Waschefort, 
as foreman at the mill until the spring of 
1866, when he purchased an interest in a 
stock of goods with Judge Gillenwaters, and 
continued in the store here until he was 
elected County Surveyor of Effingham Coun- 
ty, in the fall of 1867, and closed out the 
mercantile interest as soon as expedient. He 
served as surveyor for a term of two years and 
laid out the town of Altamont in July, 1870, 
and took charge of the agency of Vandalia, 
and was the first agent of that road; also of 
the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad and the 
Wabash Railroad. He then traveled as Lost 
Car Agent for Evansville, Terre Haute & Chi- 
cago Railroad, for two years, and at the so- 
licitation of J. W. Conlogue, proprietor of 
Altamont, took his real estate interests there, 
and was shortly after appointed agent of the 
Paducah Railroad, which he held three and a 
half years. In the spring of 1S78, he was 



elected to re-survey Bishop Township, which 
he did during that summer, and in the fall 
surveyed St. Francis and Lucas Townships. 
In the fall of 1870, he was elected County 
Surveyor of Effingham. He was educated at 
Falley Seminary, at Fulton, N. Y., where he 
took an engineering course, which he com- 
pleted in March, 1855. He was married, 
September 23, 1858, to Miss Laura Sethman, 
of Teutopolis, 111. He has three children 
living and three dead. 

THOMAS G. VANDEVEER, physician 
and druggist, Effingham, was born in Orange 
County, Ind., September 21, 1834. He came 
West when in his ninth year with his par- 
ents, who settled in Clay County, 111. The 
father died the same year of his arrival, and 
the mother died about four years after set- 
tling in Clay County. Our subject went to 
live with a brother-in-law, Hartwig Samuel- 
son, who settled in Union Township, this 
county, about 1850. His brother-in-law was 
a millwi-ight and built a mill at Flensburg, 
and subject worked in the mill until 1853. 
He then came to Mason, 111. , and after some 
time as clerk in a store there, he began read- 
ing medicine, in August, 1853, with Dr. J. 
H. Robinson, of Mason, and, reading one 
year with him, then went to Louisville, Clay 
Co.,Ill.,where he read with Drs. Hull andBar- 
bre, until the fall of 1855. He also attended 
the session of 1855-56 in the Rush Medical 
College, Chicago, and practiced for six months 
in Georgetown, Clay Co., 111., vfhon he came 
to Mason, this county, in the 'fall of 1856, 
and practiced there till the fall of 1859, when 
he relinquished practice, and has since been 
almost continually in the drug business. In 
December, I860, he entered the Circuit 
Clerk's office as Deputy and brought the rec- 
ords from Ewington to Effingham. In 1862, 
he was for three months Surgeon under con- 
tract to Companies I and K, of the Seventy- 



76 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



first Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry. 
They were assigned to the dut}' of guarding 
Big Muddy Bridge, on the Illinois Central. 
In 1864, he entered the employ of R. Gil- 
bert, of Effingham, and remained until 1876 
as clerk in his drug store. In September, 
1877, he took charge of the present drug store 
for W. T. Paj)e, and has conducted the busi- 
ness for him since. Our subject married. 
May 3, 1865, Miss Martha Jackson, daughter 
of John Jackson, of this county, one of the 
early pioneers. The Doctor has always been 
a Democrat, and has been named for several 
county offices, and has served four years as 
Coroner of the county. 

EDWARD C. VAN HORN, carpenter and 
joiner, Effingham, is a native of Pennsylva- 
nia, born August 15, 1832, son of W. D. and 
Lydia (Griswold) Van Horn; he, born in 
Bradford County, Penn., December 27, 1803, 
is a carpenter and joiner in Ottawa County, 
Ohio; she died in Huron County, Ohio, in 
1846. Our subject is one of thirteen chil- 
dren, eight of whom were full brothers and 
sisters. He received his education in Huron 
County, Ohio, and learned the carpenter's 
trade when quite young, aud at the age of 
twenty, went to Michigan City, Ind. , from 
there to Galesburg, and afterward to Cairo, 
this State, and finally, to this county, where 
he was in the employ of the Illinois Central 
Railroad for one year, being engaged in 
building and repairing bridges. He was 
married, December 5, 1856, to Christina 
Statts, born in Wayne County, this State, in 
1837, daughter of Hiram and Jessie Statts. 
Mr. and Mrs. Van Horn have three children 
living — Lydia, Mollie and Edward. Our 
subject enlisted in the Thirty-fifth Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry, Company K, Capt. Dobbs ; 
was afterward made Sergeant and detailed to 
the Pioneer Corps. He was engaged in the 
battles of Perrj-ville, Stone River, Mission 



Ridge and Corinth, but was not under fire at 
the latter place. He came to this county after 
the war, and helped to lay out into lots a part 
of Bruffton, which name was changed to 
Effingham. He has erected some of the finest 
buildings in the latter city. He has held the 
offices of Alderman and Marshal ; is a temper- 
ance man and a highly respected citizen. He 
is an A., F. & A. M. , Effingham Lodge, No. 
149, and is also a member of the Grand Army 
of the Republic, Yates Post, No. 88. In 
politics, he is a Democrat. 

JOSEPH VENEMANN, merchant, Effing- 
ham, was born in Teutopolis, Effingham 
County, June 11, 1857. He began as clerk 
in Evansville,'Ind., at the age of thirteen, 
remaining two years and then returned to 
this county, aud lived on a farm for four 
years. He then went to St. Louis for one 
and one-half years, where he was engaged in 
a retail dry goods store, on Franklin avenue, 
in partnership with his brothers, August aud 
John. In the spring of 1881, August and 
Joseph sold out to John, and came to Effing- 
ham, and opened a store in the Dennis build- 
ing, on Jefferson street, where they have 
since conducted a good business in dry goods, 
notions and gents' furnishing goods. His 
father, Anthony Venemann, was a native of 
Germany; was born in the year 1812; was 
raised to the occupation of farming, and at 
the age of twenty-one he emigrated to the 
United States, settling at Cincinnati, Ohio, 
where he married Mary Bietenhorn, and came 
to this county about 1846. first locating on a 
farm in Watson Township, where they lived 
in a rail-pen until they could build a cabin. 
He remained on the farm and made improve- 
ments during three or four years, then moved 
to Teutopolis Township, where he farmed 
about three years, then moved to the village 
and started a dry goods and grocery store 
and continued in business until about 1871, 



EFFINdHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



77 



when he moved back to his original farm, 
which he owned until his death, a iine tract 
of 360 acres, about 140 acres of which was in 
cultivation. Ho died December 2, 1881. 
His wife died in the fall of 1864. He was a 
strong and influential Democrat. He had 
four sons and two daughters living at the 
time of his death, one having died since. 
Those living are Mary, Lizzie, John, August 
and Joseph. Anthony died May 7, 1882. 

AUGUST VENEMANN was born in Effing- 
ham County July 28, 1854. He received 
his early education in the neighborhood 
schools, and after having graduated at St. 
Joseph's College, at Teutopolis, he assisted 
his father about the farm for one year, after 
which he engaged, for two years, as clerk in 
Effingham. He returned to farming again, 
for seven years, or until 1880, when he en- 
tered the dry goods business at St. Louis, in 
company with his brother John, under the 
firm name of J. &. A. Venemann. They 
continued the business together for one year, 
when our subject sold his interest in the 
business to his brother John, and, returning 
to Effingham, there entered the dry goods 
business with his brother Joseph. He was 
married, October 2, 1882, to Miss Mary Wern- 
sing, formerly of Ohio. 

W. F. VICORY, lightning rods and pumps, 
Effingham, son of Anson and Hannah (Treat) 
Vicory. was born ia Springfield, Clark Co., 
Ohio, September 19, 1816, and is the second 
child of a family of seven children, all of 
whom are now living, with the exception of 
Herick, namesake of Gen. Herick, the re- 
nowned Indian fighter of that day, and Theo- 
dore, who was drowned at the age of six, and 
Elizabeth, formerly the wife of Hiram Mike- 
sell, a farmer. Levi resides in Arkansas, 
Hiram in Marshall County, Ind., and Joseph 
is a resident of Idaho. His parents on both 
sides were of English extraction, their grand- 



parents having emigrated to America in an 
early day and settle'd in Vermont. The fa- 
ther of our subject was a millwright by trade, 
and having removed to or near Saratoga, N. 
Y., was there married, it is supposed, at a 
date not known. Soon after the war of 1812 
or 1813, he removed to Ohio, where our sub- 
ject was born. Here he followed his occupa- 
tion, building mills all through that State 
and Indiana up to the time of his death, 
about 1852 or 1858; previous to his death, 
he removed from Ohio to La Porte, Ind. Mr. 
Vicory was educated in the common schools 
of Ohio and Indiana, after which he learned 
the millwright trade with his father and 
worked with him up to the time he was thirty- 
four years of age. In 1850, he removed to 
Effingham County, 111., where, in 1851, he 
was married to Miss Cynthia Glazner, of 
Cumberland County, 111. By this union they 
have had seven children, as follows: Mary, 
Frank, George, Jesse, Freeman, Evie and 
Ettie. Mr. Vicory's father and mother were 
natives of Ohio. Her father is deceased, her 
mother is still living. Our subject's great- 
grandfather had fifteen boys who all grew up 
to manhood and scattered all through the 
United States, the yovingest of which was our 
subject's grandfather, who served through the 
Revolutionary war, and during his lifetime 
his house was a favorite resort for the old 
Revolutionary soldiers. During his life he 
predicted the great war of the rebellion. 

BERNARD VOGT, shoe store and custom 
shop, Effingham, was born in Douglas Town- 
rthip, this county, June 10, 1843. At the 
age of eighteen, he began to learn shoe-mak- 
ing with B. Hodebecke, serving two years' 
apprenticeship, and afterwai-d worked about 
six years as a joui'neyman. He started a 
shop for himself here about 180S, and has 
continued ever since, and for the last seven 
voai's has conducted a shoe store in connec- 



78 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



tion with the shop, on Jefferson street. Mr. 
Vogt employs three men in the custom depart- 
ment, and carries a full stock of boots and 
shoes. He was married, in 1867, to Miss 
Lizzie Feldhake. They have seven children 
living. Our subject's father, Barney Vogt, 
was born in Germany, and came to Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, when a young man, and was mar- 
ried to Miss Mary Brown, by whom he had 
nine children. He settled on a farm in Doug- 
las Township about 1840. 

GODFREY F. VOLKMAN, saloon, Effing- 
ham, was born in Utica, N. Y, , April 5, 
1846. His father' s name was John M. Volk- 
man. He was born in Bavaria, Germany, ia 
1816. His occupation was that of farming. 
His mother's name was Margaret Looer, 
born in the same place in Germany. She is 
still living; they had twelve children. Our 
subject was educated in Chicago. He was 
married, in 1867, to Miss Sofa Werndroff; 
they have four children by the union, she 
having died. He was married a second time, 
in 1875, to Mrs. Mary Bering; by this union 
they have had four children. He was a mem- 
ber of Battery B, First Illinois Artillery; 
during his service, he participated in twenty- 
nine battles, among some of which was Stone 
River, Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, 
Mission Ridge, Ringgold, Resaca, New 
Hope Church, Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, 
Jonesboro, Columbia, Franklin, Chattahoo- 
chie and others. He was wounded at Chicka- 
mauga an I again at Resaca, both times in 
the same leg. On arriving in this country, 
his father settled in Utica, N. Y., where he 
was married. -He removed to McHenry , 
County, 111., where he remained one year; j 
from there he went to Chicago. His children 
were Conrad, Chai'les, Annie, Emma, Lizzie, ; 
Frank, Peter, Maggie and Mary. Annie mar- I 
ried John Giesler, a resident of Shelby 
County, 111. ; Emma, wife of J. Folk, resides 



in Shelby County also; Lizzie, wife of John 
Shultice, resides at Streator, 111. 

FRA.NCIS A. VON GASSY, banker, 
Effingham, was born in St. Petersburg^, 
Russia, October 4, 1833, son of Alexander 
N. Von Gassy, also a native of Russia. Oar 
subject received his education in the Univer- 
sity of Berlin, Prussia, which he left when 
twenty-one years of age, and afterward trav- 
eled extensively in Europe and Asia, making 
a tour through Italy, Greece and Turkey for 
observation. He came to the United States 
in 1856, and was married, January 10, 1865, 
to Lucy I. Catterlin, a native of Frankfort, 
Ind. In 1860, our subject joined the army, 
and was in the Western Division under Gen. 
Grant. He was mustered out in 1865 and 
received a civil appointment in the "N^ar De- 
partment. He came to Effingham in 1869, 
and established a grocery-store. In 1876, he 
established the Effingham Bank, of which he 
is the sole proprietor, and which has since 
been conducted with good success, and in 
which business he is at present engaged. He 
is a Protestant in religion, and in politics is 
a Democrat. 

SIDNEY B. WADE, agent Vandalia Rail- 
road, Effingham, was born in Jasper County, 
111., March 11, 1841. He spent the first 
twenty years of his life in Jasper County, in 
the town of Newton, where he received a 
public school education. At eighteen, he be- 
came part owner of a local Republican paper, 
published at Newton, called the Western Star, 
which he ran during 1859 and 1860. He 
enlisted, in April, 1861, in the Twenty-first 
Regiment Volunteer Infanti-y, and went into 
camp at Mattoon, 111., under Col. Good, of 
Decatur. On the 11th day of June, 1861, 
the regiment, 1,000 strong, re- enlisted for 
three years, retaining the old number, Twen- 
ty-fijTst. Subject was a member of Company 
K. and the regiment went into service under 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



79 



Col. U. S. Grant, and saw service in Mis- 
souri; was in the battle of Fredericktown, 
Mo., and marched into Arkansas under Gen. 
Steele, to Jacksonport, Ark. , and were or- 
dered back by forced marches, to Cape Girar- 
deau, Mo., where they took boat to Pittsburg 
Landing, where they joined Gen. Jeff C Da- 
vis, and were under his command from that 
time forth, and were in the siege of Corinth. 
They went into camp at Jacinto, Miss. , crossed 
the river at luka, and were on the Bragg raid 
in Kentucky and at the battle of Perryville, 
Ky. , when they went to Nashville, Tenn. , 
when the Army of the Cumberland was 
formed, and the Twenty-first did service at 
Stone River, Chickaiuauga and all of the 
principal battles of the Atlanta campaign, 
including the siege of Atlanta and Jones- 
boro. and returned to Nashville to intercept 
Hood and fought desperately at Franklin, 
Tenn, and the battle of Nashville, after which 
they were transferred to Texas, via of New 
Orleans, and received their first muster-out 
papers in December, 1S65, and were finally 
mustered out at Springfield. 111., in Febru- 
ary, 1866, having served four years and eight 
months. Of the original members of Com- 
pany K, about twenty men were mustered 
out at the close of the war. After his return, 
Mr. Wade located at Newton, 111., and for 
six months published the Jasper County 
Union, and then went to Mt. Carmel, 111., 
and revived the Mt. Carmel Register, which 
he ran a short time, five months, when he 
sold out and became a compositor on various 
papers in St. Louis during 1869 and 1870. 
In January, 1871, he came to Effingham. 111., 
and entered the employ of the Vandalia Rail- 
road, then recently opened. He first became 
clerk in the freight and ticket office. He be- 
came agent at Altamont in 1874, and con- 
ducted that office about three years. In Au- 
gust, 1877, he became freight and ticket 



agent at Effingham, where he has since con- 
tinued. Mr. Wade was married, September 
27, 1869, to Sarah E. Fleming, of Effingham, 
by whom he has a son and daughter. His 
father, Hiram Wade, was born in Kentucky, 
and came to Indiana in 1816, and in the fall 
of the same year to Illinois, and settled first 
in Lawrence County, 111. , where he lived for 
some years and served as Sheriff of Law- 
rence, and came to Jasper County, 111. , when 
the Cherokee Indians still lived there. He 
was Circuit and County Clerk of Jasper 
County for sixteen years, and held the office 
of Circuit ("Jlerk in all twenty years. He 
died in March. 1861. He was a Republican, 
and was elected the last time as a Republican 
in a strong Democratic County; had twelve 
children; his wife's maiden name was Lucin- 
da Neal. a native of Maryland. Of their 
twelve childi'en but three eons are living, all 
of whom served in the army. 

THOMAS C. WADE, traveling salesman, 
Effingham, was born in Perry County, Oliio, 
near Somerset, March 27, 1S51, and was 
raised on a farm. At the age of twenty, he 
became clerk in a retail grocery store at Som- 
erset, Ohio, remaining in that capacity for a 
year. In 1872, he came to Effingham, and 
opened a grocery store of his own, and con- 
ducted it three years. He was agent of the 
Adams Express Company here during the 
last two years (1874 and 1875). He sold out 
his stock of groceries in January, 1876, and 
engaged his services to Hulman & Co., whole- 
sale grocers, Terra Haute, Ind., as traveling 
salesman, and has been with that house ever 
since, its present name being H. Hulman. 
He represents the interests of his house in 
Southern Illinois. He is a Democrat and 
exerts a strong influence in his party. He 
was married, in August, 1874, to Miss Lin- 
nie Moller, Effingham. 

BERNARD H. WERNSING. County 
Treasurer, Effingham, was born in Cincin- 



80 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



nati, Ohio, May 6, 1840. He came with 
his parents to this county in 1850, and set- 
tled in St. Francis Township, near Teutopo- 
lis. In 1851, he was sent back to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, to school, where he spent about four and 
a half years in the St. Francis College, grad- 
uating in the fall of 1855. He began teach- 
ing in 1856 in the Effingham town schools, 
which only had one department, and was held 
in a log schoolhouse, and his compensation 
was $25 per month. He taught four months 
here, when he took a school in Bishop Town- 
ships, where he taught for three years in suc- 
cession, and, after teaching one term in Teu- 
topolis, he began farming in St. Fi'ancis 
Township, and continued until the fall of 
1879, when he was elected County Treasurer 
of Effingham County, and is serving his third 
yeai', and was renominated for a term of 
four years by the Democratic Primary of 
1882. In his township, he has held important 
offices of trust, being Supervisor for twelve 
years and Chairman of the board. He has 
always been a Democrat in politics. He was 
married first to Mary A. Vogt, in May, 1859, 
and had seven childi-en, all living. His 
wife died in June, 1876. He remarried, in 
May, 1881, to Elizabeth B. Miller, of this 
county. Our subject's father, John H. Wern- 
sing, was born in Hanover, Germany, about 
1803; was a farmer in Hanover, and married 
Elizabeth Huckmann, of Hanover, and came 
to the United States in 183U, with his family 
of four sons and two daughters — John Henry, 
Jr., Frederick, Herman, Kate (now Mrs. 
Henry Eggerman, of Teutopolis), Theresia 
(deceased, was the wife of Henry Hatrup, of 
Teutopolis), and our subject, who was the only 
one born in Cincinnati, Ohio, where his father 
settled in 1839, and was engineer in a foun- 
dry there till 1850, when he moved to this 
county, where he resided until his death,which 
occurred February 25, 1876. 



JOHN C. WHITE, attorney, Effingham, 
was born near Forestville, Wake Co., N. C, 
May 21, 1846 His father moved from there 
to Brownsville, Tenn. , when subject was five 
or six years old, and lived there with his 
family about two years, and from there re- 
moved to Illinois, and, in 1855, settled per- 
manently at Greenville, 111., and has lived 
there almost continuously ever since. Our 
subject grew up in Greenville and attended 
a private school taught by S. W. Marston, 
and also recited in class in Elmira College, 
then presided over by his father. He en- 
tered the Model Department of the State 
University, at Normal, 111., in 1863, for a 
year, and the following year entered the Pre- 
paratory Department of Chicago University, 
and, in the fall of 1865, he entered Shurtlefif 
College, at Ujaper Alton, 111., and at the end 
of his junior year entered the Bro^vn Uni- 
versity, at Providence, B. I. , from which he 
graduated in 1869 He came back to St. 
Louis, Mo. , and read law with Judge Samuel 
Eeber, of St. Louis, until February, 1871, 
when he came to Effingham and read law 
with J. N. Gwin and W. B. Cooper for a 
time, and was admitted to the bar in Janu- 
ary, 1872, forming a partnership with E. N. 
Rhinehart, which continued until August, 
1873, when he formed his present partnership 
with Judge Gilmore. In addition to profes- 
sional labors, Mr. White devotes considerable 
attention to the breeding of fine cattle. He 
married Miss Nellie J., daughter of Rev. Al- 
fred Bliss, of Fillmore Township, Montgom- 
ery Co., 111., on August 25, 1875. They 
have two childi-en — Bliss and Nellie K. 

BYROM WHITFIELD, Deputy County 
Clerk, Effingham, was born in Nash County, 
N. C, July 30, 1850. He came with his 
parents to Effingham in 1856, and has lived 
here ever since. He entered the drug store 
of Dr. McCoy, at the age of sixteen, and was 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



81 



clerk in that business until 1876, excepting one 
year, in whicli he was in the hardware trade. 
He entered the County Clerk's office as Dep- 
uty in JIarch, 1870, and has served in that 
office ever since, under Collector Filler, and 
has served one term as City Treasurer, serv- 
ing from 1879 to 1881. His father, Archi- 
bald F., was a native of North Carolina, and in 
early manhood learned the trade of carpenter 
and builder, which he followed until he came 
here, in 1856, when he engaged in cabinet- 
makinor and showed remarkable skill at his 
trade, at which,he worked until about 1878, 
■when he was taken ill and died in March, 
1881. in his fifty-eighth year. Our subject 
is his only child. 

VIRGIL WOOD, attorney at law, Effingham 
City, was born in Susquehanna County, Penn., 
April 10, 1836. He was educated in the com- 
mon schools and the Susquehanna County 
Academy, and, at the age of twenty-seven, he 
began reading law in his native county. In 
1864, he went to Grant County, Wis., where 
he taught in the public schools and was for 
two years Principal of one in Plattsville, 
Wis., graded school, and continued his law 
studies at intervals there, and came to Effing- 
ham in July, 1867, and read with his brother 
one year, being admitted to the bar here in 
the fall of 1868, and has since been in active 
practice of his profession. He was associated 
with his brother and W. H. Barlow until De- 
cember, 1875, since which the firm has been 
Wood Bros. 

BENSON WOOD, Mayor and attorney at 
law, Effingham City, was born in Susquehan- 
na County, Penn.. March 31, 1839. He re- 
ceived a common school and academic educa- 
tion in his native State. He came alone to 
Illinois in 1859, and located in Lee County, 
in the town of Franklin Grove, where he 
taught in the public schools for two years. 
In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Thirty- 



fourth Illinois Infantry, and served in the 
j\j-my of the Cumberland until February, 1803. 
He entered as First Lieutenant of Company 
C and was promoted to the rank of Captain, 
April 7, 1862. He was at Shiloh, the siege of 
Corinth, Stone River and other minor engage- 
ments. He resigned, in February, 1863, on 
account of ill health, and, in the summer of 
1863, entered the Chicago Law School, from 
which he graduated in June, 1864, and locat- 
ed at Effingham in July following, where he 
has since been in active practice. He was 
elected to the Legislature in 1872 from the 
Thii-ty-third Senatorial District. He was 
elected Mayor of Effingham in 1881, for two 
years. He has always been a Republican in 
politics. 

A. J. WORMAN, real estate, Effingham, 
was born May 23, 1857, son of John J. and 
Mary (Budeed) Worman, he born in Germany 
in 1827, and she in Holland. They had 
seven children. At the age of seventeen 
years, our subject went to St. Louis, Mo., 
where he worked at type-setting for one year 
in a stamp factory, and the following two 
years was engaged as collector for R. Booth, 
a picture dealer of that city. In 1877. he 
returned to Effingham and accepted a position 
as Assistant Circuit Clerk under W. C. Le 
Crone. He afterward formed a partnership 
with A. W. Le Crone, and the firm is now en- 
craeed in the real estate business. Our sub- 
ject's familiarity with the records of the 
county courts give him great fitness for the 
business in which he is at present engaged 
He was married, in St. Loais, Mo., March 8, 
1875, to Miss Frances Kemph, bom in Indi- 
ana December 18, 1854, daughter of George 
and Elizabeth Kemph. Mr. and Mrs. Wor- 
man have three children — Lorina Regina, 
Anna Frances and Clara Constance. Our 
subject is a member of the Catholic Church, 
and in politics is a Democrat. 



83 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



HENKY H. WRIGHT, farmer. P. O. 
Effingham, was born in Wayne County, 111., 
in September, 1823; moved to St. Louis, Mo., 
in 1828, and lived there a year. His parents 
came to this county in the fall of 1834. 
They brought three ox-teams and seven ox- 
carts. His father had made a visit previous 
to coming, and made arrangements to come 
hero and board hands working on the Na- 
tional road. He therefore brought seven 
head of horses, three yoke of oxen and seven 
head of beef cattle and provisions. In the 
spring of 1835, our subject and his brother 
George went to Wayne County for the rest 
of the cattle and a di-ove of sheep. They 
had one horse, and night came on and they 
found no house till after dark, so subject be- 
came very much frightened by the howling of 
wolves. They finally reached a cabin in the 
woods, where a girl, about fourteen years of 
age, was alone, and they put the sheep in a 
pen around the house and the dogs kept the 
wolves away till morning. On their way 
home through Clark County, they saw ou a 
mound and counted sixty deer playing. 
They stopped work on the National road for 
a time, in the fall of 1835, and his father di- 
vided out the stock of provisions, and lost 
heavily from book accounts on account of 
people moving away. The Government au- 
thorities condemned the sandstone abutments 
at Ewington, and about 1835, and his father 
secured the stone in them and built the foun- 
dation for his house. Our subject went to 
school in a log cabin in Ewington, to Thomas 
M. Loy, his brother-in-law. A school had 
been taught before by Mr. Gillespie, a rela- 
tive of Loy's. Subject next went to school 
one mile north of Ewington, to Dr. Newton 
Tarrant, and next in the old log court house 
at Ewington. At about the age of fourteen, 
subject was sworn in as mail-carrier from 
Vandalia to Palestine, 111. He received $12 



per month, and was found everything. It 
was 100 miles and he made a round trip per 
week, having about twelve offices on the 
route, and he traveled on horseback. An ex- 
press was run in addition to mail. Between 
New York and St. Louis, there was a " sys- 
tem," and the stations were about ten miles 
apart. Riders approaching would blow a 
horn, and the next one would be ready, 
mounted and would take the little bag, and 
they would ride swiftly enough to make ten 
miles an hour. After this, a telegraph line 
was put up and was in operation about two 
years. Our subject carried mail about four 
months to Palestine, and next he carried for 
six months from Ganowag's to Vandalia, and 
also had another trip to Woodbury. He was 
the first time employed by Mi*. B. Whitfield, 
and went by Widow Cavanaugh's, who lived 
beyond Greenup. He next carried from Ew- 
ington to Greenville for most of the time for 
four years, under contract of his brother 
George, and while not on the road attended 
the horse-mill owned by his mother, and 
worked on the farm. He was married, June 
9, 1844, to Miss Susan Selock, a sister of 
Mrs. John Funk and Mrs. William T. Myers 
and several others. After marriage, our sub- 
ject settled in Watson Township, on land 
owned by Mr. Hill, then called " Water Oak 
Grove. " He bought a small improvement of 
John McCann, and lived there but one sea- 
son, when, at the request of his mother, he 
came back to Ewington, where his wife took 
sick and lost her arm. He took charge of a 
hotel and small farm about one season, when 
he bought an improvement near Shumway, 
and after having been there a time, he again 
went back to Ewington, and lived there as a 
hotel-keeper and merchant until the county 
seat was moved. He carried the chain with 
Mr. Lacy when his brother surveyed and laid 
out Effingham, and built a house here before 



EFFINGHAM CITY AND DOUGLAS TOWNSHIP. 



83 



the war, where Debold Smith lives. He 
started for Pike's Peak in iSo'J, but met so 
many returning that he did not reach his 
destination. He returned to farm on Bine 
Point, and enlisted, in August, 1861, for 
three years, and his became one of the first 
veteran regiments in 1863. He enlisted in 
the Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
and belonged to the Army of the Tennessee. 
He fought at New Madrid, Island No. 10, 
Corinth, Vicksburg, siege of Jackson, Miss., 
Mission Ridge (where a shell cut the oil 
cloth on his back and cut a man just back of 
him), and Atlanta, (ia. (lasting three weeks), 
Kenesaw Mountain, Jonesboro and on the 
march to the sea and last battle at Golds- 
boro, N. C. He was mustered out in Sep- 
tember, 1865, at Springfield. He began 
making brick and has run saw-mill and store 
and farm. He was proprieter of the Flem- 
ing House, Effingham, and opened the first 
hotel in Altamont, where he remained about 
two years and again to Fleming House, and 
afterward to Newton, and retui'ned to Effing- 
ham and kept the City Hotel. In April, 
1882, he bought .'his present place, near 
Effingham, where he is now engaged in farm- 
ing. Mr. Wright had five children by his 
first marriage; two only are living — William 
H. and Samuel H. ; others died in infancy. 
He married, the second time, Mary J. Bates, 
of this county. He had ten children by his 
last marriage; five are living — Hattie J., 
Henrietta V., Gussie, Evaline, Charles 
Beecher, Olola Maud; others died in in- 
fancy. 

WILLIAM WRIGHT, real estate, Effing. 
ham, was born in Wayne County, 111., June 
1-t, 1831. He came with his parents to this 
county late in 183-4. His father, Jonathan 
Wright, was a native of New Jersey, and 
was a bricklayer by trade. He came to St. 
Louis, Mo., as early a."? 1819, and while work 



ing there selected a site in Wayne County, 
111., and brought his family in 1821. Two 
of his brothers also came by flat-boat from 
Pittsburg, Ponn., to Shawneetovvn, 111., and 
settled three miles from Fairfield, 111. The 
father lived there until 1834, except one or 
two years' residence in St. Louis. He died 
in 1835. He fell with a scaffold while erect- 
ing the old State House, at Vandalia, 111. 
He left four sons and five daughters, of whom 
five are still living. George, the oldest son, 
died in July, 1870. He had been County 
Surveyor of Effingham Coimty for some years. 
Henry H. is a farmer in this county (see 
sketch); William C, subject; Mary A. Flem- 
ing, see sketch; Susan (deceased), was the 
wife of Thomas Loy; Sarah, wife of Mr. 
Burke, of Georgetown, 111.; Helen A., wife 
of Col. Funkhouser; Hutchinson, died in New 
Jersey in his second year, and Emma A., died 
at seven years of age. Our subject, the third 
son of the family, received his education in 
a log schoolhouse at Ewington, and worked 
on the farm in the meantime. He was mar. 
I ried, in 1855, to Jemima Rinehart, and has 
j five sons living of that marriage. He began 
, farming in Summit Township, and became 
by purchase of other heirs owner of his fa- 
ther's homestead, which he farmed for ten 
years. He came to Effingham in the spring 
of 1865, and has since been engaged in the 
real estate business, selling both farm and 
town property on commission and for him- 
self. He received, on November 15, 1877, 
the appointment of Postmaster at Effingham, 
by President Hayes, and held the office four 
years and two months. His first wife died 
January 2, 1871, and he was married the sec- 
ond time, August 23, 1873, to T»Irs. Maggie 
A. Blair, of Gluey, 111. He had two childi-en 
by his last marriage — one son and one daugh- 
ter. Mr. Wright is President of the Effing- 
ham County Agricultural Fair. 



84 



BIOGBAPHICAL: 



WILLIAM HARRISON WRIGHT, liv- 
eryman, Effingham, was born in Ewington, 
this cotinty, January 5, 1847, eldest, son of 
Henry H. Wright. Our subject lived in Ew- 
ington until 1857. He started out from 
home when twelve years old, and lived at the 
hotel here in Effingham, with his uncle, un- 
til the war broke out. In 1862, he went to 
Hannibal, Mo. , and for a short time peddled 
goods among the soldiers. In the spring of 
1863, he went to Scottsboro, Ala., where he 
fell in with the Fifteenth Army Corps of 
Sherman's Army, and sold notions and re- 
freshments to soldiers. He followed Sher- 
man's Army until after the battle of Resaca, 
Ga. , where he was struck by a bursting shell 
and thi'own fifteen feet, but received no per 
manent injury. He was sent back with the 
wounded, but went soon after to Stevenson, 
Ala. , where he found employment in a rail- 
road eating-house for two months, when he 
went to Nashville, Tenn., where he was mes- 
senger boy at the headquarters of Capt. Bru- 
mer, who was in charge of Corrals, and re- 
mained there for a few months. After a 
visit home, he returned to Nashville, Tenn., 
and drove a team there a short time for the 
Government until he was promoted to the po- 
sition of wagonmaster of a train of twenty- 
five wagons, running from Nashville to the 
cavalry post east of that city. He held that 
position until the close of the war, and during 
this period bought and sold horses, and at the 
close of the war bought Government horses 
and drove them North. On his arrival home, 
he engaged in the manufacture of brick with 
his father, and made the brick for the M. E. 
Church, of Effingham. He engaged in the 
livery business in the spring of 1866, in 
partnership with S. J. Fleming, and contin- 
ued with him. under the firm name of Flem- 
ing & Wright, about six years, when he dis- 
solved his partnership, and since 1872 has 



built and owned three stables, and during the 
same period has bought from six to ten car- 
loads of horses and mules per year, princi- 
pally for the Southern markets. He was also 
interested in the handling and training of 
several trotters, and figured in every county 
trot since the establishment of the Effingham 
County Agricultural Society. His horses 
have met with uniform success in these races. 
His present stable is located on Banker 
street, where he conducts a general livery, 
sale and trading business, dealing in all kinds 
of live stock. He was married, in July, 1868, 
to Miss Emma McPherson, who died in 1875, 
leaving four children — Mabel M., Albert L., 
Samuel H. and William W. He remarried, 
May 27, 1878, Miss Lizzie Mitchell. 

WILLIAM B. WRIGHT, attorney at law, 
Effingham, was born in Ewington, 111., June 
7, 1860. In 1865, his parents moved to 
Effingham, wliere our subject was educated 
in the public schools. At the age of sixteen, 
he went to McLennan County, Texas, where 
he was engaged in farming and cattle-herd- 
ing for three years. He retiu'ned home in 
1879, and spent one year in the high school 
here, and, in June, 1880, he went to Valpa- 
raiso, Ind. , where he began the study of law, 
entering the Law Department of the North- 
ern Indiana Normal School, from which he 
graduated in spring of 1882. In May of the 
same year was admitted to the bar, in the 
State of Indiana, and, in August, 1882, was 
admitted to practice in the courts of Illinois, 
forming a partnership with Mr. Loy in Jime, 
1882. During the summer vacation of 1881, 
he studied law with Benson Wood of this 
place. 

JOSEPH ZANDER, shoe-maker, Effing- 
ham, is a native of Germany, born Decem- 
ber 5, 1835, son of John and Mary (Copen- 
hagen) Zander, natives of the same country. 
They were farmers and the parents of five 



MOUXD TOWNSHIP. 



85 



children. Oiir subject received his schooling 
in his native country, where he also learned 
his trade. He came to the United States in 
1866, landing in New York. He came to 
Kankakee, 111., and after a residence there of 
four years, he came to Effingham, and worked 
at his trado. He was married, November 7, 
1871, to Miss Louisa Esh, born in Germany 
May 28, 1850, daughter of Joe and Dorothea 
(Garling) Esh, natives also of Germany. Mr. 



and Mrs. Zander have had five children, 
four of whom are living — Emilia, born Oc- 
tober 12, 1872; Samuel, August 21, 1874; 
August, January 1, 1879, and Herman, May 
9, 1S82. Our subject opened a shop on Main 
street in 1878, where he turns out first 
class work, guaranteeing a good fit and satis- 
faction. He is a member of the Lutheran 
Church and in political afi"airs he votes for 
the best men. 



MOUND T 

WILLIAM BLAKELY, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, was bom in Knox County, Ohio, 
August 5, 1836, to William and Sarah 
(Grubb) Blakely. Father was born in 
Washington County, Penn., January 22, 
1805, was taken to Knox County, Ohio, by 
his parents when quite young. Here he was 
educated and raised on a farm. Arriving at 
his majority, he mari'ied. on April 3, 1828, 
and engaged in agricultural pursuits, at 
which he continued until he died, which oc- 
curred August 28, 187S. He was a son of 
Francis Blakely, a native of Pennsylvania, 
and a soldier in the war of 1812. The 
mother of our subject was born in Rocking- 
ham County, Va., November 10, 1807, and ia 
now residing with her children; is now in 
Knox County, Ohio, where most of her chil- 
dren are living; she, however, spends a por- 
tion of her time with our subject. She is 
a daughter of Daniel Grubb, a native of 
Rockingham County, Va., and a soldier in 
the war of 1812. The parents of our subject 
had twelve children, eight boys and four 
girls, of whom four boys and two girls are 
living — Mrs. Nancy J. Horn, bom in 1831, 
October 28, of Knox County, Ohio; subject; 
Mrs. Christian Waddell, January 24, 1840, 
of Huron Connty, Ohio; George W., born 



OWNSHIR 

November 18, 1841, Knox County; Hem-yH., 
January 18, 1844, is in Rice County. Kan. ; 
Elcaneh F., born November 15, 1845, of 
Knox; John, born May 26, 1833, came to 
Effingham County in about 1860, and re- 
mained here until 1874, when he removed to 
Phillips County, Kan., and, in 1882, to 
Florida to improve his health, but died at 
Pea Ridge, Ark., his death occurring Jime 
21, 1882. William, our subject, spent his 
early life at home, receiving such an 
education as the common schools and acad- 
emy of Knox County, Ohio, afforded, and 
assisting in tilling the soil of his fath- 
er's farm. When he was about twenty-one 
years of age, he left home and embarked 
on his career in life as a fai'mer in his 
native county. In the spring of 1858, he re- 
moved to Clark County, where he remained 
until November, 1863, when he with his fam- 
ily di'ove across the country, three teams and 
wagons, containing his family and earthly 
possessions, to the then far West. He, hear- 
ing of the opportunities a poor man had of 
obtaining a home in the West, was induced 
to try his luck. He remained with his 
brother that winter, and the following spring 
located on his present farm, where he has 
since remained actively engaged in farming. 



BIOGBAPHICAL: 



When he came his farm was unimproved, a 
body of open prairie. Upon his farm he now 
has a large and commodious house and barn, 
and its general surroundings speak of its 
owner being a practical farmer. He bought 
when he came 160 acres, and now owns 200 
of prairie and 10 of timber. In October, 
1857, in Knox County, he married Miss Su- 
san "Wohlford, a native of Knox County, 
Ohio; she is the mother of six childi'en, viz., 
Emma (Albert) Zimmerman; Celesta J., 
Sarah C, Charles F., Ada A. and John H. 
He has held the offices of Koad Commission- 
er, Supervisor for one term, School Treasurer 
for five or six years. School Trustee, and is 
now School Director. Himself and family 
are members of the M. E. Church at Alta- 
mont, and a Trustee of the same. He held 
the leadership of the same for fifteen years, 
and has been a liberal contributer to school, 
church and charitable purposes. Politically, 
his sympathies are with the Republican par- 
ty. His two brothers, George and Hemy, 
enlisted in the Eighty-second Ohio, Company 
F, and the former, serving six months, was 
discharged on account of his health, and 
Henry served four .years; was with Sherman 
on his march through the South. Neither 
was wounded. Henry was once knocked 
down by a ball striking his buckle on the 
belt. Ml-. Blakely comm'enced life a poor 
man, and, by his studied economy and busi- 
ness habits, he has succeeded in accumulating 
a good property which he is now surrounded 
with. 

DANIEL BOYER, retired, P. O. Alta- 
mont, was born in Alleghany Count}', Md., 
near the Virginia line, November 10, 1814. 
He was raised on a farm until the age of 
eighteen. He went to driving a stage on the 
old National road, between Cumberland and 
Uniontown, Penn., and continued for ten 
years. He then drove wagon for four years, 



principally between Cumberland and Wheel- 
ing, 131 miles, which took eighteen days for a 
round trip. He emigrated to Morgan County, 
Ohio, in 1853, where he bought a farm and 
lived on it until July, 1865, and his labors 
were attended with good success. He landed 
in'Eifingham July 24, 1865, where he kept a 
grocery until March, 1866. March 15, 1866, 
he came to old Freemanton, where he en- 
gaged in a general merchandise business, and 
became one of the largest dealers in that 
jilace, until 1872, when he came to Altamont. 
He brought the first 1,000 feet of lumber 
ever brought here, put up a platform on the 
Vandalia road and began buying and ship- 
ping grain, loading into ears as fast as it 
came in. He had his present grain house up 
by September, and at once put up a little 
plank house, where Reis now is, and sold 
goods in it until the spring of 1872, by 
which time he had storeroom completed ad- 
jacent to the present Boyer House. He 
closed his business in Freemanton in 1872, 
and the same year had warehouse, lumber 
yard and store at the same time. He also 
bought hogs largely in Altamont. He con- 
tinued merchandising until February, 1878. 
He built the first hotel here, in the winter of 
1872, and afterward remodeled it, and it be- 
came the Boyer House in 1878. It has thir- 
ty-two bedrooms, double parlors, two sample- 
rooms on first floor, with office, etc. , etc. He 
built and bought about eight houses in the 
town. He moved to his present farm August 
1, 1880, which he has improved and adorned 
with a substantial and beautiful residence. 
He is a RejDublican in politics, but has sought 
no office. He married, in Mercer County, 
Penn., in 1838, Rachel White, and has one 
daughter — Lydia Ann, wife of John C. Rus- 
sell. His wife died in Effingham September 
18, 1865, and he was remarried, in 1866, to 
Mrs. Mary J. Rufty, of this county. 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



87 



THEODORE G. BOYER, photographer, 
Altamont, son of Joseph K. and Anna (Ca 
sey) Boyer, was born in Coshocton County, 
Ohio, August 21, 1849. He was brought by 
his parents to Warren County, 111., when 
seven years old. This was in 1856, and, in 
1861, he moved to Bartholomew County, Ind. , 
and, in 1SG2, he entered a photograph gal- 
lery in Columbus, Ind., to learn the business 
and remained there until 1863; he afterward 
worked as a general operator in different 
points in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, until 
1865, when he returned to Illinois, and also 
worked in Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, 
Louisiana, and Texas. In the fall of 1869, 
he located in Centralia, where he established 
a photograph gallery of his own, and run it 
for almost two years, when he removed to 
Vandalia, 111. , where he worked from 1871 to 
1876, and during that time established 
branch galleries at Eifinghara, Carbondale, 
Grand Tower and Ramsey. In 1876, he sold 
galleries and went on the road, and executed 
crayon and ink work for two years, princi- 
pally in Illinois and Indiana. September 1, 
1878, he came to Altamont, 111., and estab- 
lished his present gallery, on Main street, 
where he has every facility for doing every 
kind of artistic work, and makes a specialty 
of ink work. He was married, in 1871, to 
Miss Susie Lewis, of Centralia, 111. In poli- 
tics, he is a Democrat. He is serving as City 
Clerk of Altamont, and has held other ofSces. 

WILLIAM ALLEN BROOM, deceased, 
was born in Smith County, Tenn., in August, 
J 829, and was four weeks old when he came 
to this county. Schools were few and poor, 
and he went from two to two and one-half 
miles distant to a log subscription school. 
He gained what misht be called a fair com- 
mon-school education, and taught one of the 
early schools with good success, and taught 
about three terms. He started out for him- 



self on a farm, where he continued about 
three years. He then opened a store at Free- 
manton. He continued there for a time, 
when he bought a farm in Jackson Township, 
where he remained for some ten years, and 
has had good success. About 1865, his 
health broke down, and he removed to Mason 
Township, where he farmed until 1871. For 
seven years he ran a threshing machine, and 
this tended to break down his health. In 
1871, he came to Altamont and opened the 
first drug store of the place with Samuel Gil- 
more as partner. He continued about nine 
months in that business, the last six months 
alone, when he sold out drugs and engaged 
in the diy goods trade, with Boyer & Russell, 
for two years. Late in 1873, he opened a 
furnitiu'e store here, in which he coutin-jed 
until his death. May 29, 1882. In 1880, he 
bought the building where the business is 
continued by his son David E. It is 20x100 
feet in dimensions, and contains a large and 
varied stock of fm-niture. He married, in 
1853 or 1854, to Miss Nancy Bishop, of this 
county. Of this marriage there are nine 
childi'en living, three dead. Tho.se living 
are John E., conductor on the Vandalia 
road, at Effingham; Mary, wife of William 
Harris, engineer at Effingham; David E.; 
Ellery M.; Effie M., wife of Franklin Logue; 
Westcott J., Warren S., Charles A., Lewis 
H. William A. Broom was a member of the 
M. E. Chui-ch. David E. Broom was born in 
Jackson Township, this county, February 8, 
1859. He worked at various employments 
until 1880, when he became a fourth partner 
in the firm of William A. Broom & Son, and 
has since given his attention to the business. 
HIRAM H. BROWN, merchant, Alta- 
mont, was born in Columbus, Ohio, October 
6, 1836. He was educated at Central Col- 
lege, Franklin County, Ohio, and began 
teaching in that State. In 1857, he came to 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



this county and located at old Freemanton, 
wheie he taught a village school for two 
terms and clerked in a store for J. C. Dofe- 
baugh until the war broke out. He enlisted 
in the Fifth Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, in 
Sei^tember, 1861, and was First Lieutenant 
of Company L, having raised a portion of that 
company from this county. He was in sev- 
eral cavalry engagements at Doniphan, Mo., 
and Cotton Plant, and was in various skir- 
mishes. Subject was thrown from his horse 
at Smithville, Ai-k., June 27, 1862, and in- 
jured his spine, and did duty, though suffer- 
ing, until his discharge, in 1863, having lost 
flesh until almost a skeleton. After his re- 
turn and recovery of health, he engaged in 
farming for several years, and shortly after- 
ward formed a partnership with Boyer & 
Kussell, and conducted a store in Altamont, 
in 1871, and continued for about three 
months, when he sold out and opened a new 
stock of goods at Dexter, and condiicted 
business there for about nine months, when 
he traded his stock of goods for a farm. He 
came to Altamont and erected his present 
store, on Third street, in 1872, where he has 
conducted a general store for ten years. At 
the same time is interested in farming. He 
married, in 1S58. Miss Mary C. Defebaugh, 
of this county, daughter of John C. Defe- 
baugh, and has three children living. Mrs. 
Brown opened a millinery establishment here 
in 1872, and has now the oldest millinery 
house in town, enjoying a liberal patronage. 
EVAN L. BROWN, proprietor Boyer 
House, Altamont, was born in Knox County, 
Ohio, April 26, 1842. When he was eight years 
old, he removed with his parents to Richland 
County, Ohio, where he lived on a farm un- 
til about fifteen, when he moved to Radnor 
Township and lived there for about twelve 
years, and farmed 'on his father's estate. In 
the spring of'1863, he came to Illinois, and, 



in 1865, located in Effingham County, where 
he has since resided. He farmed in West 
Township antil 1875. He leased a hotel in 
Edgewood, 111., called the 3i"own's Hotel, 
which his father had kept previously. He 
ran this house about four years. In Octo- 
ber, 1880, he leased the Boyer House, of Al- 
tamont, for three years, and has run it with 
good success. It is a thi-ee- story frame, near 
Union Depot of the Vandalia and O. & M . 
Railroads, and contains thirty-two rooms, 
with double parlors, sample room, etc. Our 
subject was man-ied to Miss Martha King, 
of this county. She was born in Knox 
County, Ohio. 

LEVI BUTLER, banker, Altamont, son of 
Levi and Julia A. (Grove) Butler, was born, 
in Putnam County, Ohio, January 24, 1854. 
He came West in 1860 with his parents, who 
located near Toledo, Cumberland County, 
111., and our subject lived on a farm until 
fifteen years of age, when he began teaching, 
having, by personal effort obtained an edu- 
cation. He taught for five years, about 
eight months per year, and, during his spare 
time attended a private school at Loxa, 
Coles Co., 111., taught by Prof. T. J. Lee, 
and, at the close of school work, spent an en- 
tire year there. On leaving school, he en- 
tered the employ of the Adams Express Com- 
pany as agent at Altamont, 111., continuing 
in that capacity for about two and a half 
years, when he resigned, and opened a gen- 
eral store here, which he conducted one year 
with fair success He formed a partnership 
with Dr. C. M. Wright January 1, 1879, 
and, under the firm name of C. M. Wright 
& Co., opened and have since conducted a 
private bank, in^which Mr. Butler has acted 
as Cashier. He was married, November, 
1879. to Miss Florence, oldest daughter of 
Dr. C. M. Wright. The father of om- sub- 
ject was born in Pennsylvania, and came to 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



8d 



Ohio about 1832, and lived in Putnam Coun- 
ty, that State, until 1860. He came to Cum- 
berland County, 111., and bought a tract of 
800 acres of mostly wild land, and died in 
1861, leaving a widow with a family of six 
sons and two daughters, our subject being 
the youngest of the family. The mother 
kept the family together until all grew up 
except our subject, who appealed for an op- 
portunity to obtain an education, and she 
gave him his time, with the promise that, if 
he improved it well, she would not charge it 
to him in the final settlement of the estate. 
WILLIAM J. E. BYERS, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, 
February 3, 1830, to George and Bertha 
(Goodrich) Byers. His father was born in 
Jackson County, Ohio, March 3, 1806; emi- 
grated to Illinois and located in Effingham 
County in 1803, where he remained until 
1880, when he removed to Shelby County, 
where he died November 10, 1881. He 
worked at the carpenter's trade during his 
younger days, and in his latter years followed 
the occupation of a farmer. He was a son 
of Edward Byers, a native of Virginia, who 
was drafted in the war of 1812, but did not 
have to serve. The mother of our subject 
was born in Connecticut in 1809, and died 
in Jackson County, Ohio, in 1837. She was 
the mother of four children, of whom our 
subject was the oldest child. He was edu- 
cated from the common schools of Jackson 
County, Ohio, and remained at home, assist- 
in"- in tillinsr the soil of his father's farm, 
until he was twenty-two years of age. He 
then embarked upon his career in life, and 
engaged as a hired hand upon a farm, and 
then learned the blacksmith's trade with his 
brother-in-law, William J. Dixon, and after- 
ward worked at carpentering, shoe-making, 
and general employment as a laboring man. 
He was always a natural mechanic, and could 



turn his hand and become jack-of-all-trades. 
In 1850, he removed to Muskingum County, 
where he farmed and ran a blacksmith shop. 
In 1858, he came to Illinois and settled in 
Effingham County, adjoining his present 
farm In 1863, he was drafted into the army, 
and served to the close of the war, in the 
Forty-second Illinois Infantry, under com- 
mand of Col. Swayne. He was in the fol- 
lowing battles: At Columbia, Tenn., Spring 
Hill, Franklin, Nashville. After the war, he 
returned to his farm, where he has since re- 
mained. When became to the county it was 
thinly settled in this part, and he was among 
the first settlers of this portion of the coun- 
ty. He was here at first township election, 
and served two years as first Township Clerk, 
Collector, Road Overseer, School Trustee, 
Supervisor, and now holding office of Clerk 
of School Board. August 22, 1872, he mar- 
ried Christina Elizabeth Hamilton, a native 
of Jefferson County, Ohio, born February 14, 
1840, to Samuel and Mary (Campbell) Hout, 
both natives uf Ohio. They are the parents 
of one child, William Preston, born Decem- 
ber 12, 1874. He and wife are members of 
the Evangelical Brethren Church. An act- 
ive member of the order A., F. & A. M., Al- 
tamont Lodge, No. 533. He is holding office 
of Steward of the same. He is a Republican, 
and cast his first vote for Franklin Pierce. 
D. B. CADE, general business speculator, 
Altamont. Altamont has in its midst some 
excellent business men, among whom is D. 
B. Cade. He was born in September, 1838, 
in Alleghany County, Md. ; son of Mortimer 
Cade and Mary Boyer. He was left father- 
less at the age of ten, and subsequently 
moved to Virginia with his mother and step- 
father, with whom he lived until he began 
business upon his own account. He carried 
OD business here in Monongalia County un- 
til 1872, when he came to this State, locat- 



90 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ing here in Altamont, and has since lived. 
For five years he sold goods for Daniel Bey- 
er. In 1877, he engaged in the grain trade, 
which he continued until 1882, vrhen, on ac- 
count of failing health, he had to relinquish 
his interests in this direction, and seek to re- 
cuperate the saroe by rest or a change of bus- 
iness. March 12, 1869, he was married to 
Pai;lina, who was born in Granville, Ohio, 
daughter of Edward Capen. Has four chil- 
dren — Clara, Gracie, Blanche and Maude. 
Member of the M. E. Church, and of the An- 
cient Order of United Workmen. Politics, 
Democratic. 

WILLIAM S. COLEMAN, retired, Alta- 
mont, was born in Knox County, Ohio, Feb- 
ruary 24, 1811. He learned the tinner's 
trade in Mt. Vernon. He left Knox County 
in 1846, and settled in Lima, Allen Co., 
Ohio, where he manufuctui'ed tinware and 
sold stoves for about eight years, when he 
removed to Missouri in 1854, and lived in 
Holt and Andi-ew Counties until 1857, teach- 
ing school in those counties for three years. 
He went to La Fayette, Ind., in 1857, and 
lived there two years, coming to Effingham 
in 1859, where he formed a partnership with D. 
B. Alexander, his brother-in-law, and opened 
the first tin shop in the county, and connected 
with it a store for sale of hardware and 
stoves. The partnership of Alexander & 
Coleman lasted until 1861, when Mr. Cole- 
man entered the army; enlisted in the Fifth 
Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, and served until 
the winter of 1863, when he was discharged 
on account of continued sickness. He served 
over two years, and fought in siege of Vicks- 
burg, Jackson, Miss. , Cotton Plant, Ark. , and 
several other battles and skirmishes. On his 
discharge, he was sick for over a year, and, 
in 1865, he was appointed Postmaster of 
Effingham by President Johnson, and held it 
until 1869 — over thi-ee years. Mi-. Coleman 



made a trip West in 1869, and remained un- 
til 1873, traveling as far west as Utah and 
taught in Colorado. Since hisretui-n, he has 
engaged in no active business pursuits. He 
was married, in Ohio, in 1833, to Matilda 
Alexander, of Knox County, that State. Ten 
children were born of this marriage — five 
sons and five daughters. Four daughters 
and two sons are living, as follows: Sarah 
E., wife of Michael Beem, of this place; 
Addie, wife of James Beck, of Green Castle, 
Ind. ; Clai-a, wife of R. Walters, of Effing- 
ham; Emma, wife of J. M. Ely the, of De- 
catur County, 111. ; David B. , of Effingham ; 
and Charles F., see sketch. 

CHARLES FRANKLIN COLEMAN, edi- 
tor Altamont News, was born near St. Jo- 
seph, Mo., February 13, 1856. He came 
with his parents to Effingham when about 
three years old, and, at the age of thirteen, 
entered the office of the Effingham Democrat 
to learn the business. He worked in that 
office as foreman until November 25. 1881, 
except five years, daring which he was en- 
gaged on the Columbus Democrat at Colum- 
bus, Ind. , where he was local editor of a daily 
paper. December 9, 1881, he became editor 
of the Altamont Neivs. The firm of Coleman 
& Le Crone, consisting of subject and George 
M. Le Crone, started and have since published 
the paper weekly. (See jaress history.) Our 
subject is present Township Clerk of Mound 
Township. 

SAMUEL COOPER, grain, Altamont. 
Among the business men of this town engaged 
in the grain trade is Mr. Cooper, who was 
born in 1833, June 14, in Marion County, 
Ohio; was the third son of a family of nine 
children born to Thomas Cooper and Ann 
Lock. He (Thomas) was a native of Ireland, 
near Dublin, and emigi-ated to America and 
located in Marion County, Ohio, when a 
young man, being a pioneer in that locality. 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



91 



His wife, Ann, was born in Belmont County, 
Ohio, daughter of John Lock. Subject came 
West to this State, locating in Fayette Coun- 
ty, in the fall of 1838. Here his father set- 
tled and remained until uis death, in June, 
184:8, his wife surviving him until Dec. 15, 
1880. To them were born eight children, viz. : 
Euphemia, James, John W., Samuel, Mary 
A., William Thomas, Lucinda and Minerva. 
Euphemia died in Fayette Coimty, wife of T. 
C. Chamberlain; James resides in New Mex- 
ico; John W., in Colorado; William, deceased, 
died in Indian Territory; Mary A., died, 
was the wife of David McGraw, of McDon- 
ough County; Thomas, died at Murfreesboro 
while in the army; Lucinda, resides in St. 
Elmo, wife of N. C. Fletcher; Minerva, died 
young. Samviel was raised in Fayette Coun- 
ty, and remained at home on the farm. At 
twenty-one, began farming and stock-dealing, 
and continued here until March, 1872, when 
he removed to St. Elmo, where he engaged 
in the grain and stock business, remaining 
hero until Jaunary, 1875, when he came to 
Altamont, and lias been engaged in stock- 
trading, and, since 1878, been in the grain 
business. First associated with John Ensign. 
The partnership lasted two years. He then 
associated with D. B. Cade. This lasted 
about six months. Then discontinued for 
some time. After this, was associated with 
Milton Young one year, then went out of the 
grain business, and, in August, 1882, began 
business again, with John Rhodes, since 
continued under firm name of Cooper & 
Rhodes. Married, 1860, May 3, first, Sarah 
Dunbar, born in Marion County, Ohio, daugh- 
ter of William; wife died November, 1S63; 
by her, two children — William T. and James 
L. Last marriage was May 3, 1865, to Car- 
oline Dunbar, sister of first wife; by her has 
three children — -Samuel J., George and John. 
Eepublican since the war. Mr. Cooper owns 



over three hundred acres of land in this 
county, which he carries on. 

ROBERT DAWSON, deceased. The sub- 
ject of this sketch came to this county in the 
spring or summer of 1805, and engaged in 
the lumber trade in Eifingham. It is said 
by authority ihat the cause of his coming to 
Effingham was that he had too strong Demo- 
cratic proclivities to suit the war party of 
Polo, 111., where he resided when President 
Lincoln was assassinated. Be this as it may, 
Effingham caught him. His capital was very 
limited, but he was economical, industrious 
and close at a trade, and, as times were flush, 
and money and building plenty, he did a 
large business and made a great deal of 
money. He was very determined and set in 
his ways, and very blunt in his manner, but 
withal very generous and good-natured. He 
was quite a politician and clung to the Dem- 
ocratic faith with unyielding grip in na- 
tional elections, but in local he chose rather 
the man than the party. He took a great 
interest in public affairs, both local "and na- 
tional. He held the position of Alderman 
and School Director in the city, and proved 
a thorn in the side of defaulting or negligent 
officials. His odd style of di-ess, with his 
gray or white hair, and his quick, energetic 
step, made him a conspicuous figure on the 
street, and he was known far and wide. He 
died the 19th of March, 1881, at the age of 
seventy six years. 

DR. HENRY N. DREWRY, physician, 
Altamonc, son of Henry and Lydia (Bassett) 
Drewry, was born in Switzerland County, 
Ind., November 29, 1847. He lived on a 
farm there until the age of fifteen. His father, 
Henry Drewry, having moved to Mason, this 
county, in 1862, our subject went to a district 
school called the Claiborn Wright School, and 
afterward to the Mason School until 1868, 
attending school dm'ing the winter season. 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



In the fall of 1868, he entered the Indus- 
trial University at Champaign, III., where 
he spent four years, graduating in the class 
of 1S7'2, and, February 4, 1873, he married 
Miss Harriet A. W. Nunn, who died in No- 
vember, 1873. In the spring of 1874, he 
went to Urbana, Champaign Co., 111., and 
entered the office of Dr. Samuel Birney, an 
old army surgeon, where he studied under 
his direction, and at the same time he at- 
tended two courses of lectures in the Chicago 
Medical College, from which he graduated 
March 21, 1876, and located for the practice 
of his profession at Altamont, as partner of 
Dr. J. N. Groves, for two years. He has 
since that time been in active practice alone 
up to Sejjtember, 1882, when he formed a 
partnership with Dr. Edwin L. Yarletz, un- 
der the firm name of Drewry & Yarletz, locat- 
ed on Railroad and Main streets. He has 
built up a large and lucrative practice. He 
was married, October 29, 1882, to Miss Mari- 
etta Mann, of Newton, 111. 

WILLIAM DRYSDALE, farmer, P. O. 
Welton, was born in Switzerland County, 
Ind. , November 4, 1833, to William and 
Margaret (Manford) Drysdale. His father 
was born in Scotland in 1793 ; emigi-ated to 
America in 1813, and followed the trade of a 
stone-cutter until he was thirty years. In 
his later years, followed the occupation of a 
farmer. In 1840, came to Eifingham County 
and located in Mound Township, when the 
deer and wild tiu'key were plenty and among 
the first settlers of this part of the county. 
He died December 27, 1872. The mother of 
our subject was born in Kentucky, and died 
in 1834, aged about thirty years. She was 
the mother of four children, of whom Will- 
iam was the youngest child. His early life 
was spent at home, receiving a limited com- 
mon-school education and assisting in till- 
ing the soil of his fathers farm. He re- 



mained at home until he was eighteen years 
of age, when he embarked upon his career 
as hired hand on a farm. He was brought 
to Effingham County when about seven years 
of age. At twenty-seven, he commenced 
farming on his own account, upon a farm of 
200 acres of unimproved land, which he has 
put under a high state of cultivation. He 
has remained on his present farm for twenty 
years. In 1862, he married Miss Mary A. 
Donnelly, a native of Ireland, who was 
brought to America by her parents in 1849. 
She was born in November, 1841. She is 
the mother of four living children, viz. : 
Mary A., Anna, William A., John Francis. 
In politics, is a Republican, but generally 
votes for the man. He is now the owner of 
260 acres. 

JOSEPH DUNSFORD, drugs and station- 
ery, Altamont, is the successor of Frank 
Wantling in the drug and stationery business 
of this town, and has had over ten years' ex- 
perience in the drug business. He began 
reading medicine in 1871, with his brother. 
Dr. W. H. Dunsford, at St. Elmo, and em- 
barked in the drug business with him, where 
he continued until 1878, when he removed to 
Rosemond, this State, where he continued in 
business until his location in this town. He 
was born in England, son of John and Tab- 
itha (Niblett) Dunsford. His father died in 
England. He emigrated to this country 
when a lad of six years, with his mother and 
step- father, James Mortimer, who now reside 
at Pana, this State. They first located at 
Cleveland, Ohio, remaining here about seven 
years, and removed with them to Gasconade 
County, Mo., where he lived six years, at 
which time he came to this State, and has 
since remained. June 22, 1873, he was 
united by marriage to Miss Clarilla, eldest 
daughter of Dr. John Wills, a well-known 
physician in the county, residing in Liberty 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



93 



Township, near Beecher City. He and wife 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. He is also affiliated with the Inde- 
pendent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge at St. 
Elmo. In connection with his drugs and 
medicines, he keeps a stock of books and sta- 
tionery, as well as notions. The Doctor 
has one brother, John, who resides in Mc- 
Pherson County, Kan., a farmer — the only 
surviving brother he has; W. H. and Chai-les, 
both deceased; W. H. died in 1874; Charles 
died in 1878 at Kosemund. He was also a 
druggist, and served as Hospital Steward un- 
der Gen. Sherman's command thi'ough the 
entire war. 

WILLIAIVI J. EYESTONE, harness, Alta- 
mont. Among the substantial business men 
of Altamont is William J. Eyestone, who was 
born in 1844, March 13, in Wheatland Town- 
ship, in Fayette County, the third son and 
sixth child of a family of ten children born to 
Martin and Nancy (Lock) Eyestone; he was 
born about the year 1808, in Baden, Ger- 
many; she was born about 1812, daughter of 
John Lock. Martin Eyestone emigi'ated to 
this country and located in Fayette County 
at an early day, about the year 1837, being 
one of the first settlers there. They are yet 
living. William was raised on the farm, and 
about the time he became of age, he enlisted 
in the army, in Company G, Seventh Illinois 
Cavalry; went in March, 1864, and served 
until December, 1865, and, upon his return 
to peaceful pursuits, he soon married, Jan- 
nary 26, 1806, to Elmira H, born iu June, 
1846, in Putnam County, Ind., daughter of 
Joah Yates and Mary Kennedy both natives 
of Kentucky, and removed to Indiana, re- 
mained tor several years, and finally moved 
to this county, where they died. After his 
maiTiage, moved into Avena Township, where 
he purchased a f ann and engaged in faiming. 
Continued here until 1878, fall, when he en- 



gaged in the stock trade; after this, engaged 
in the grain business, which he carried on 
some time. In 1880, about, he pm-chased 
the hardware of G. W. Gwin, and ran this 
about one year, then sold out, and for a time 
was retired, and in January, 1882, he started 
in the manufacture of harness, and is yet car- 
rying on his f ai'm, which consists of 120 acres 
in Avena and 160 in this county, Mound 
Township. He has two children living — 
Cora and Lotta; one, Rosa Lee, died aged 
five years, in 1878. He has been a member 
of the M. E. Chiu'ch for about twenty-five 
yeai-s, and Steward of the chiu-ch. He cast 
his first vote for U. S. Grant, and has since 
been identified with the Republican jiarty. 

JOEL FINFROCK, farmer, P. O. Alta- 
mont, was bom in Muskingum County, Ohio, 
January 20, 1816, to Andrew and Susannah 
(Haines) Finfroek. His father was born iu 
Lancaster County, Penn. He was a farmer, 
and in his younger days worked at coopering. 
He died in Ohio in 1864. Was drafted in 
Revolutionary war, but was not called on to 
serve. The mother of oiu' subject was born 
in Maryland, and died in Effingham County, 
111., in about 1871. They were the parents 
of five children — three boys and two girls — 
of whom Joel is the second child. Cathe- 
rine, the oldest living child, is now living 
with her brother William, and youngest liv- 
ing child of his parents. Joel spent his boy- 
hood days at home, receiving such an educa- 
tion as could be obtained from the log school- 
houses of his day, and assisting in tilling 
the soil of his father's farm. He remained 
at home until he was twenty-two years of 
age, and embarked on his career in life as 
a tiller of the soil in his native county, and 
continued the same until the fall of 1864, 
when he came to Effingham County, 111., and 
settled on his present farm. He then bought 
sixty acres, and has added to it until now he 



94 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



is the owner of ninety acres of well-improved 
land. He commenced life a poor man, and, 
by his studied economy and business habits, 
he has succeeded in gaining a good 'property. 
Now, in the later years of his life, he is sur- 
rounded with those comforts and enjoying 
those pleasures that are ever the result of 
honesty, industry and economy. In Musk- ' 
ingum County, Ohio, in 183S, he married 
Miss Eliza Huffman, a native of Muskingum 
County, born in 1819, November 17, to Joseph 
and Sarah (Birkhimer) Huffman. He was 
a native of Pennsylvania, and she of Mary- 
land. Mr. and ]\Ii's Finfrock have had nine 
children, all of whom are living — SHsannah, 
wife of John Birkhimer, a farmer of Jasper 
County, 111. ; Ellen, wife of James Defen- 
baugh, a farmer of Effingham County; Cath- 
arine, wife of Robert Ingram, a farmer of this 
county; John, married and living near the 
home farm; Agnes, wife of Frank Birkhimer, 
a farmer of this county; Julia, wife of 
Charles Collins, farmer of Jasper County, 
111.; George, at home; Charles, at home; 
Jane, wife of David Armstrong, a farmer of 
this county. Politically, Democrat. When 
they were married, they first settled inBridge- 
ville, Ohio, where he woi'ked out by the month 
and day on a farm, and from his earnings 
was soon able to buy one acre of land. When 
he came to this county, he was compelled to 
work out by the month, and his farm was un- 
improved. He took his earnings to build a 
log cabin, and he got timber to farm it, and 
continued to save until he was able to add 
the other thirty. Besides, he has helped his 
son to a forty-acre farm. 

WILLIAM H. FINFROCK, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, was born in Muskingum County, 
Ohio, September 10, 1823, to Andrew and 
Susannah (Haines) Finfrock. His father 
was born in Pennsylvania, Lancaster Coun- 
ty, November 30, 1782. He was a cooper by 



trade and worked at the same in Pennsylva- 
nia. In about 1813, he emigrated to Ohio 
and located in Muskingum County, where he 
jjrincipally engaged in farming until the time 
of bis death, which occurred February 24, 
1864. He was a son of Tewalt Finfrock, a 
native of Pennsylvania, of French descent. 
The mother of our subject was of English 
descent, born in Maryland May 17, 1788, and 
died in Effingham County, with our subject, 
April 2, 1869. She was the mother of five 
children, of whom three are now living, 
William being the youngest child. He was 
raised on a farm in his native county and 
educated from the suboription schools com- 
mon in his day. He remained with his par- 
ents to the time of their death. He engaged 
in farming in Muskingum County, and con- 
tinued the same until 1S64, when he came to 
Illinois and located on his present farm in 
Mound Township, one and a half miles from 
Altamont, on the National road. In Musk- 
ingum County, Ohio, August 22, 1850, he 
man-ied Miss Rebecca Jane Morrison, a na- 
tive of Muskingum County, Ohio, born De- 
cember 21, 1830. She is a daughter of Joliu 
and Nancy (Dixon) Morrison, They were 
natives of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Finfrock 
have three children, viz.: Margaret, wife of 
Manuel Kepler, a farmer on Mr. Finfrock's 
farm; Mary, wife of Ephraim Thrasher, a 
farmer of Jackson Township; Sarah J., at 
home. Self and wife are members of the 
Methodist Church. Politically, a Democrat. 
He commenced life very poor, and worked 
hard to pay for his farm. He is now the 
owner of forty acres of prairie and ten acres 
of timber, and has been generally sucessful. 
He brought a valuable team with him from 
Ohio, that he had been offered $500 and re- 
fused the same. He found one dead in the 
stable, and the other was struck by light- 
ning. 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



95 



WILLIAM FLORIN, druggist, Altamont, 
son of Peter and Serena Florin, was born 
January 8, 1842, in Madison County, 111., 
where he was raised on a farm until fifteen 
years of age, and received a common-school 
education. In 1859, he entered the State 
Normal University at Bloomington, 111., and 
graduated in 1865, and began teaching in the 
fall of 1865, at Lebanon, St. Clair Co., 111., 
and remained there one year as Principal of 
the German department of the public .schools. 
He was nest Principal of the Highland 
Schools for two years, when he returned to 
Lebanon, remaining four years as Principal 
of the public schools, and afterward one year 
at Highland. He next became Principal of 
the grammar department of the public 
schools at Belleville for two years, and was 
two years assistant teacher in the high school. 
He was Principal of Edwards Public Schools 
one year, and two years Principal of St. Ja- 
cobs Public Schools. In the summer of 
1879, he came to Altamont, 111., where, in 
partnership with Andrew Naegeli, he opened 
a drug store, and the business has been con- 
ducted by subject, under the firm name of 
Naegeli & Florin. They carry a full stock 
of drugs and medicines, on Railroad street. 
Oui- subject's pai'ents were born in the town 
of Klosters, Canton Grumbuendten, Switzer- 
land, where they were also married. The fa- 
ther was a teacher in Switzerland, and came 
to the United States in 1841, and settled on 
a farm in Madison County, 111., where he 
died about 1850, and the mother died in No- 
vember, 1881. They had five sons and one 
daughter, of whom three sons are deceased. 

G. C. GOETTING, milling, Altamont, is 
a thorough and practical millwright, who 
learned the business in St. Louis, having 
served a thorough and long apprenticeship 
under some of the best workmen and first- 
class mechanics in the West, and is not only 



thoroughly conversant with all kinds of mill 
machinery, but understands milling as it is 
now carried on by the largest and most suc- 
cessful mills in the West. He was born May 

25, 1849, in Kur Hessia, Germany, son of 
Daniel Goetting. He received the advan- 
tages of the best schools in his native country, 
and emigrated to this country in 1866, locat- 
ing in St. Louis, Mo., where he commenced 
the trade of millwright, and, after its com- 
pletion, follow<Kl the business, and has been 
engaged in building some of the largest and 
best mills in the country. July 8, 1878, he 
associated in business with A. K. Halteman, 
which was subsequently changed to Isaac Q. 
Halteman & Co., which yet exists. Mr. 
Goetting came to this town in the summer of 
1882, and pui-chased the flouring -mill and 
good will of Henry Schlotterbeck, and has 
remodeled the entire mill, putting new ma- 
chinery of the latest and best approved kind. 
Has put in a set of rolls, and has a capacity 
of 200 barrels per day. His pi-oducts find 
ready sale, and his mill runs day and night. 
He exchanges with the farmers, who will al- 
ways find Mr. Goetting ready to accommo- 
date them. He was married, October 8, 
1873, to Augusta Melville, by whom he has 
three children — Emma, Addie and Lucy. 
Albert, his only son, died June 11, 1881, 
aged five years. 

JAMES GRANT, farmer, P. O. Altamont, 
was born in Knox County, Ohio, December 

26, 1828, to Anthony and Rebecca (Sloan) 
Grant. He was born in New Jersey; came 
to Pennsylvania in an early day, and to Har- 
rinon County, Ohio, in about 1825, and, in 
1826, to Knox County, where he remained 
actively engaged in farming till the time of 
his death, which occiuTed in January, 1866, 
aged eighty-three years. The mother of our 
subject was bom in New Jersey, and died in 
Knox County, Ohio, in 1869, aged eighty-six 



96 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



years. She was the mother of twelve chil- 
dren, of whom our subject was the youngest 
child. His early life was spent in receiving 
such an education as the common schools of 
Knox County afforded, and assisting in till- 
ing the soil of his father's farm. He re- 
mained at his home until he was twenty years 
of age, when he married and embarked on 
his career in life as a farmer, upon a farm 
rented of his father, and continued the same 
until 1851, when, with his wife, one child, 
one two-horse wagon, loaded with his house- 
hold goods, which was all of his possession, 
he drove across the country to Effingham 
County, and settled in the timber in Mocca- 
sin Township, and, after two years, moved to 
his present farm, being but a few settlers in 
the neighborhood at that time. He there en- 
tered 149 acres and is now the owner of 300 
acres. He gave his son eighty acres of it. 
In 1848, he married, in Knox County, Miss 
Elizabeth Umphryes, a native of Ohio, and 
died in Effingham County in 1878, May 20, 
aged fifty-fom- years. She was the mother 
of five children, of whom one is living, John 
"Wesley, a farmer of this county. In Ohio, 
he again married, August 29, 1848, Miss 
Ann Sinkey, a native of Ohio. Politically, 
Democrat. 

JOHN WESLEY GRANT, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, was born in Knox County, Ohio, 
January 17, 1851. He was brought to 
Effingham County in 1851 by his parents, 
who located near the residence of our sub- 
ject. He attended the common schools of the 
county, and sj^ent his early life assisting his 
father in farming until he was about twenty- 
one years of age, when he embarked on his 
career in life as a farmer. In 1871. in 
Effingham County, he married Miss Lovina 
Oliver, a native of Center County, Penn., 
born April 1, 1849. They are the parents of 
foiu children, of whom two are now living — • 



Clarissa J. and Florence A. Politically, 
Democrat. 

G. W. GWIN, merchant, Altamont, son of 
Simeon and Elizabeth (Henson) Gwin, born 
in Jefferson County, 111., January 22, 1849. 
Our subject was educated in the common 
schools. He lived in Jefferson County until 
1861. His parents moved to Ramsey, Fay- 
ette Co., 111., and at the age of seventeen 
learned plasterer's trade, at Assumjotion, De- 
catur and Vandalia, working as apprentice 
for five years. He began taking contracts in 
plastering in Fayette County in about 1869. 
He came to Altamont August 15, 1871, and 
located as contractor, and plastered some of 
the fir.st buildings erected in the place. He 
plastered, in the town and vicinity, about 
one hundred and seventy-five buildings, and 
built some brick work. He continued to 
work at trade, employing from one to nine 
hands for about six years. In 1877, he en- 
gaged in the retail fm-niture trade, and at 
the same time sold a few farm implements. 
At the end of a year, sold stock of furniture, 
and. by accident rather than inclination, was 
for eight months interested in merchandis- 
ing, carrying still a small stock of farm im- 
plements. In 1878, he erected the main 
building of his present hardware store, and 
stocked it with a full line of agricultural im- 
plements. He conducted an exclusive trade 
in implements until February 10, 1879, 
when he added a S250 stock of hardware. 
As trade and capital increased, he enlarged 
his stock and operations. March 26, 1880, 
he added a limited stock of stoves, and short- 
ly afterward he added a tin shop and began 
the manufactiu-e of tinware. On the 4th of 
May, 1880, he sold a half-interest in hard- 
ware to John Ensign, and with him, under 
the firm name of Gwin & Ensign, conducted 
the hardware trade until September 22, 1880, 
when Mr. Gwin disposed of the remaining 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



97 



interest in the hardware stock, and for a time 
devoted his whole attention to the imple- 
m'^nt businei-s. March 2, 1881, he bought 
Mr. Ensign's half-interest in hardware, and 
thus became a member of the firm of Gwin 
& Eyestone, which contimiod until in July, 
1881. at which time Mr. Gwin bought the re- 
maining half-interest of Mr. Eyestone, and 
has since conducted the business as sole pro- 
prietor. He has established five local agen- 
cies in Effingham and Fayette Counties, 
which are supplied from this house. He re- 
quires throughout the year the assistance of 
two men, and a large number in the summer 
season, and has sold in one year over §45, - 
000 of machinery. He has also dealt in real 
estate, and erected several buildings in the 
place. He takes a deep interest in Sunday 
school vrork, and has been Superintendent of 
the Methodist Episcopal Sunday School for 
eight years. He was married, October 1, 
1871, to Miss Sarah E. Plant, daughter 6f 
James Plant, of Greenville, 111. 

JEREMIAH HARM.iN, farmer, P. O. Al- 
tamont, was born in liancaster County, Peun., 
March 0, 1819, to Joseph and Elizabeth 
(Wolf) Harman. Ho was born in Pennsylva- 
nia about 1778, and removed from Lancaster 
County to Adams County in the spring of 
1828, where he died the same year. His 
business was that of a f drmor. He was a son 
of John Harman. a native of Pennsylvania. 
The mother of our subject was born in Penn- 
sylvania in 1782, and died in about 1847, in 
Ohio. They were the parents of eleven chil- 
dren — eight girls and three boys. Of the 
eleven, subject was the tenth child. His ed- 
ucation was limited to the common schools of 
Lancaster and Adams Counties, Penn. His 
schooling was received in the log house com- 
mon in his day. Ho remained at home until 
he was eighteen years of age, when he em- 
barked on his career in life as an apprentice 



to the carpenter's trade for one year, and 
then learned the pump-maker's trade, and 
continued the same until 1S56, and then en- 
gaged in agricultural pursuits in ^^■ayne 
County, Ohio, for about seven years, and then 
removed to Ashland, Ohio, and ran a dray, 
and engaged in the freight house and various 
other occupations for four years. In the 
fall of 1807, he removed to Illinois and locat- 
ed in Payette, and, in the spring of 1868, 
came to Effingham County and located on his 
present farm, where he has since remained, 
actively engaged in farming. In 1840, at 
Canton, Ohio, he married Catharine Peeler, 
who died in the fall of 1S4U, leaving two chil- 
dren, viz.: Elizabeth, in Logan County, 
Ohio; Penia J., in Carroll County, 111. In 
1852, in Stark County, Ohio, he married Re- 
becca Thompson. They have had eight chil- 
dren, of whom seven are now living, viz.: 
Mary R., Sarah E., Cora M. (deceased), Ed- 
ward T., Clara M., Hattie L., Ida Bell, Jo- 
seph E. In county officers he votes for the 
best men, but ia general elections he votes 
the Republican ticket. 

MARTIN HEIMANN, blacksmith and 
wagon-maker, Altamont. The leading and 
principal interest in the blacksmith and wag- 
on-making line in the town of Altamont, and, 
in fact, in this part of the county, is that run 
by Mr. Heimann and George Ortmann, who 
are thorough, practical workmen, which fact 
has been recognized by the people in this 
community, who have given them a liberal 
share of their patronage. Mr. Heimann, the 
senior member of the firm, is a native of this 
State. He was born October 31, 1850, in 
Damiansville, Clinton County. His parents 
were Bernhard Henry Heimann and Cather- 
ine Adelheide Menke, both natives of the 
province of Hanover, and emigrate 1 to this 
country as early as 1S3Ik and settled in Clin 
ton County, where tbey engaged in farm- 

G 



98 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ing, and remained there until their death, 
which occurred the same month and year, 
of cholera, August 15 and 8, respective- 
ly, 1852, leaving six sous, of whom Mar- 
tin was the youngest. The older boys took 
care of the young, and, in the absi nee of 
their parents, tenderly cared for the children 
until they were enabled to each provide for 
their own maintenance. At the age of sixteen, 
he began learning the wagon-maker's trade 
at Damiansville, which he followed for some 
time, when he engaged in farming. Af- 
ter two years' experience as a tiller of the 
s, soil, he came to this county and purchased a 
farm in Moccasin Township, and continued 
farming up to March, 1880, when he sold 
out his farm and associated with Mr. Ortmann 
in the manufacturing business. February 
27, 1872, he married Rosina Antonia, a na- 
tive of St. Louis, daughter of Anton Sandel. 
Has four children-— Anna M., Matilda M.. 
Louis and Catharine. Member of the Cath- 
olic Church, and in politics Democratic. 

M. G. HIGGINS, farmer, P. O. Altamont, 
was borr in Rush County, Ind. , July 16, 
1827, to William A. and Elizabeth (Wills) 
Higrcrins. His father was born in Virginia 
in 1790; was a farmet, and died in Hen- 
dricks County, Ind., in 1863. He was a son 
of James Higgins, a native of West Virginia; 
was one of the early settlers of Bourbon 
County; was a Captain in the Revolutionary 
war, serving five years. Being an eccentric 
man, he refused to touch the 2,600 acres of 
land that was set off to him in the Western 
Reserve of Ohio. It is said that he had the 
first mule that was foaled in Kentucky. The 
mother was born ?n Bourbon County, Ky. , in 
1792, and died in Hendricks County, Ind., 
in 1865. Her parents were natives of Vir- 
ginia. She was the mother of ten children, 
of whom our subject was the sixth child. He 
was raised on a farm, and educated at the 



common schools of his day in his native coun- 
ty. At seventeen years of age, he left home 
and embarked on his career in life as a hired 
hand upon a farm. At twenty, he worked 
in a saw-mill, and soon obtained an interest; 
afterward became the owner of several mills. 
At twonty-five, he began trading in stone; 
at St. Paul. Ind., he opened the quarries at 
that place, and at the same time was engaged 
in the grain business. He shipped the first 
grain that was shipped from St. Paul. He 
then became engajred in real estate business 
and stock-trading. In January, 1864, he 
came to Effingham and ran a saloon one 
year, and also traded during the time. In 

1865, in One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Reg- 
iment, was selling goods in the army. In 

1866. he continued trading again uutil 1868, 
when he began farming in Shelby County, 
and, after one year, in Blue Point, in Effing- 
ham County. In 1875, he removed to Alta- 
mont, where he engaged in trading in stock 
until 1877, when he cahie to his present 
farm. In Shelby County, Ind., in 1848, he 
married Samantha J. Pierce, who has borne 
him SIX children, of whom three are now liv- 
ing, viz., Herman. Andrew J., Alvin I. Has 
been a member of the A. , F. & A. M. . and I. 
O. O. F. Politically, a Democrat, and cast 
his last vote for McClellan. 

GEORGE W. HIGGS, farmer, P. O. Al- 
tamont, is a native of Effingham County, 111., 
born March 11, 1832, boi-n to Harrison and 
Mary (Martin) Higgs. His father was born in 
North Carolina in 1799, where he was raised 
and educated; afterward went to Tennessee, 
and, March 10, 1832, came to Effingham 
County, 111., and located in Jackson Town- 
ship, where he remained, engaged in farm- 
ing, to the time of his death, which occurred 
in 1839. There were only about ten or 
twelve settlers in the county when he came, 
and our subject remembers of seeing the In- 



MOUND TOWXSIIIP. 



99 



dians and wolves. He was in the Black 
Hawk war. The mother of our subject was 
born in Tennessee, and died in E3ingham 
County in 1834, aged thirty-four y^'.ir.i. 
She was the mother of six children, of whom 
oui' subject was the foiu-th child. Of them 
but three are now living. George was edu- 
cated from the subscription schools of Effing- 
ham County. He was left an orphan at sev- 
en years of age, and made his home with 
'Sam Windsor for two years, John I. Brock- 
ett three years, and then went on his career 
in life as a laboring man upon a farm In 
1853, he rented somo land and be<jan farming 
on his own account, and, two years later, 
bought eighty acres, iipon which he is 
now residing, an<l is now the owner of ninety 
acres. In 1853, in Effingham County, he 
married Miss Rachel J. Beck, a native of 
Knox County. Ohio. She died in 1855, 
leaving one child, viz. , William Franklin. 
In 1858, in Effingham County, he married a 
second time, Miss Adeline Ward, a native of 
Bond County, 111., born in 1843. She is the 
mother of the following children: Mary A., 
Sarah E., George M., Lewis A., Charley, 
<[ames, John. Self and wife are members of 
the M. E. Chm-ch. In politics, a Democrat. 
GEORGE HILLEMANN, merchant, Alta- 
mont, was born in the village of Bierden, 
Kingdom of Hanover, Germany, November 1, 
1853. He came with his parents to the Unit- 
ed States when in his thirteenth year. His 
father fij-st settled in Rochester, N. Y., and 
came to this county in 18(58. His father was 
the Rev. J. G. M. Hillemann, who took 
charge of the St. Paul's German Lutheran 
Church, one mile southwest of this place, 
and subject lived at the parsonage until he 
was fifteen years of age, when he went to 
Vandalia and entered the printing office of 
the German paper there as compositor, and 
worked at printing some while at Rochester, 



N. Y. He remained here during the summer. 
Ho then lived at home during the winter, pur- 
suing his studies, and, the next spring, en- 
tered a store at St. Elmo as clerk, from May 
tj October. He then came to Alta n ont and 
entered the employ of Boyer, Datton & Co., 
as clerk, and was with them until ho became 
a partner in the lirm C. Kellim & Co., in 
1871, and was with this firm until 1873, en- 
giiged in general merchandising. He then 
withdrew, taking his interest in goods, and 
opened a store of his own in the Coconower 
Building, and remained there until May, 1873, 
when he moved into his present store, corner 
of Main and Grove streets, where, for the last 
nine years, he has enjoyed a liberal patroiiao'e, 
carrying a large stock of general merchan- 
dise, in a room 22x70 feet. He employs two 
salesmen. He was also engaged in grain 
trade during 1881. Mr. Hillemann takes an 
active interest in local politics, and was the 
Republican candidate for Circuit Clerk in 
1876, and is the f)i"esent (1882) nominee for 
County Clerk. His father was born in Han- 
over about 1825. He was educated in Stadon, 
Hanover, where he graduated, and finished 
his theological studies at New Bergholz, N. 
Y., in 1867, and came here in 1868, and 
preached for St. Paul's German Lutheran 
Church of this township until 1878. He be- 
gan his ministrations in the schoolhouse, and, 
daring his stay, built the present St. Paul's 
Church. In 1878, he went to Sheboygan, 
Wis., and took charge of two congregations. 
He married, in Germany, Miss Anna E. Lack- 
mann. They have three sons and seven 
daughters living, subject being the second 
son. 

JOHN F. HIPSHER, farmer, P. O. Alta- 
mont, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, 'in 
1836, January 18, to John and Elizabeth 
(Young) Hipsher. He was born in Pennsyl- 
vania July 18, 1802, and was brought to 



100 



BIOGEAPHICAL: 



M 



Ohio by his parents when he was quite a 
young boy. They located in Fairfield Coun- 
ty, where he was raised and educated. He 
was a farmer, and came to Illinois and lo- 
cated in EflSngham County in about 1851, 
where he died in February, 1874. He 
bought land in the county in about 1830. 
He was the owner of 600 acres and gave his 
children half a section. The mother of our 
subject was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, 
July 24, 1803, and died in Effingham Septem- 
ber 28, 1855. They were the parents of five 
children, of whom our subject was the third 
child. He was raised on a farm, and re- 
ceived such an education as the common 
schools afforded. He remained at home with 
his parents until he was nineteen years of 
age, when he embarked on his career in life 
as a farmer, vipon a forty- acre farm, and has 
continued to add to it until now he is the 
owner of 120 acres, 110 of which are under a 
high state of cultivation. On April 19, 1855, 
in Effingham County, he married Edith Nea- 
vill, who died January 15. 1858. In 1860, 
August 23, he married Miss Catharine Ster- 
ritt, a native of Scotland; was brought to 
America by her parents in 1851. She is the 
mother of eight children, of whom sis are 
now living viz., "William E., Margaret E,. 
Anna^.M,, Ida A., Allen B., Eobert F. An 
ictive member of the order of A,, F. & A. 
M., at Altamont Lodge, 530. In politics, a 
Democrat. 

MICHAEL E. HOGAN, merchant, Alta- 
mont. Among the successful business men, 
and who ranks in the list of self-made men 
of the county, is Michael E. Hogan, who is 
the senior member of the firm of M. E. Ho- 
cjan & Bros., of this town, also of Hogan & 
Clark, of Effingham. He was born August 
14, 1849, in Albany, N. Y., the eldest son of 
Christopher Hogan and Ellen King, both 
natives of Ireland, who came to New York 



State in 1848, coming with Smith O'Brien 
and John Mitchell. Christopher Hogan was 
a large stone contractor, and did a large bus- 
iness. Subject came West with his parents 
in 1859, locating same year in Fayette. Fa- 
ther died in Fayette County September 16, 
about 1868. His wife survived liim several 
months. Subject ia the eldest of eight liv- 
ing children. Subject remained with par- 
ents until about the year 1873, January; he 
enofaged in business with Sumner Clark at 
Eamsey, under the firm name of M. E. Ho- 
gan & Co., which lasted imtil the spring of 
1876, at which time he came to this place, 
where he started on his own account in gen- 
eral store, keeping general line of goods, and 
since continued and been successful. In 
connection with his business, he has been 
engaged in the contracting business,"" doing a 
large and very successful business, being the 
largest dealer in that line in this part of the 
State, having handled, in the last year, about 
850,000 ties, of about $110,000 business. 
August 25, 1878, he married Lucy Dial, born 
in Fayette County, daughter of Lewis Dial 
and Rachel Ream. Has four children — Ella, 
Mabel, Eugenia, Thomas E. Member of 
Catholic Church. 

WILLIA.M N. HOLLIS, farmer, P. O. Al- 
tamont, was born in Sussex County, Del., 
January 1, 1832, to Noah and Catherine 
(Hardesty) HoUis, whose history appears in 
the sketch of Thomas Hollis, West Town- 
ship. William was the youngest child of 
his parents, raised on a farm and educated 
from the common schools of Ross County, 
Ohio, where he was brought by his parents 
when two years old. He remained with his 
parents until he was twenty-one years of age, 
when he embarked on his career in life as a 
farmer, with one horse, upon a rented farm 
for two years, when he bought fifty acres in 
Ross County, and continued on there, farm- 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



101 



ing until the winter of 1870, when he came 
to Illinois and located in Efliaghain County, 
on his present farm. He then bought forty 
acres, and has since added forty to it, now 
having eighty acres, under a high state of 
caltivatioa. January 27, 1853, in Ross Coun- 
ty, he married Miss Agnes Thompson, who 
was born in Virginia and died in 18G9. She 
was the mother of eight children, seven of 
whom are living, viz., Noah F., Fran- 
ces Jane, Mary C. (dead), Rebecca E. , Emma 
0., Ida M, Marsha A., 011a A. In Septem- 
ber, 1870, in Vintoa County, Ohio, he mar- 
ried Sarah Ross, a native of Athens County, 
Ohio, born in 1837. Self and wife are mem- 
bers of M. E. Church. Politically, is a Re- 
publican. He entered the late rebellion in 
May, 1864, and was mustered out August of 
the same year. He served in One Hundred 
and Forty-ninth Ohio, under command Ken- 
ley's brigade. Was guarding a wagon train 
that was attacked. 

ARTHUR HOWER, merchant, Altamont. 
has been identified with the business inter- 
ests of this town since September, 1876. and 
of the State since 1862. The history of this 
gentleman in brief is as follows: He was 
born ia St. Joseph Coaaty, Mich., Decem- 
ber 13. 1847, being the eldest son of Nicho- 
las Hower, a native of Pennsylvania, and re- 
moved to Michigan when a young man, where 
he afterward married Sophia M. Bristol, who 
was born in New York, daughter of Capt. 
Seaman Bristol, who ran on the lakes. Sub- 
ject was left fatherless in 1854, and remained 
with his mother until 1868, when ho en- 
gaged in the grocery business ab Kinmundy, 
Marion County, this State, continuing one 
year, when he soM out his interest and en- 
gaged in handling produce, fruits, etc., con- 
tinuing in this business until September, 
1876, when he came to Altamont and encased 
in merchandising in copartnership with J. P. 



Aydelott, fii-m name being Hower & Ayde- 
lott. Fifteen months after, he associated 
with Mr. Davis, who purchased the interest 

J of the former partner. This association 
lasted about one year, when he purchased his 
partner's interest, and has since run the same 

' on his own account, and has been doing a 
successful business. Ho keeps a general 

] store, and also deals in railroad ties and hard 
lumber; also has a half-interest in the man- 

I uf acturing firm of Spence Bros. & Co. , man- 
ufacturers of babies' and children's wagons, 
at this place. February 9, 1872, he formed 
a matrimonial alliance with Harriet Davis, a 
native of Morrow County, Ohio, daughter of 
John Davis. He has one child, Jessie. Is 
a member of the Ancient, Free and Accepted 
Masons, and of the Independent Order of Odd 
Fellows of this place. 

PRESTON K. JOHNSON, attorney and 
Postmaster, Altamont, son of Dr. John B. 
and Martha (Davidson) Johnson, was born in 
Montgomery County, Ind., March 1, 1854. 
At the age of eleven years, he removed with 
his parents to Marion County, 111. He was 
raised on a farm, and was educated in the 
public schools, and began teaching at the 
age of eighteen years, and taught for three 
years in Marion and Fayette Counties, 111. 
In 1875, he came to Altamont and beeran the 
study o£ law with Hale Johnson, his brothei, 
then in practice here, and, after studyiujr one 
year, was apiaointed Postmaster at Altamont 
in October, 1876, and for about iivo years 
abandoned law studies, engrossed with the 
duties of the office. He resumed law studies 
in the fall of 1880, and was admitted to the 
bar in May, 1882, by the Supreme Court, at 
Springfield, in a class of thirty-seven per- 
sons, and has since practiced law in connec- 
tion with the duties of Postmaster. His fa- 
ther was born in Kentucky, and moved to 
Ohio when about ten years of age, and went 



llW 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



to Montgomerr County, Ind.. when a young 
man. where he married. He studied medi- 
cine in Asbury "rniver?ity, Indiana. He 
raised a company for the Seventy-second In- 
diana Volunteer Infantry, and became Assist- 
ant Surgvvn. and served one year. He came 
to Marion Covmty. 111., in 1S(.>5, and settled 
near Kimnnndy. vrhere he farmed and prac- 
tiivd medicine, and representotl Marion tmd 
Fayette Oouuties in the TVeiny-ninth Gen- 
end Assembly of the Illinois Legislature, and 
is now living at Judsonia, Ark. Has five 
sons and three daughters living. Our sub- 
ject married Miss Belle Chance, near Kin- 
mundy. 111.. October 2\\ 1SS2. 

AVTT.T.TAM KIRCHOFF. farmer, P. O. 
Altamont. was bom in Prussia, Germany, 
July 27. 1S33. a son of Charles Kirchoflf. 
AViiliivm was raised in Germany, on a farm, 
and educated in the Lutheran schools, ta 
iSoO. he came to America, by sailing vessel, 
fwm Hamburg, hmding in New York, where 
he remained two years, where he engaged as 
a fcynn lalxirer. In ISdS. he came to Illinois 
and settled in Ffiingham County, and worked 
the farm of Jose}>h Yates toi four years. 
He botight his first l:uid in 1S5S. and re- 
moved to his farm in 1S62, Here he has 
since remained, engaged in agricultural puiv 
suits, and is now the owner of 135 acres of 
land, 120 of which are under a high state of 
cultivation. In Germany, in 1S56. he mar- 
ried Mena Krainbrigs, a native of Prussia, 
(jermany, bom March 29. 1S31. They have 
two children — Frank and Mena. Subject and 
family are members of the Lutheran Church, 
In politics, is Independent- 

WILLIAM C. KLTTZIXG. merchant, Al- 
tamont, was bom in Prussia, in the village 
of Neuendorf, Germany, August 2s), iSio, 
At the age of eleven years, he came with his 
parents to the United States, and located at 
Chicago in 1S5T. He remained in Chicago 



until 1S74. and there learned the carpenter's 
trade, and the mjmufaouire of sash, doors and 
blinds. He came to Blue Point in 1ST4. and 
in 1ST5 he l>ecame a member of the firm of 
D. Boyer & Co., in general merchandising, 
from March. iSTo. to December. lS7i\ when 
Mr. Boyer sold his interest to H. Mun-'.el. 
and the firm has since been Klitaing & Mun- 
zel. They occupied a site adjoining Boyer 
House until August, ISSl, when they moved 
into their present room, which was erected 
the same year by them. The main l>nildiug 
is a two-story brick, 2-b:7o, with wjireroom 
in reiw of twenty feet length. It is the larg- 
est business room iu the town, aud is stocked 
with a large smd well-selected stojt of gen- 
eral merehsmdise. Besides the partners, two 
salesmen are emplojvd. Subject was mtir 
rievl. in 1S75, to Louisa Sommerkamp, of 
Cincinnati, Ohio, and has two children — 
Mitftha and Edward. Our subject's father, 
John Klitzing. St., was born in lSl2, a na- 
tive of Prussia, and was a tavern-keeper in 
the village of Neuendorf, where he married 
Maria Oldenburg, and six children were liom 
in Prussia and one in Chicago. He came to 
Effingham , Cc^unty in 1SC2. and ha< since 
farmed near Blue Point, Moccasin Township. 
He and family were raised in the Evangelical 
Lutheran Chttrch. 

HENRY KiJOGMANN. saloon. Altamont. 
is a native of Germany, bom January 25. 
IS-Rv in Amt D:4rma. son of Frank Krogmann 
and Maria Agjsl Loot Henry emigrated to 
.America, arriving September 10, 1S67. and 
for several years worked for John F. Wasche- 
fort, of Teutopolis, remaining with h i m 
nearly six years; afterward was four years in 
the employ of Mr. Holengstein: subsequently, 
was in the employ of other parties tmtil No- 
vember, 1876, when he came to this place 
and engaged in the hotel business, continu- 
inff in this line until June, 1S79, when he 



MOL'XD TOWNSHIP. 



103 



•eiigaj^ed in the saloon bosinesa, and has since 
continned, doing a good biisine-JH, having a 
liberal share of the patronage of those who 
love choice liquors, wines, beer and cigars, 
of which he keeps a con-stant supply always 
on hand; also a table for the accommodation 
of the lovers of pool. November 20, 1876, he 
married Elizabeth Hannar, a native of In- 
diana, who has borne him one child, Hattie. 
Democratic from the time he cast his first 
vote. 

ROBERT LEITZELL, farmer, P. O. Al- 
tamont, is a native of Center County, Penn., 
born .July 18, 18f31, to George W. and Matil- 
da (Strunk) Leitzell. His father was bom 
in Union County, Penn., in 1829. He was 
raised on a farm, and educated in the com- 
mon schools. He was married in 1850, in 
Union County. In 180*^), he came with his 
family to Effingham Coonty, III., and located 
on his present farm, containing 220 acres. 
He is a w«ll-to-do farmer, and bears a name 
and reputation that is beyond reproach. The 
mother of our subject was bom in Mifflin 
County, Penn.. March 11, 1830. She is the 
mother of eleven children, of whom Robert 
is the fifth child. He was brought to this 
county by his parents when but five years of 
age. Was educated in the common schools 
of Effingham County. At twenty years of 
age, he left his home, took atrip in the West, 
through Iowa, and there worked for about 
five months with his brother on a farm. e 
then went to St. Louis, and then to St. 
Charles County, Mo., where he ran a thresh- 
ing machine during the fall of 1881. He 
then went to Chicago and ran a street car on 
the North Side, on State street, and contin- 
ued the same until June, 1882, when he went 
to Jersey County, 111., and ran a steam 
thresher until November, when he returned 
home, where he expects to remain and man- 
age his father's farm. He is an enterprising 



young man; takes great interest in temper- 
ance. Politically, a Republican. 

PETER MAXHIMER, farmer, P. O. Al- 
tamont, was bom in Allen County Penn.. 
January 10, 1825, to Samuel and Elizabeth 
(Poorman) Maxhimer. He was bom in Ger- 
many in 1801; emigrated to Pennsylvania in 
about 1 825, and then to Stark County, Ohio, 
in about 1827, and is now living in Ashland 
County. He is now living with son ujxin his 
farm. He has retired. He was a farmer. 
The mother of our subject was bom in Penn- 
sylvania in 1801. and died in Stark County. 
Ohio, in 1847. She was the mother of six 
children, of whom subject is second child. 
He remained at home until he was twenty- 
two. He attended the common school. 
When he left home, he removed to Indiana 
and bought 120 acres, and farmed seven 
years, and then came to Effingham County 
and settled on his present farm. He there 
bought IW acres. He is now owner of 120 
acres. Member of Methodist Church. Po- 
litically, a Democrat. He had eight children: 
six living— Pearl B.. Ida L., Emma A.. 
Austin O., Frank, Elsie. In 1847. he mar- 
ried Elizabeth Bishop, who died in 1852. 
In 1855, he married Josephine Owens, who 
died in 1875. 

G. P. MAGERS, farmer, P. O. Altamont, 
was bom in Knox County, Ohio, February 
10, .1824, to William N. and Jane (Porter) 
Magers. His father was bom in Frederick 
County, Md, January 0, 1706, where he was 
raised, educated and married. He removed 
with his family to Ohio and settled in Knox 
County in 1S20, and removed to Noble Coun- 
ty, Ind., in 1854, where he died in 1855. 
He was a farmer, and a soldier in the war of 
1812. The mother of our subject was bom 
in Alleghany County, Md., in 1799, and died 
in Knox County, Ohio, in 1826. She was the 
mother of five children, of whom our subject 



104 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



was the fourth child. He was raised and edu- 
cated in Knox County, receiving such an 
education as the subscrijation schools aflbrd- 
ed. His mother died when Le was two years 
of age. His early life was spent at home, 
assisting in tilling the soil of his father's 
farm. At about twenty-one years of age, he 
left his home and embarked on his career in 
life as a shoe-maker in Maryland, where he 
went on leaving home. After four years, he 
returned to Ohio and began farming in his 
native county. He removed to Indiana in 
the spring of 1854, and located in De Kalb 
County, where he remained until 1801, when 
he removed to Allen County and remained 
there until 1872, when he came to Effingham 
County and located in Mound Township, 
west of the Mound, and there bought 140 
acres. In 1876, he bought his present farm 
of 100 acres, which he has improved. In 
Maryland, in 1847, he married Miss Julia 
Ann O'Brian, who has borne him twelve chil- 
dren, of whom nine are living, viz. , John B. , 
William R., Emma C, Samuel D., Frances 
D., Lucy A., Theodore M. , Mary A., Anna 
B. Subject and wife are members of the 
Catholic Church. In politics, is a Democrat. 
JAMES S. McCOY, farmer, P. O. Alta- 
mont, was born in Effingham County, 111., 
October 31, 1857, to Elisha and Caroline 
(Ashing) McCoy. His father was born in 
Greene County, Ohio, June 9, 1807. He 
was raised on a farm and educated in the 
common schools. At twenty-one years of 
age, he left home and embarked on his car- 
eer in life as a farmer in Fayette County, 
Ohio. In 1834, removed to Allen County, 
Ohio, where he remained until 1S59, when 
he came to Illinois and located in Effingham 
County on his present farm. Here he has 
since remained. He has been twice married. 
In Madison County, Ohio, March 10, 1S36, 
he married Miss Elizabeth Stuthard, who 



died August 8, 1S45. She was the mother 
of four children, of whom one is now living, 
viz., Bromwell. In 1846, March 17, he mar- 
ried a second time. Miss Caroline Ashing, a 
native of Chamjiaign County, Ohio. She is 
the mother of eight children, of whom seven 
are now living, viz., Sarah, Margaret, Alice, 
James, Samuel, Anna and Nancy. Mr. Eli- 
sha McCoy has been a member of the Meth- 
odist Church for about twenty-three years. 
Politically, he is a Republican. James was 
educated in the common schools of Effing- 
ham County, and has never left his home. 
He has, however, been renting a portion of 
his father's farm for four years. Politically, 
he is a Republican, and cast his first vote for 
J. A. Garfield. 

G. H. MILLEVILLE, agricultural imple- 
ments, Altamont. Among the dealers in ag- 
ricultural implements of this county is Mr. 
Milleville, who was born in Germany, 
village of Bergholtz, on November 16, 
1843, the third son of eight children by 
his father, Philip Milleville, and Augusta 
Schultz. Gustavus Henry came to America 
with his parents in 1847, July 4, arriving in 
Buffalo, N. Y. The family settled in the 
township of Wheatfield, Bergholtz Village. 
Father was a blacksmith, and followed his 
trade here. The family came here to this 
county in 1866. Gustavus H. came in Feb- 
ruary: parents came in April following, and 
settled in Mound Township, and has since 
remained. G. H. worked on the farm from 
the time of his coming here until 1870. .In 
February, same year, he engaged in tlie mer- 
cantile business half a mile south of Alta- 
mont. He bought the interests of his broth- 
er and William Krull, and his sister's inter- 
est, who had been running said store, in con- 
nection with his sister, Mrs. Krull, which 
partnership lasted until May of 1871, when 
he bought his sister's interest, and then took 



MOUXD. TOWNSHIP. 



105 



in Charles Kellim; firm was Milleville & 
Kellim. This lasted until July 15, same 
year, when they took in George Hilleman; 
lii-m was Kellim & Co. Eighteen months 
later, when Mr. Hilleman dropped but, the 
business was then continued by those re- 
maining until about one year after, when 
Kellim retired, and Mr. Milleville continued 
the business alone until September, 1876, 
when he sold out to George Hilleman and en- 
gaged in the agricultural and farm imple- 
ment business. He has done a thriving busi- 
ness; handles McCormick's harvesters, and 
Furst & Bradley's plows; also general line of 
fanning implements. He moved to Altamont 
August 2,0, 1870, and moved up a house he had, 
and this was the first house in Altamont. He 
was app jinted Postmaster at Mountville, half 
a mile south of Altamont, where he was doing 
business. First commission was dated the 
31st of March, 1870. Continued here as 
Postmaster until August lU, same year, when 
he got the name nf the office changed to Alta- 
mont, and was re-commissioned, the 8th of 
Dacember, 1870, and continued as Postmas- 
ter about two years. When the administra- 
tion changed, was succeeded by John C. Rus- 
sell. Was married, November 2i, 1870. to 
Jonanaa Wendt, born in Naw York in 1850, 
diuofhter of Fred3ric Wendt and Mena 
Schaltz. Has four children — William, Car- 
oline, Cordelia and John. Members of Lu- 
theran Church. Democratic from the first 
vote for Lincoln. January 28, 1864, he en 
listed in the Second New York Mounted 
Rifles, Company I, and served until August 
10, 1865. Served in fourteen engagements. 
Regiment was 1,200 strong at first; came out 
460. Some of the most prominent battles. 
Was in all the battles in front of Petersbui-g; 
hardest one was July 31, 1804. June 14, 
same year, was struck with shell and now 
carries the scar on his leg. 



HERMAN MUNZEL, merchant, Altamont, 
son of Christopher and Sophia (Buchholz) 
Munzel, was born in the village of Rosenthal, 
Hanover, Germany, May 14, 1843. He 
learned the trade of barber in his native 
town, and worked at it until the age of 
twenty-one years. He came to the United 
States in 1865, and stopped near Hillsboro, 
Montgomery Co., 111., where he worked on 
a farm for six months, and then went to St. 
Louis, where he followed his trade, and also 
at Lebanon, Mo. At Pierce City he opened a 
restaurant, and came to St. Elmo, 111., in 1870, 
where he also followed mercantile pursuits, 
and, in 1872, came to Altamont, 111., where he 
followed the same business until 1875, when 
he bought a farm in Fayette County, 111., and 
operated it one year, and, in December, 1876, 
he bought a half-interest in a stock of mer- 
chandise, and formed the present partnership 
of Klitzing & Munzel, and has since conduct- 
ed a successful business in general store. He 
was married, in 1872, to Miss Augusta Rade- 
lofif, of this county, and has three children 
living — Lydia, Edward, Agnes. He camd to 
this county with small capital, and has made 
all by his own labor and management. 

D." P. NEEDHAM, farmer, P. O. Alta- 
mont, was born in Clark County, Ind., on the 
Ohio River, Dacember 22, 1830, to Daniel P. 
and Julia Ann (Kincaid) Needham. His fa- 
ther was born in Bradford County, Ponn. , in 
1804. He was a carpenter and farmer. He 
emigrated to Coles County, 111., in 1831; was 
among the first settlers of that county, and 
settled on the head of Muddy Point, and sub- 
sequently at Charleston, Jewott, and Spring 
Point Township, where he lived for forty 
years, and died in February, 1875. His par- 
ents were of English descent, and natives of 
Pennsylvania. The mother of our subject 
Tas born in Erie County, Penn., in 1805, 
and died in Cumberland County in October, 



106 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



1866. They were the parents of nine chil- 
dren, of whom our subject was the second 
child. He was raised on a farm in Cumber- 
land County, 111., and educated from the 
common schools of that county. He re- 
mained with his parents until he was twenty- 
four years of age. At twenty-one he em- 
barked on his career in lite at the carpenter's 
trade, with his parents. At twenty- four, he 
began farming in Effingham County. He 
made his settlement in 1855 or 1856, St. 
Francis Township, where he remained until 
1872. with the exception of two years he 
spent in Effingham, working at the carpen- 
ter's trade. He bought his present farm in 
the winter of 1871, and removed to the same 
the following spring, and, the same year, 
erected a brick residence. He is now the 
owner of 200 acres of good land in the 
county. In 1855, January 23, in Indiana, 
he married Miss Mary M. Westbrook, a 
native of Ohio, bornOctober 24, 1832. She 
is the mother of five children, four of whom 
are living, viz.: John W., who died in in- 
fancy; William C, James, Ada J., Charles 
N. Was Supervisor for one term; School 
Trustee; is now holding it this eight years. 
Dimitted member of the order of A., F. & A. 
M., at Effingham, 149. Politically his sym- 
pathies are with the Democratic party, 
strong, and cast his first vote for Franklin 
Pierce. 

ALFRED NEWMAN, Sk., farmer, P. O. 
Alt.amont, was born in North Carolina June 
4, 1812, to Jesse and Luany (Watkins) New- 
man. His father was born in Stokes Coun- 
ty, N. C, in 1770, where he was raised on a 
farm, educated and married. In 1818, he 
emigrated with his family to Virginia, and 
located on the Blue Kidge Mountains, in 
Grayson County. Here he remained five years, 
and, in 1823, moved to McMinn County, Tenn. 
In 1835, while en route to Missouri with his 



son-in-law to look at the country, he was tak- 
en with a fever, and died in Warsaw, Mo. 
after a short sickness. He was a son of John 
Newman, a native of North Carolina, of Irish 
descent. He was a soldier in the Revolu- 
tionary war. His parents were natives of 
Ireland. The mother of our subject was 
born in North Carolina in 1767, and died in 
1833. She was of Irish descent. They were the 
parents of twelve children, of whom Alfred, 
our subject, was the youngest child. She was 
first married to John George, who lived only 
three years. Alfred was raised on a farm, 
and received such an education as the sub- 
scription and common schools of his day af- 
forded, all received from the log school - 
houses. He remained at home until he was 
thirty-one years of age, when he embarked 
on his career in life as a farmer, at which he 
has since continued. In 1836, he came to 
Illinois and located in West Township, 
Effingham County. His mother, brother, 
sisters and niece came with him. They came 
by wagons, driving through from Tennessee, 
taking twenty seven days to make the jour- 
ney, and camped out at night. When he 
first came to the county, the Indians used to 
come in a tribe to hunt, and the families 
used to fear them. During his life, Mr. 
Newman has accumulated 400 acres of land, 
and is now the owner of 140, at the old 
homestead. In July, ^ 1844, in Effingham 
County, he married Ellen Drysdale, a native 
of Switzerland County, Ind. , born May 14, 
1820. They were the parents of ten chil- 
di'en, viz.: Jesse; Charity, wife of R. C. 
Martin; Jane, wife of Edwai'd Grace; Mar- 
garet, widow of Thomas Howe; William; Al 
fred A.; Mary, wife of James Robinson; 
James D., Thomas J., Allen and Ella. Mr. 
Newman has twelve grandchildreu living. 
Mr. Newman is a Democrat; never sought 
political promotion, nor clamored for office, 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



107 



believing it to be more consiHtont with liis 
views to stay at home and give his time and 
attention to his farm and family. 

WILLIAM OLIVER, farmer, P. O. Alta- 
mont. was born in Lebanon County, Penn., 
March 27, 1831, to Matthew Nelson and 
Mary Sarah (Emricli) Oliver. His father was 
born in England; was brought to America by 
his parents when he was a baby; his mother 
died when he was two years old, and his 
father when he was seven years. He was 
raised an orphan in Lancaster County, Penn. 
He, was born in 1800, and died in Pennsylva- 
nia in 1807; was a distiller and farmer. He 
was a son of James Oliver, a soldier of the 
Revolutionary war. The mother of our sub- 
ject was born in Pennsylvania, in Lebanon 
County, in 1807, and is now residing in 
Effingham County with her daughter, Mi-s. 
Bowers. She is the mother of eleven childi'en, 
William, our subject, being the fifth child. He 
was educated in the common schools of Penn- 
sylvania, was raised on a fai-m and spent his 
arly hie in assisting in tilling the soil of his 
father's farm. Before he arrived at his majori- 
ty, learned the tradeof a mason of his brotheis. 
At twenty-two years of age, he left home and 
embarked on his own career in life, and 
worked at his trade for about eight years. 
In 1861, he commenced farming in Center 
County, Penn., but was drafted in 1863, and 
served in the last rebellion to the close of 
the war, One Hundred and Forty-ninth Buck 
Tails. At the close of the war, he returned 
to Center County, and again took upon him- 
self the duties of a farm life, until 1867, 
when he with his family removed to Illinois 
and settled on his present farm the same 
year. He is the owner of eighty acres of 
good land. In 1854, in Pennsylvania, he 
married MissSariih Eishel, a native of Penn- 
sylvania, born April 7, 1834. They are the 
parents of seven children, of whom three are 



now living, viz., Adam H., Sadie E., William 
K. He and wife are members of the Meth- 
odist Church. He is a Republican. Since he 
came to the county, he has at times, when he 
could leave his farm work, been engaged in 
building the brick houses at Altamont. His 
daughter Louisa Rebecca was passing by the 
now beautiful cemetery at Altamont, in com- 
pany with several of her companions, and in 
the conversation wondered who would be 
the fij'st one buried there, and in two 
weeks it fell to her to give up her earthly 
home and rest in the same ground that was 
laid out for the cemetery. 

J. M. D. ORRELL, railroad agent, Alta- 
mont, is the efficient agent of the St. Louis, 
Vandalia, Terre Haute and Ohio & Mississippi 
Railroads of this place, who has had charge 
of the offices since August 1, 1877, and has 
engaged in railroading since thirteen years 
of age. He was born January 24, 1847, in 
Mooresville, Morgan Co.,Ind., the eldest son 
of Marcus L. Oz-rell, a native of Guilford 
County, N. C, son of Daniel B. Orrell, who died 
in 1869, havincr attained to the remarkable a^e 
of one hundred and three years, lacking two 
months and three days. The father of our sub- 
ject removed to Morgan County, Ind., when a 
young man, and there engaged in milling, 
and there married Lucinda, daughter of Peter 
Spoon, also a North Carolinian, who came to 
Mooresville, Ind., the same time with the Or- 
rell family. She died in December, 1876, 
aged fifty three years, having borne seven 
children, whose names are Mary E., Jasper 
M. D. , Adolphus L. , Laura, Ellen, Lillie and 
Cory C. In 1855, Marcus L. removed to 
Quincy, Ind., where he yet resides. Mary 
E., the eldest child, is the wife of George 
Tyler, and resides in this town. Laura lives 
in Quincy. Ind., wife of John Asher. Ella 
is the wife of Wiley P. Jones, of Highland, 
this State. Lillie resides in New Providence, 



103 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



IncL, wife of David McGill Adolphiis is 
railroad agent at Qiiincy, lud.. on the New 
Albany road. Jasper M. D., began his ca- 
reer as a raih'oader at the age of thirteen, 
when he began the art of telegrapliy, making 
his first commencement in charge of an oflSce 
at Bedford, lud., and since that time has* 
been located at various points; was three 
years agent and operator on the Ohio & Mis- 
sissippi Railroad, and for some time was gen- 
eral operator on the Union Pacific Railroad, 
and since 1874, has been in the employ of 
the Ohio & Mi.ssissippi Railroad Company, 
and since August, 1877, in charge of the of&ce 
at this place, on the St. Louis, Vandalia & 
Terre Haute Railroad, having now both oifices 
in charge. August 1, 1809, he married Mary 
H. , born in Mount Zion, Ind., daughter of 
William Gwin and Rebecca Mouser, the for- 
mer of Virginia, the latter of Kentucky. 
Mr. Orrell has a small farm lying adjacent to 
the town where he resides. He has two chil- 
dren — Lora Elvira and Ida E. Politically, 
he is a Republican. 

GEORGE ORTMANN, wagonmaker, Al- 
tamont. Of the self-made mechanics in 
Effingham County is George Ortmann, who 
came to this town in February, 18713, and has 
since been identified with the business inter- 
ests of this place. He was born April 24, 
1852, in Amt Cloppenburg Prussia, son of 
Wilhelm and Kate (Helen) Ortmann, to whom 
were born four childi-en, two sons and two 
daughters. At the age of eighteen, George 
emigrated to this State, coming to Clinton 
County, where he attended English schools 
for awhile, afterward completed the wagon- 
maker's trade, which he continued some time 
as a journeyman workman, up to the time of 
his coming to this place, in February, 1876, 
when he set up in business on his own ac- 
coim.t, continuing in this manner until his 
association with Martin Heinmann, in March, 



1880, when the business is carried on as Ort- 
mann & Heimnann. In connection with 
their large wagon and paint shop, they carry 
on blacksmithing at the same time, and are 
turning out first-class work, and having all 
the work they can do. October 20, 1876, he 
married Kate Kolker, a native of the county; 
she has borne him three children — Frankie, 
Eddie and Clara. Democratic, and a member 
of the Catholic Church. 

ORLANDO POORMAN, f ai-mer, P. O. Al- 
tamont, was born in Stark County, Ohio, 
July 20, 1837, to Peter and Maria (Werner) 
Poorman. His early life was spent in re- 
ceiving such an education as the common 
schools of Ohio afforded, and assisting in 
tilling the soil of his father's farm. He has 
always remained with his parents, and came 
with them to Effingham County in 1861, and 
settled on the same farm where our subject 
is now livincr. AVhen he first came he bought 
365 acres of land, and is now the owner of 
the same. The father of our subject makes 
his home with our subject, but is now visiting 
with his daughter, in Shelby County. In 
Effingham County, in 1882, he married Miss 
Caroline Hott, a native of Fairfield County, 
Ohio. She is a daughter of Philip Hott, 
now residing in Fayette County; he is a farm- 
er. Mr. and Mrs. Poorman have only one 
child, viz., Iva.Lorriu, born August 31, 1877. 
Subject and wife are members o£ the Reform 
Church. Politically, his sympathy is with 
the Democratic party. 

GEORGE W. POORMIN, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, was born in Stark County, Ohio, 
September 30, 1838, to Peter and Maria 
(Werner) Poorman. He was born in Franklin 
County, Penn., near Chambersburg, February 
27, 1809; he was raised in Pennsylvania, and 
came to Stark County, Ohio, in 1827, where 
he remained until 1861, when ho came to 
Effingham County, 111., and settled near Blue 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



109 



Mound. He is now living in Shelby County 
with his daughter. He is now retired; was 
a tai'raer. The mother of our subject was 
born ill 1814, in Franklin County, Ponn.; she 
died in August, 1850. They were the parents 
of nine childi-en, seven of whom were raised. 
Subject is the second child. His early life 
was spent in receiving a common-school edu- 
Chtion in Stark Co. , Ohio, and Heidelberg Col- 
lege, Tiffin, one session. He remained with his 
parents iintil he was twenty -nine years of age, 
and previous to that taught school in Stark 
County, and twelve years in Eiiingham and 
Fayette. He taught the first school in Alta- 
mont. In 1873, he gave up teaching, and be- 
gan farming, which he has continued since. 
His farm is located one-fourth mile from Alta- 
mont. In 1873, in Fayette County, he mar- 
ried Eliza J. Watson, a daughter of Alfred 
and Christiana Watson. They have five 
childi-en, viz., Lucy, Mary, Clara M. , Alfred 
P.. Charles W. He was second Township 
Clerk and served three years; was Collector 
one year. He was an active member of the 
A. O. U. W., at Altamont, Blue Mound 
Lodge (Financier of it). Himself and family 
are members of the Reformed Church of the 
United States. In politics, his sympathy is 
with the Democratic party; also his father. 
He came to Effingham County in 1857, and 
located near his present residence. 

JOSEPH F. QUATMAN, merchant, Alta- 
mont, son of Joseph and Maiy Ann (Otten) 
Quatman, was born in Teutopolis Township, 
two miles north of Teutopolis, 111. , April 8, 
1851. He was educated in the public schools 
and St. Joseph's College, and was raised on 
a farm until the age of sixteen or seventeen, 
when he entered upon an apprenticeship at 
shoemaking, and served two years with B. Ho- 
debecker. of Effincjham, and afterward worked 
as a journeyman at difierent points in the 
West, and, in 1873, when he settled at Alta- 



mont, III., and was the second shoe-maker 
that located here. He started his first shop 
in the north " Y " of Railroad street, and 
moved to Railroad street two months later. 
He has been located on Railroad street ever 
sincB; except about one year on INIain street. 
He employs from one to two journeymen, and 
carries a full stock of boots and shoes, doing, 
also, a large custom trade. He was married, 
in October, 1871, to Miss Anna Hays, of Mat- 
toon, 111., and has five children living. His 
father, Joseph Quatman, wjis born in Essen, 
Oldenburg, Germany, May 10, 1810. Ho was 
the schoolmate of the late John F. Wasche- 
fort in Germany. He came to Cincinnati, 
Ohio, in 183G, and worked at different points 
in Ohio, at various callings, until 1S4G, when 
ho came to this county, and bought land in 
Teutopolis Township, where he still lives, 
engaged in farming. He had three sons and 
two daughters, of whom two sons and one 
daughter are living — Frederick Quatman, of 
Teutopolis; Mary, wife of August Schultz;, 
St. Francis Township, and subject. The 
father and mother were married in Cincin- 
nati, Ohio. 

MICHAEL REIS, grocer, Altamont. Of 
the several grocers in the town of Altamont 
that supply the people with the necessaries 
of life in his line, is Mr. Reis, who, though 
having a small store, yet there are none that 
are bringing in the possessor more satisfac- 
tory returns for the amoiint invested than the 
store of the above-mentioned gentleman. His 
stock of goods, consisting of groceries, queens, 
stone and wooden ware, tobaccos, pipes and 
cigras, etc., are all well selected and sold at 
prices inviting competition. He was born 
June 2, 1837, in the Province of Starken- 
burg, Prussia, eldest son of Bartholomew 
Reis and Anna Hertling. He came to Amer- 
ica in 1853, arriving in New York February 
8, in company with his parents, and removed 



110 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



with them tu Portage County, Ohio, and after 
a brief sojourn, they located two years in 
Tuscarawas County; afterward removed to 
St. Louis, living one year, finally locating in 
St. Clair County, where he followed the coop- 
er's trade, which he began learning at the 
age of nineteen, first, in St, Loui>s, complet- 
ing the same after his removal to St. Clair. 
February 20, 1870, he married Gertrude 
Summerfield, a native of the Province of Po- 
sen, in Prussia, who has borne him one child 
— Frank Member of the Catholic Church. 

J. A. REYNOLDS, express agent, Alta 
mont. The obliging agent of the American 
Express Company of Altamont was born Jan- 
uary 8, 1854, in Fayette County, this State, 
son of Joseph Reynolds, a native of Knox 
County, Ohio. His mother's maiden name 
was Cynthia Ray. Subject was raised upon 
a farm and when a young man began clerk- 
ing in a store for Samuel Rhode, of Browns- 
town, and continued with him until Novem- 
ber 1, 1876, when he took cJiarge of the rail- 
road office and express business and ran the 
same for four years. In 1880, he came to 
this place, and has since had charge of Amer- 
ican Express Company's business here. De- 
cember 23, 1876, she was married to Carrie 
Pearce, who was born in Attica, Ind. , daugh- 
ter of John Pierce. She died August 24, 
1878, having borne him two children — Pearl 
and Blanche. His last marriage was May 5, 
1881, to Laura V., daughter of Ambrose 
Besse. She has borne one child — Mabel. 
He is a member of the Christian Church and 
of the Legion of Honor. 

JOHN RHODES, grain dealer, Altamont. 
Among the business men of this town is Mr. 
Rhodes, who is a native of this State; he was 
born in Fayette County March 9, 1843, the 
youngest .son and child of Joseph and Mar- 
garet Rhodes, both natives of Fayette County, 
Penn., and settled in Perry County, Ohio, re- 



maining there several years; about the year 
1840, removed to Greene County, Illinois, and 
removed to Fayette County, where he settled 
and has since remained. To them were born 
nine children, of whom two sons and daiigh- 
ters are living. John remained at home on 
the farm until twenty-eight years of age, 
when he engaged in farming on his own ac- 
count, continuing here until the fall of 1872, 
when he came to Altamont and engaged in 
the livery business with his brother Jacob, 
under the firm name of Rhodes Bros. ; this 
continued about four years, when he engaged 
in the saloon business, which he still runs. 
Since March, 1882, he has been associated 
with Samuel Cooper in the grain and stock 
business. He was married, October 1, 1871, 
to Samantha White, daughter of J. M. "White 
and Desdemona Shell. He has two children 
— John and James E. He is a member of 
the American Legion of Honor, No. IGO. 

SYLVESTER STUART RICE, physician, 
Altamont, whoso jjortrait appears in this 
work, was born in Trumbull County, Ohio, 
July 4, 1834, son of Jonathan Stuart and 
Martha (Mathews) Rice, he born in Doyles- 
towu, Bucks Co., Penn., September 20, 1808, 
and died January 20, 1852; she born near 
Gunpowder, Md. , June 10, 1810, and died 
September 30, 1867. The parents were 
farmers, and moved to Trumbull County, 
Ohio, in May, 1834. They were married Au- 
gust 28, 1833, and were the parents of seven 
children, three of whom are living — Mary J., 
Marian L. (Rice) Smith, and our subject. 
The latter received his early education in the 
public schools, and after>vard studied at Sa- 
lem and Mt. Union, Ohio. He attended med- 
ical lectures in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1855 and 
1856, and afterward took a post-graduate 
course in the Missouri Medical College in 
1882. He taught school in Burkesville, Ky., 
from the fall of 1852 to the spring of 1854; 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



Ill 



in North Vernon, Ind., in the winter of 1854 
-55, and commenced the study of medicine 
with Dr. J. W. Parrish. of that place in 1854. 
He was married, May 24, 1874, in Greenville, 
Bond County, this State, to Sarah E. Hennin- 
ger, born in Fayette County, 111. , October 2, 
] 850, daughter of William and Mary Isabel 
(Oglesby) Henninger, he a native of Virginia, 
born in Washington County, that State, July 9 
1817, moved to Fayette County, this State in 
1833, and resided there until his death, which 
occurred January 20, 1882; she, born in Ma- 
son County, Ky., in 1819, was married to Mr. 
Henninger October 28, 1845. Om- subject 
commenced the regular practice of medicine 
in August, 1858. at Collinsville, 111.; contin- 
ued there until 1872, since which time he 
has resided and practiced in this county. 
He has two children — Mary Stuart, born 
June 26, 1875; and Eugenia H., born June 
22, 1881. Our subject is the present Presi- 
dent of the Town Board, and has also been a 
member of the School Board for several years. 
He is liberal in his religious views, and in 
political matters is a Democrat of the Jack- 
sonian type. He has been for several years 
a member of the I. O. O. F. , and is also an 
A., F. & A. M. 

THOMAS B. RUCH, farmer, P. O. Alta- 
mont. This gentleman is a native of Colum- 
bia County, Penn., born April 13, 1828. 
His father, Joseph Ruch, was born in Penn- 
sylvania in about 1783, He was a mechanic, 
following the occupation of a shoemaker. 
He was a soldier in the war of 1812. He 
died in 1848. His parents were natives of 
Germany. His wife was Ann Hess, of Ger- 
man parentage, born in Pennsylvania in 
1783, and died in 1845. They were the par- 
ents of seven childi'en, of whom Thomas was 
the youngest son and sixth child. He was 
educated in the common schools of his native 
county. At sixteen years of age. he left homo 



and went to Wayne County, Ohio, where he 
served three years' apprenticeship at the 
shoe-maker's trade with John C. Briggs. He 
continued working at his trade until 1850, 
when he began farming, thinking it would 
benefit his health, which had become im- 
paired by his working too steadily at his 
trade. In 1856, he moved to Indiana and 
located in Wabash County, where he re- 
mained until 18C)5, when he returned tb 
Wayne County, Ohio, and in the spring of 
1868 came to Illinois and located on his 
present farm, where he has since remained 
actively engaged in farming. When he first 
came to the county, he lived with C. S. 
Moore, until he could erect a house and make 
some improvements on his farm. His farm 
consists of 120 acres of land, located in Sec- 
tion 9, Mound Township, In 1849. in Wayne 
County, Ohio, he married Miss Kuflel, who 
died March 31. 1S77. She was the mother 
of twelve children, of whom ten are now 
living, viz., Harriet P, , Henrietta, William 
W. , Rosa, Sarah v., J ennora, Charles CMary 
A,, Gertrude and Jesse B, His second 
maiTiage occm-red April 24, 1878, in Effing- 
ham County, to Mrs, Margaret Banister, a 
native of New York Citj', The result of this 
union is two children, viz.. Or la Otis and an 
infant not named. Mr. Ruch is religously 
connected with the Methodist Church, D. G. 
M. of the I. O. O. F., and, in 1878, 1879, 
1880 and 1881, represented his lodge at Alta- 
mont at the Grand Lodge, He has been a 
member of the order for thirty years. He is 
a Democrat, and cast his first vote for Frank- 
lin Pierce. 

JOHN C. RUSSEL, merchant, Altamont, 
was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Octo- 
ber 3, 1834. When about four years old, he 
moved to Belmont County, where he grew 
up, until the age of fourteen, on a farm, and 
was educated in the common schools. His 



112 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



parents then moved to Morgan County, Ohio, 
where our subject became a school teacher and 
taught school ten terms in Morgan County, 
Ohio, and one term in Linn County, Iowa, 
whither he had gone on a visit in 1856, and 
there cast his first Presidential vote, in 1856, 
for Gen. Fremont. He taught until the war 
broke out. He enlisted, in the summer of 
1862, as a recruit for the Seventy-eighth 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, dismissing his 
school, and served until the close of the war 
in the Department of Tennessee. He was 
first at the battle of Raymond, Jackson, 
Miss., Champion Hills, where subject received 
a flesh wound in the thigh by a minie-ball, 
and was disabled from May till September, 
when he joined his command at Vicksburg, 
in 1863, and was at Marietta and the great 
march to the sea, and was discharged in the 
summer of 1865 and came direct to Effing- 
ham, where ho opened a stc;re, and tied up 
the first goods behind his own counter, open- 
ing in September, and remained there until 
the next IMarch, when he moved back to Free- 
manton, and sold goods there two years, with 
D. Boyer, and later with Jesse H. Said, to 
whom he sold and removed to Moccasin, and 
opened a store in the spring of 1868, and 
conducted business the];e for three years. 
He came to Altamont in April, 1871, and, 
with Mr. Boyer, engaged in selling goods 
and buying grain for over two years. He 
then bought out the stock of Will Snook, 
and conducted business alone for some time. 
He built his present storeroom in 1875, and 
has conducted business here ever since, carry- 
ing a general stock of goods. He was a 
charter member and first AV. M. of Freeman- 
ton Lodge, A., F. & A. M., No. 533, which is 
now Altamont Lodge. He is a member of 
the Effingham Royal Arch Chapter, No. 87. 
In politics, he is a Republican. He married 
the only daughter of D. Boyer, Lydia A., 



March 17, 1859, and they have two children 
living — Ai'delia B., wife of E. Faneher, of 
Chapman, Kan., and Daniel C. The first 
marriage that was celebrated in Altamont 
after its laying out was at the residence of 
our subject, on Grove street. The parties 
were Sallie E. Russel, sister of subject, and 
Frank Williams, then of Hemy County, 
Ind. , Rev. J. D. Crum, M. E. Church, now of 
California, officiating. 

JOHN M. SCATEFE, liveryman, Alta- 
mont, was born in Clay County, 111., Novem- 
ber 28, 1831. He came with his parents to 
this coimty when about three years old. 
They settled on the Wabash in what is now 
Jackson Township, where the parents lived 
about five years, near where James Turner 
now lives, and the father died while working 
on the old National road, about 1835. The 
mother moved back to their fii'st settlement, 
on Crooked Creek, near lola. Clay County, 
where she lived until her death, which oc ■ 
cun-ed about thi-ee years after her husband's 
death. This left six small children, of whom 
only one daughter and our subject are living. 
She, Lucinda, is the widow of the late Charles 
Lee, of Idaho Territory. Our subject was aljout 
seven years old when his mother died, and 
he then went to live with his imcle Jesse 
Scaiefe, of Clay County, and lived with him 
till the age of eighteen years old, working on 
the farm and sroincr to school in all about six 
months. At the age of eighteen, he hired 
to his cousin. Judge J. W. P. Davis, at the 
time County Clerk of Clay County, 111. He 
was in his employ at $100 per annum, for 
about three years, at all kinds of farm work. 
July 20, 1851, our subject married Miss 
Bishop, daughter of Jesse and Hannah 
(Thrash) Bishop, and removed to Pike Coun- 
ty, 111., where he only lived about six months, 
when he returned to Effingham County and 
settled on raw prairie land, on Fulfer Creek, 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



113 



in West Township, and made a crop on rented 
land. He took a contract on the Eastern 
Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad, near 
Edgewood, and worked on it about one year, 
•when he went to his farm and began improv- 
ing it, when his wife took sick and died, in 
about March, 1854. Om- subject went into 
business for Presley Funkhouser, buying, 
collecting and feeding cattle, for about a 
year, and then he became a partner in the 
stock business, and took charge of the Blue 
Point farm for about six years. In 1857. he 
married Harriet C. Kitchell, of this county. 
In February, 1862. he moved onto his own 
land, in West Township, where he lived un- 
til the fall of 18T(), and put 250 acres in 
cultivation. He moved to Vandalia in 1870, 
and went into the livery business, in which 
he was engaged for three years, and was Dep- 
uty Sheriff of Fayette County during about 
two years of that time. In 1873, he moved 
back to his farm, and resided there until July, 
1882, when he moved to Altamont, 111. , and 
went into the livery business, and conducts 
the only livery stable in the city He has ten 
horses, with eight good vehicles. His 
stable has a capacity for twenty-five horses. 
In politics, he is a Democrat of the Jack- 
sonian school, and has filled many offices of 
trust in his township. He has two sons 
living of the last marriage — Rollin Ray and 
Lennon Ellsworth. His parents, William 
and Nancy (Cleary) Scaiefe, came here from 
Tennessee; she was born in Virginia, and 
the father in North Carolina. They were 
married in Smith County, Tenn., and came to 
Clay County, 111., in about 1825. 

T. J. SCOTT, express and railroad agent, 
Altamont. The trustworthy and obliging 
agent of the Wabash & St. Louis Railroad, 
also of the Adams and Pacific Express Com- 
panies at this point has been in the employ 
of the same company for over ten years. 



Considering the changing vicissitudes inci- 
dent to the life of the average railroad man, 
this speaks well for Mr. Scott: that he has 
been found true to the trusts and responsi- 
bilities that have been placed upon him. He 
was born March 8, 1852, in Clermont Coun- 
ty, Ohio, the fourth son of a family of ten 
children. His parents were Thomas D. Scott 
and Catharine Griswold, *ho are yet resi- 
dents of Ohio. He began learning telegi'ajihy 
at Martinsville, Clinton Co., Ohio, before he 
became of age, and, in Septembei", 1872, he 
came to Lovington, Moultrie County, this 
State, where he took charge of the railroad 
office and express business of that place, and 
continued here until August, 1877, when he 
was transferred to Altamont, where be has 
since had charge of the company's business 
at this point. He was married, September 
1, 1875, to Sarah, a native of Blanchester, 
Ohio, daughter of J. C. Constable. He has 
four children — Musa J., George S., Arthur 
D. and Nina. Is a member of the I. O. O. 
F. and A. L. of H. of this place. 

DR. G. SCHLAGENHAUF, Altamont. 
was born in Stuttgart, Germany, April 
12, 18-19, to John and Mary Sehlagenhauf, 
both natives of Stuttgart. Om- subject was 
brought to America by his father, in 185-1, 
who located in Hamilton County, Ohio, near 
Cincinnati, where the father died when oiu' 
subject was quite young. The mother died 
in Europe previous to the emigration. They 
had only foui- children, vi«. , John, a minis- 
ter at Quincy, 111., formerly of St. Louis; 
Anna, living at the old homestead, in Hamil 
ton County, Ohio ; Jacob, an M. D. , of Frank- 
lin County Mo., and George, our subject. 
After the death of his father, he went to St. 
Louis to live, with hi? brother John, and 
while there attended the common and high 
schools, and then entered the Warren ton Col- 
lege, in Wsaren County, Mo., where he grad- 



114 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



uated, after a three- years ooiirse, in 1867; 
he then entered the Rohrer College at St. 
Louis, taking a commercial course, graduat- 
ing in 1868. He then entered the St. Louis 
Medical College, graduating from the same 
March 12, 1874; he then went to Missouri 
and assisted his brother in his profession un- 
til the fall of 1874, when he again entered 
the Medical College, and took a post-graduate 
course. On September 1, 1876, he came to 
Altamont and entered upon the practice of 
his profession. On September 16, 1880, he 
associated with Drs. Clark and Groves, the 
firm being Clark, Groves & Schlagenhauf. 
He is now practicing by himself. He is a 
member of the State Medical Association. 

AUGUST SCHROEDER, farmer, P. O 
Altamont, was born in Prussia, Germany, 
February 5, 1835, to Frederick and Mena 
(Schroeder) Schroeder. His father was in 
Prussia December 12, 1812, where he was 
educated and raised. He learned the tailor's 
trade and worked at the same the most of his 
lifetime. In 1835, he married, and, in 1844, 
with his wife and two children, emigrated 
to America by sailing vessel, from Hambm-g 
to New York, being eight weeks and four 
days en route; there were three days' storm, 
but they arrived safe. He immediately went 
West, to Buifalo, and, in February, 1845, 
removed to Niagara County, N. Y., where he 
remained until he died, in November, 1858. 
He was a son of Samuel Schroeder, who was 
killed in 1827 by falling throvigh a barn. 
The mother of our subject was born in Prus- 
sia, Germany, April 23, 1803, and died in 
Effingham County, 111., in March, 1876; she 
was a daughter of George Schroeder, who 
died in 1808, sixty years old. He was a farm- 
er in Germany, and died in Prussia. Sam-, 
uel Schroeder was engaged in the war on the 
French side; was wounded in the arm, which 
caused him to lose the use of his elbow. The 



parents had five children, of whom subject 
was the oldest child; two died in Germany 
and one in Illinois. Fred and our subject 
are the only living ones in the family. Au- 
gust was educated from the Lutheran schools 
of Germany and America. After fourteen 
years of age, he commenced working on a 
farm, and has continued the same till the 
present time, with the exception of three 
years, one in a store and two in a brick-yard. 
He left home for himself at twenty-one years 
of age. He came to Effingham County in 
1864, September 1, and then settled cm his 
present farm, which ho has improved. He 
is the owner of seventy-seven acres of good 
land. In Effingham County, in May, 1866, 
he married Miss Minnie VVendt, a native of 
New York State, born March 9, 1845; she is 
a daughter of Frederick and Minnie (Sholtz) 
Wendt, both living, and natives of Germany, 
who came to America in 1843, and to Illinois 
in 1B66. Mr. and Mrs. Schroeder have had 
eight children, of whom six are now living, 
viz., Samuel, George, Ernest, Amanda, Ed- 
ward, Gustavus (Elizabeth and August died). 
Himself and family are members of the Lu- 
theran Chui'ch. In politics, he is independ- 
ent. He has been Road Commissioner three 
years, and Township Assessor one year. The 
grandmother on the mother's side was Char- 
lotte (Sprunck), who died in 1870, aged eighty- 
nine years, in German}. Grandmother on 
the father's side was Mary (Rex), died in 
about 1867, seventy-eight years of age. 
Samuel Schroeder's grandfather had a small 
property in Germany, worth $1,000. 

CHARLES SCHUjVIACHER, grain-dealer, 
Altamont, son of William and Sophia (La- 
bahn) Schumacher, was born July 20, 1844, 
in the village of Bassendorf, Prussia. He 
learned the trade of gardener in Prussia, 
serving three years. In 1861, he came with 
his parents to the United States, his father 



iMOrXD TOWNSHIP. 



115 



loc<ating in Cook County, 111., living, until 
iSHo. on a farm. In the spring of 1865, they 
came to this county, and settled in Mound 
Township, the father buying land in Section 
10. Subject assisted his father on the farm un- 
til 1871, when he entered the empio)' of C. F. 
Sillery, and worked in his warehouse for 
about two years. He worked two years on a 
farm, and afterward worked for Jennings & 
Minor, for about five years, conducting their 
entire business here in grain. In the spring 
of 1881, he formed a partnership with Mr. 
Snook, and built the present warehouse oper- 
ated by Snook & Schumacher, and have oper- 
ated with good success since. Our subject 
started in this county without any capital 
whatever. His father died in this county iu 
1866, leaving three B(ms and two daughters 
living. Our subject was married, iu 1S69, to 
Miss Louisa Sutter, of this county, and has 
six children living — Emma, Mary, William, 
Minnie. Edward, Frank. 

J. W. SEVERNS, farmer, P. O. Altamont, 
was born in Knos County, Ohio, May 30, 
1831, to Stephen and Mary (Workman) Sev- 
erns He was born in Virginia in 1810, re- 
moved to Knox County, Ohio, with his par- 
ents when a boy, where he remained actively 
engaged in farming to the time of his death, 
which occurred in 1874. The mother of our 
subject was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, 
in 1815, and died in 1805. They were the 
parents of ten children, of whom six are now 
living, J. W. being the fourth child. His 
early life was spent at home in receiving 
such an education as the common schools of 
Knox County afforded, and assisting in till- 
ing the soil of his father's farm. In 1854, 
he left home and embarked on his career in 
life as a farmer in Elfingham County, 111.; 
and settled on the same farm where he is now 
residing, where he has since remained, with 
the exception of six months spent in Fayette 



County. He is now the owner of ninety-five 
acres of land in this county and 1(50 acres in 
Iowa. When he came to his farm, it was un- 
improved. In 1855, in Ohio, he married 
Catharine Klein, a native of Herkimer Coun- 
ty, N. Y., born in 1829, November 21, to 
Catharine and Peter Klein, natives of Europe. 
Mr. and Mrs. Severns have had eigrht chil- 
dren, seven of whom are now living, viz., 
Emma E., wife of A. Sproet, a farmer in 
Nebraska; L. W.; Byron L., married and 
farming in Mound Township; Mary Cathar- 
ine, Elizabeth J., Sarah A., John Ellsworth. 
Our subject was the second Assessor after the 
township organization, one year; Nonstable 
for four- years. His wife is a member of the 
M. E. Church. Politically, he is a Democrat. 
He is the owner of a fine stallion, of Norman 
Bill, and he makes a specialty of breeding 
stock. 

VALENTINE SHAB, deceased, was born 
in Germany July 9, 1833, to John and Cath- 
arine (Rice) Shab, both natives of Germany. 
He was raised on a farm, and brought to 
America by his parents when about eleven 
years of age, who located in Holmes County, 
Ohio, where he received a common school 
education. Here he remained at home until 
sixteen years of age, when his father died, 
and being thrown on his own resources he 
removed to Wooster, Ohio, and apprenticed 
himself at the carriage-maker's trade, serving 
three years, and continuing the same until 
the breaking-out of the war, when he enlisted 
in the Sixth MissoiU'i, Company B, Cavalry, 
and serving three years. He worked the first 
year at blacksmithing, and afterward was 
forage master. After the close of the war, 
he came directly to EiSngham County, where 
his family removed the previous month. 
Here he remained, actively engaged in farm- 
ing and blacksmithing. His death occurred 
January 29, 1875. In Wooster, Ohio, Octo- 



116 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ber 5, 1856, he was married to Mary M. Wer- 
net, a native of Pittsburgh, Penn. , born 
January 9, 1834, to Charles F. and Catharine 
(Rome) Wernet, both natives of Germany. 
He was a farmer and died in August, 1872; 
she died in January, 1879. Mrs. Shab is 
the mother of eight children, of whom six 
are living, viz., Charles J., in a sugar refinery 
at St. Louis; John L., attending to the 
home farm; Valentine M., Lewis P., Joseph 
W., Mary A.; Frances H. and Matilda L., 
dead. He was a Republican, and cast his 
tirst vote for Abraham Lincoln. John 
was married, in Altamont, November 13, 
1882, to Martha E. Dow, a daughter of Ben- 
jamin and Sarah (King) Dow, residents of 
Fayette County. 

WILLIAM SHENEFIELD, farmer, P. 
O. Altamont, was born in Mahoning County, 
Ohio, December 28, 1829, to John and Eliza- 
beth (Widdis) Shenefield. He was born in 
Pennsylvania; was brought to Ohio by his 
parents when a boy. He was born in 1791, 
and is the only one of the tirst settlers of Ma- 
honing County. He has always followed the 
occupation of a farmer. He is the ovnier of 
230 acres of land. He was a son of John, a 
native of Pennsylvania, near Maryland. He 
was a soldier in the war of 1812; he served 
in the place of his son. The mother of our 
subject was born in Ireland, of English de- 
scent. She died in 1879, September 27, in 
her eighty-sixth year. She was the mother 
of eight children, ot whom six are living, 
our subject being the youngest son and the 
fifth child. He was raised in Mahoning 
County, Ohio, on his father's farm. He at- 
tended the common schools, but received 
most of his education from observation. 
After he was of age, he took the management 
of his father's farm, and just before the war 
he spent one year in the South, in Davie 
County, N. C. , and was with a company put- 



ting up wheat- fans; he went there to benefit 
his health, the doctors advising him to go, 
and returned home after one year. In 1856, 
he removed to Indiana and located in St. Jo- 
seph County, and engaged in the merchan- 
dising business, but, as it did not pay, soon 
after engaged in the saw-mill business in this 
county, with two other gentlemen, and con- 
tinued the same until 1867, when he sold his 
interest in the mill and bought a farm, but 
did not find it satisfactory, so he, in 1868, 
removed to Illinois and located in Effingham 
County. He tirst bought 320 acres with his 
cousin, but was obliged to keep the whole of 
it. He sold 100 acres, and has now 160 
acres near Altamont. In Indiana, in 1859, 
he married Ruth Craven, who died in Feb- 
ruary, 1870. She was the mother of four 
children, of whom two are now living, viz.. 
Ollin and Steward. In 1870, he married, in 
Effingham County, Mary Ann Oliver, a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania. She is the mother of 
four children — Albert, Martin, Lotta May and 
an infant. In Indiana, was two terms 
Township Treasurer. He is an active mem- 
ber of the I. O. U. W. Politically, inde- 
pendent. 

WILLIAM L. SNOOK, grain-dealer, Al- 
tamont, son of William H. and Sarah B. 
(Bobbins) Snook, was raised in Oreensburg, 
Ind., where he was born, November 2, 18-t3. 
At the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the 
Seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and 
served one year, in the regimenial baud, 
when all such bands were discharged. Served 
two years as engineer in a flouring-mill and 
manufacturing house, and was afterward in 
the stock business at Greensburg, Ind. He 
came to Altamont in 1871, and tirst engaged 
in the furniture and hardware business. He 
opened the first store of that kind in Mr. 
Howers' storeroom, in October, 1871. He con- 
tinued in that line some two years, when he 



MOUND TOAVNSHIP. 



117 



engaged in the general merchandise line for a 
yeai-. In about 1874, he engaged in the 
grain and stock business, and became a part- 
n(«r of H. A. Carter, and handled grain in 
the house occupied by Mr. Ensign. After, 
some two years in the firm of Carter & Snook, 
and after a time subject bought out Mr. Car- 
ter's interest, and sold it to John Ensign in 
1879. For a time Mr. Snook gave his entire 
attention to the buying and shipping of stock, 
and in company with Mr. Charles Schumacher 
built for Clifton Wells their present ware- 
house, on the Ohio & Mississippi and the 
Wabash Railroads. They have a lease of the 
building for five years from the date of its 
building, in the spring of 1881. It has the 
best dump and elevator ever built here, hav- 
ing complete machinei'y for dumping and 
shelling grain, with a capacity of 3,000 bush- 
els per day, and is the only elevator in town. 
The dump caused a great interest among farm- 
ers, and will revolutionize the old manner of 
shoveling grain by hand. The firm of Snook 
& Schumacher also buy and ship all kinds of 
live stock for Indianapolis, St Louis and 
Chicago markets. Mr. Snook was married, 
in 1868, to Miss Emma Elliott, of Jennings 
County, Ind., and has one daughter — Enola, 
living. Our subject's father was born in 
Warren County, Ohio, and came to Groons- 
burg, Ind., about 1830, where he married. 
His wife was born in Decatur County, Ind. 
He was a tailor by trade and afterward was 
in the grocery business; both parents are still 
living at Greensburg, where subject has one 
brother, John R., and sister, Mary A., wife 
of William Rybolt. 

JACOB L. STAIR, manufacturer, Alta- 
mout, was born in Elkhart County, Ind., 
August 29, 1858. At the age of five years, 
his parents removed to Illinois, settling in 
Effingham County about 1863 on a farm, 
where subject lived until the building of the 



Vandalia Railroad. At the age of seventeen, 
he entered the telegraph ofl&ce at St. Elmo, 
and in four months took charge of the office of 
the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, being night 
operator for nine months. He then resigned 
his position there and became extra operator, 
and as such he worked at various offices along 
the line, from Indianapolis to St. Louis, until 
1878. He then took charge of the day office 
at Altamont, and held that position until 
1880, when he resigned to engage in the re- 
tail furniture business for about one year. 
March, 1881, with his father, Jacob Stair, 
he established a furnitui'o factory. They 
leased a building of William B. Metham, and 
continued in that until the erection of the 
present building, in September, 1882. They 
first started with ten men, but have increased 
the number and facilities for the manufacture 
of bedsteads. 

MRS. JULIA TAPSON, milliner, Alta- 
mont. Of the various enterprises in the 
town of Altamont that have started here 
within the last decade and have met with 
more than unusual success is the millinery 
and notion department of Mrs. Julia Tapson, 
who started in business here in the spring of 
1875 in a small room in her own house, which 
she subsequently changed for a larger one, 
where she continued until this proved inade- 
quate to the demands of her fast-growing 
trade, when she built the building she now 
occupies, and has added to her stock of mil- 
linery a selection of queensware. She keeps 
a well-selected stock of everything in hor line, 
keeping pace with the style and fashions of 
the day, and placing her goods at fair and 
reasonable prices, treating all with equal 
fairness. She has extended her trade over a 
large extent of country, and has built up a 
thriving and prosperous trade. She was 
born in Perryville, Mo. Her parents were 
natives of Switzerland, and were among the 



118 



BIOGB APHICAL : 



prominent families of that country. Her 
father died in 185S; her mother is yet living, 
and resides with her. 

WILLIAM D. TROLLINGEE, farmer, 
P. O. Altamont, was born in Knox County, 
Ohio, September 21, 1828, to George and 
Nora (Durbin) Trollinger. He was born in 
Pennsylvania, of German descent, in ISOO; 
he was a farmer; he died in Ohio in 1875; 
his father was a soldier in the Revolutionai-y 
war. The mother of our subiect was born in 
Maryland, in 1808, and died in Ohio in 1851. 
He was killed by his horse that he was riding 
falling on hiru, causing such injuries that he 
died in a few days. They were the parents 
of eight children, one of whom — Williarn — 
was the fourth child. His early life was 
spent in securing such an education as the 
common schools of his native county afforded, 
and assisting in tilling the soil of his father's 
farm. When he was sixteen years of age, he 
apprenticed himself at the carpenter's trade, 
and served three years, and worked at the 
same until 1862, and then did his last work 
building the house he is now residing in 
He came to Effingham County in 1851, and 
bought his land in 1857, and removed to it 
in 1859, where he has since remained, active- 
ly engaged in farming. His farm now con- 
tains 180 acres of prairie and forty of timber. 
In Effingham County, in 1857, he married 
Miss Elizabeth Sapp, a native of Ohio and 
came to Effingham County when she was a 
little girl. They had four children, three 
living — Hiram D., Mary C. and Mine J. 
He is a Democrat. 

LOUIS VAX] CLAIR, miller, Altamont, 
son of Joseph and Mary (Vallet) Vauclair, 
was born in St. Louis, Mo., June 1. 1854. 
He was raised in St. Louis, where, at the age 
of twelve years, he entered the Carondelet 
City Mills, and served there a three-years' 
apprenticeship and worked as second miller 



for some time, when he became first miller, 
working in that mill in all about ten years. 
He afterward worked in the Iron Mountain, 
the Atlantic and other mills in the West. In 
August, 1881, he took charge of the Farmers 
Mills, at Altamont, 111., where he has since 
done a good merchant and exchange business. 
He enlarged the capacity of the mills since 
he came to fifty barrels per day, and contem- 
plates other still more important improve- 
ments. It has three run of buhrs and makes 
the " New Process " flour. The mill is three 
story, with basement, and is operated by a 
thirty horse-power engine; employs three 
men for the day and three for the night. 
Our subject was married, in St. Louis, in 
April, 1881, to Miss Pauline Herbel, of St. 
Louis, Mo., daughter of Judge A. Herbel. 
The parents were both natives of France, 
where they were married, and came to St. 
Louis about 1849, where they died. 

NELSON WALLACE, farmer, P. 0. Al- 
tamont, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, 
August 21, 1821, to John and Jane (Nelson) 
Wallace. His father was born in Pennsyl- 
vania in 1796, was brought to Ohio by his 
parents, whD located near Zanesville; that 
was before the town was laid ou^t; here he 
was raised and educated. Arriving at his 
majority, he removed to Jackson County, 
where he remained until 1835, when he re- 
moved to Putnam County, Ind., and in 1840, 
to Morgan County, where he died in 1843, 
November 19. His occupation was that of a 
farmer. The mother of our subject was born 
in Ohio in 1801, and died in Putnam County 
in September, 1852. She was a daughter of 
Jonathan R. Nelson, a soldier of the Black 
Hawk war. Parents of our subject had eleven 
children, of whom Nelson was the oldest 
child. He was raised on a farm in Putnam 
and Morgan Counties, where he received such 
an education as the subscription schools of 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



119 



his day •aflforded. He remained with his par- 
ents until he was twenty-two years of age, 
when he embarked on his own career in life 
as a farmer, confinuiucr the same until 1S46, 
when he learned the trade of a saddler and 
harness-maker, at Green Castle, Ind., where 
he worked twelve years. In October, 1858, 
he came to Effingham County; he drove 
across the country in a lumber wagon and 
buggy tied on behind, and shipped his goods 
to Effinffham. He bought the farm then con- 
taining forty acres, the same year, and added 
to it until he now has 120 acres. He has, 
however, sold his present farm, and expects 
to remove to near Altamont. Mr. Wallace 
commenced life very poor, and has worked 
hard to earn his competency. In Morgan 
County, Ind., in 1843, in February, he was 
maiTied to Zillah Mills, a native of Dearborn 
County, Ind., born in 1823, April 0. Mr. 
and Mrs. Wallace ai-e the parents of eight 
children, of whom six are now living, viz., 
James K., John L., Benjamin F. , Hiram E., 
Ellen M., Susan H. He is an active mem- 
ber of the order of the A., F. & A. M., at Al- 
tamont, No. 533; been a member since 1852. 
Has held the office of School Director ten or 
twelve years; Town Clerk three years; Com- 
missioner of Highways for seven years. Was 
elected to the TowTiship Treasurer, but de- 
clined to accept it. He was a Democrat and 
cast his lirst vote for James K. Polk, in 1844, 
and since 1856 he has been a solid Republi- 
can. In 1873, he had his house and house- 
hold goods destroyed by lire. Upon the 
home farm is an orchard that Mr. Wallace 
set out twenty- two years ago, and is said to 
be the best orchard in the township. Two 
of his sons were in the late war. James was 
wounded; sei-ved nearly four years. John 
served nearly three years, and both enlisted, 
JAMES K. M ALLACE, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, was born in Green Castle, Ind., 



January 10, 1845, to Nelson and Zillah 
(Mills) Wallace, whose history appears in 
another part of this work. James was raised 
in town to the age of thirteen, when he was 
brought to Effingham County by his parents. 
He received his education from the common 
schools of Green Castle. His early life was 
spent in assisting in tilling the soil of his 
father's farm. At eighteeen years of age he 
enlisted in the late rebellion, serving from 
August 12, 1862, until July 6, 1865, when 
he was mustered out. He served in the 
Ninety-eighth Illinois Volunteers, under Col. 
Funkhouser; was in the following battles: 
Hoover's Gap,. Chickamauga. Sherman to At- 
lanta, and back with Thomas to Nashville; 
was in twenty-eight battles and skirmishes, 
and was wounded at Selma, Ala. ; was in 
every battle the regiment was in. and was 
never wounded until the last battle, by five 
shots, one in the thigh, one in the right arm, 
one in the neck, one in the gi'oin and one in 
the mouth. After the close of the war, he 
returned to the home of his parents, where 
he remained until 1872. In March, 1872, he 
went to Missouri, where he remained six 
months; thence to Kansas, for two months, 
and then to Oregon, where he remained three 
and one-half years, engaged in different oc- 
cupations, on canal, on a farm and a saw-mill. 
In November, 1875, he returned home, and, 
in January, maiTied and removed to his pres- 
ent farm, where he has since remained, en- 
gaged in farming. He is now the owner of 
120 acres, and started with forty acres. 
January 13, 1876, he married, in Effingham 
County, Miss Maggie Baker, a native of 
Effingham County, and a daughter of Jacob 
and Martha Ann (Powell) Baker. He is a 
native of Virginia and she of Tennessee. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace have three children, 
viz., Jacob, born March 8, 1877; Zillah Maud, 
born December 1,1878; It^ttie, born Novem- 



130 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ber 9, 1881. Politically, he is a Republican, 
and cast his first Presidential vote for U. S. 
Grant. 

F. W. WENDT, grain dealer, Altamont, 
was born September 19, 1853, in Martinsville, 
Niagara Co., N. Y. He is a son of Frederich 
Wendt, a farmer, who was born near Berlin, 
the capital of the German Empire, on April 
25, 1828; he is now living in St. Francis 
Township, Effingham County. The maiden 
name of F. W. Wendt's mother was Louisa 
Grimm, born in 1829, near Berlin, Germany; 
she is now living in Effingham County. 
There are ten children in the family, eight 
boys and two girls. Mr. F. W. Wendt was 
educated mainly in Effingham. 111. , although 
bis German education was acquired in Mar- 
tinsville, N. Y. ; he was a farmer in early 
life, but at the age of twenty, he commenced 
to teach school in the winter and go to school 
in the summer; he taught one summer in 
Montrose. Mr. Wendt was instrumental in 
having St. Francis Township re-surveyed. 
This was in 1878; in the fall of the same 
year he came to Altamont, where he became 
a clerk for George Hilleman; he stayed with 
him till August 1, 1882, when he became jun- 
ior partner in the grain business, now known 
under the title of Ensign & AVendt. The 
firm buy all kinds of grain. Mr. Wendt is 
identified with the Republican party, and in 
religious matters he adheres to the Lutheran 
faith. 

FERDINAND WOLFF, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, is a native of Niagara County, N. 
Y., born December 12, 1844. His father, 
Frederick Wolil, was a native of Prussia, 
Germany, born October 31, 1806. His early 
life was spent at home assisting to till the 
soil of his father's farm, and receiving such 
an education as could be obtained from the 
Lutheran schools. Arriving at his majority, 
he engaged in farming, and remained actively 



engaged during his life. In 1843, he bade 
his native country farewell and took passage 
in a sailing vessel from Hamburg to New 
York. Arriving in America, he immediately 
started West, and located in New York, in 
Niagara County, Hearing of the fertility of 
the soil in the Western States, and the fort- 
unes that were to be made by those who 
were willing and strong enough to brave the 
struggles of a pioneer life, he was induced to 
remove his family to Illinois, in 1865, locat- 
ing in Mound Township, Effingham County, 
where he succeeded in accumulating a good 
property, and during the latter years of his 
life he was surrounded by those comforts and 
enjoyed those pleasures that ever result from 
honesty, industry and economy. His taking 
away by death, February 26, 1872, was 
mourned by a large number of friends. His 
wife, Louisa Boening, who still survives him, 
was born in Prussia, Germany, May 20, 1814; 
she is now residing with her son, our sub- 
ject, who was the oldest child born to her. 
He was raised on a farm and received a thor- 
oucti Enorjish and German education from 
the schools of his native county. He was 
married, on the 5th of May, 1870, to Miss 
Henrietta Wolif. who died January 29, 1878, 
leaving two children as the results of their 
union, viz., Hulda and Martin G. F. He 
married a second time, October 28, 1880, 
Miss Maria Beccue, a native of New York, 
born March 18, 1862. She has borne him 
one child, William. He and family are con- 
sistent members of the German Lutheran 
Church. He is a man of high standing in 
the community in which he lives and bears a 
name and reputation which is beyond re- 
proach. In politics, he is a Democrat; has 
never sought office, believing it to be more in 
accord with his views to stay at home and 
give his attention and time to his family and 
farm. He is one of the most practical farm- 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



131 



ers in the township, and is the owner of 180 
acres of well-improved land. 

CHARLES M. WRIGHT, banker, Alta- 
mont, whose portrait appears in this work, 
was born in New Boston, Mass., December 
8, 1834, son of Philander and Almeda (Bal- 
lard) Wright, he born in Hadley, Mass., in 
1806, and died in 1872; she, a native of 
Trumbull County, Ohio, born in 1810, and 
is also deceased. They were fai'mers and the 
parents of two children. The ancestors of 
our subject were of English descent, and 
Charles Montague settled in Hadley, Mass., 
in 1062, and oiu- subject bears his name. 
The family is numerous. Our subject re- 
ceived a thorough common-school education, 
and afterward commenced his medical educa- 
tion, the expenses attending which he de- 
frayed himself by teaching school. He grad- 
uated in medicine at the Eclectic Medical 
College, Philadelj^hia, Penn., in 1856, and in 
the same year came to this county and en- 
gaged in the practice of his profession, liter- 
ally without any money. He has practiced 
in this county from 1856 to 1878, during 
which time he enjoyed an exceedingly exten- 
sive practice, out of which he made his for- 
tune. He has live children living — Florence, 
Ada, Lotta, Mabel and Chai-les M., Jr. Our 
subject is liberal in his religious views, and 
in politics is a Democrat. Upon his retire- 
ment from the medical profession, be organ- 
ized the present bank, under the tixm name 
of C. M. Wright & Co., Mr Levi Butler be- 
ing the junior partner and cashier. It is a 
private bank, with guaranteed assets of $100,- 
000, and the enterprise has met with deserved 
success. 

JOSEPH G. WRIGHT, teacher and min- 
ister, Altamont, was born in the southern 
part of England March 20, 1846. He was 
educated in London, where his father kept a 
boarding-school, called Sherboro House 



School. At the age of sixteen, he begau 
teaching, and occupied the position of Class- 
ical Master at Stoke Hall School, Ipswick, 
Guild Hall, Bvu-y, St. Edmunds and Grammar 
School Penrith. He came to the United 
States in 1870, and began teaching in the 
public schools of Champaign County, 111., 
and continued teaching in that county for 
about ten years. He was Principal of the 
Ogden Public Schools for three years and of 
the Sadorus Schools four years. In the fall 
of 1880, he came to Altamont, and is filling 
his third year as Principal of the Altamont 
Schools. He was ordained to the ministry of 
the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1879, 
and has assisted in the Champaign Associate 
Mission of St. Mary's, Effingham, and is now 
connected with the Grace Church Mission, at 
Greenville, 111. He was examined, in 1875, 
by the State Board of Examiners, and re- 
ceived a State certificate. He was married, 
in 1873, to Miss N. J. Padgett, of Sadorus, 
111. The Altamont schools have three depart- 
ments, and an average attendance of 140 
pupils, and its course of study includes the 
branches necessary for a certificate of the 
first-class. 

JOSEPH YATES, farmer, P.O. Altamont, 
was born in Nicholas County, Ky., May 13, 
1838, to Joab and Mary (Kennedy) Yates, 
whose history appears in another part of this 
work. He was removed to Putnam County, 
Ind. , by his parents when two years of age, 
where he spent his early life assisting in till- 
ing the soil of his father's farm and receiving 
such an education as the common schools 
afibrded. He came to Effingham County, 
111., with his parents, in November, 1854; he 
attended school here two winters. At twenty- 
one years of age, he left home and embarked 
on his carrer in life as a farmer, upon the 
same farm he is now residing on. He is now 
the owner of 338 acres of land, thirty of 



133 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



which is timber. He is managing the whole; 
he alse deals considerably in stock. In 1858, 
in Effingham County, he married Miss Mary 
Higgs, daughter of George Higgs. Mr. and 
Mrs. Yates have sis children, viz., Eugene, 
Horace G., John A., Margaret, Florence and 
Joseph. He has always voted the Republi- 
can ticket, and cast his first Presidential vote 
for Lia'coln for his first term. 

JOHN D. YATES, farmer, P. O. Altamont, 
was born in Putnam County, Ind., in 1841, 
November 24. to Joab and Mary (Kennedy) 
Yates. His father was born in Nicholas 
County, Ky. , November 19, 1807, where he 
was raised on a farm, educated from the sub- 
scription schools, and married in 1827, when 
he engaged in farming for themselves, with- 
out any start, as he said, "without $50." In 
1839, he removed to Putnam County, Ind., 
where he bought a small farm of eighty acres, 
and, on April 17, 1854, he and our subject 
came to Illinois and located in Effingham 
County, on the farm of our subject, where 
they broke prairie, erected a log house and 
needed improvements; the remainder of the 
family came in November, John and his fa- 
ther returning and drove across the country. 
Here he continued to work, experiencing 
many hardships common to a pioneer's life, 
and accumulated over 1,000 acres, which he 
put under a high state of cultivation. He 
died October 25, 1878. He was a member of 
the United Brethren Church. AVas a liberal 
contributor to schools, churches and especial- 
ly to the poor. He never took interest in 
politics, more than to vote a Republican tick- 
et. His father was a native of Pennsylvania, 
Allegheny County, and settled in Kentucky 
about the time of the Indian war. He was a 
soldier of the Revolutionary war. Thin fam 
ily was of Scotch and Ii'ish descent. The 
mother of our subject was born in Nicholas 
County, Ky., June 8, 1806, and died in 



Effingham County December 14, 1879. She 
was a daughter of Thomas Kennedy, a native 
of Pennsylvania. Once, while crossing the 
Alleghany Mountains for salt, he happened 
in a house where a man was sick, and, as it 
afterward proved, with the small-pox; betook 
the disease and lost his eyesight. He re- 
moved to Kentucky in an early day, and there 
reared a large family of chikben, but never 
saw only one. He was of English and Irish 
descent. The parents of om- subject had 
eight children, of whom three are now living, 
viz., Joseph, a farmer, of Mound Township; 
John, our subject; Elmira, wife of William 
Eyestone, of Altamont. John was raised on 
a farm, and received such an education as the 
common schools of Putnam County, Ind. , and 
Effingham afibrded. He was brought to this 
county when he was thirteen years of age. 
He remained with his father, assisting in 
tilling the soil of his father's farm until 
1875, when he removed to Altamont and en- 
gaged in buying grain, the first year in the 
firm of Carter & Yates, and the second year 
by himself. After two years, he returned to 
the home farm, where he has since remained. 
In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Union 
army, serving in the Thirty-eighth Illinois 
Volunteers, under the command of Col. Car- 
lin. He was mustered out March, 1866, be- 
ing kept on the Rio Grande long after the 
war. He was in the following battles: Per- 
ryville, Ky. , Stone River, Chickamauga, 
Chattanooga, and in all the battles up to the 
time of the captiu-e of Atlanta. He was with 
Thomas at the battle of Franklin and Nash- 
ville. He received several slight flesh 
wounds. He is the owner of 330 acres of 
land, all in Mound Township, except 150 in 
West. May 23, 1869, he married, in Effing- 
ham County, Miss Catharine Sherart, a native 
of Erie County, Ohio, is a daughter of Jacob 
and Elizabeth (Bomhart) Slierart. He is a 



MOUND TOWNSHIP. 



133 



native of Pennsylvania. She is of Germany. 
Mr. and Mrs. Yates have foiu- children, viz., 
Emery S., born December 12, 1870; James 
A., born August 23, 1874; Herbert, Septem- 
ber 27. 1877; Charles E., April 22, 1882. 
Politically, he is a Republican. Was Super- 
visor of township two terms. When Mr. 
Yates came to the county, west of his present 
farm the nearest house was eight miles, at 
Howard's Point, in Fayette County. North 
was in Moccasin Township, ten or twelve 
miles. East was several houses in the edge 
of the timber, about two miles, and south 
about ten or twelve miles. 

SAMUEL N. YOUNG, undertaker, Alta- 
mont. youngest son of Thomas K. and Mary 
(McCann) Young, was born in Montgomery 
County, Ky., March 19, 1829, and received 
his education in the county schools in Ken- 
tucky. He was brought by his parents to 
Putnam County, Ind., in 1845, and was raised 
on a farm. He lived on a farm near Green 
Castle, Ind., until 1855, when he moved to 
this county; settled on prairie land, on what 
was known as the old Hammond farm. Section 
12. West Township, which had but insignifi- 
cant improvements. He lived there until 
July, 1878, dm-ing which period he improved 
over 200 acres of land and put up comfortable 
and substantial buildings. His first pur- 
chase was IGO acres, to which he subsequently 
added several other tracts. He was a suc- 
cessful stock and grain raiser, and also 
bought and sold stock to a considerable ex- 
tent. About 1870, he began the improve- 
ment of his stock of hogs, beginning with 
representatives of the Chester White, and af- 
terward the Poland-China. He also brought 
pure -bred Cotswold sheep to his farm, where 
they still remain. He has given some atten- 
tion to the improvement of cattle, breeding 
the Short-Horn species with good success. 
He came to Altamont in July, 1878, and en- 



gaged in the stock and grain trade for eight- 
een months. In June, 1881, he opened an 
undertaking establishment, on Railroad street, 
and has on hand a full line of undertaker's 
goods. He was mairied, the tu-st time, Feb- 
ruary 1, 1849, to Miss Mary Jane La Follett, 
and has two children living of this marriage 
— Lucretia, wife of Charles Kershaw, of 
Montgomery County, Ind. ; Francis Marion, 
farmer in Nodaway County, Mo. Our sub- 
ject's wife died in Indiana July 29, 1852, 
and he was re-married, to Harriet Yates, 
January 1, 1854. She died June 14, 1868, 
leaving five children, one having died in in- 
fancy. Those living are Warren, Mary Jane, 
S. A., Emma and Hattie. Warren is married 
to a daughter of William Hollis, and is living: 
in Mound Township. Mary Jane is the wife 
of F. D. Ensign, Altamont. S. A. is prac- 
ticing medicine in Montgomery County, Ind., 
and the remaining two children are at home. 
Mr. Young was mai-ried, for a third time, 
April 8, 1869, to Sarah E. Paugh, of this 
county. 

G. W. ZAHNOW, harness, saddles and 
furniture, Altamont. Among the young 
business men of Altamont is the above-men- 
tioned gentleman, who started business here 
in the fall of 1878, in company with F. C. 
Herman, in the manufacture of harness and 
saddlery, the firm name being Herman & 
Zahnow, which continued until September, 
1880, when Herman withdrew. The business 
was continued by Mr. Zahnow, who has since 
conducted the same. August, 1882, he start- 
ed in the furniture business, which he runs, 
in connection with the harness department, 
both carried on in the same building — furni- 
ture below and harness department in the 
upper room. By attention to his business 
and studying the wants and demands of his 
customers, he has built up an excellent busi- 
ness. He was born December 7, 1852, in 



134 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Germany, the third son of Charles and Attie 
(Lowe) Zahnow, with whom he emigrated to 
America about the vear 1S54. and remained 
in New York State, near Buffalo, until 1862, 
when they all came West to this county, lo- 
cating in Mound Township, where his parents 
now reside, and are engaged in farming. 



He remained with them until he attained his 
majority, when he began for himself. He 
was married, November 23, 1S79, to Anna 
Herman, a native of Dixon, this State, daugh- 
ter of C. Herman. He has two childi-en — 
Benjamin and Franklin. Is a member of the 
Lutheran Church, and Democratic in politics. 



LUCAS T 

H. W. AGRUE, farmer, P. 0. Eberle, is a 
man of intellectual abilitj- and a prominent 
citizen and farmer of Lucas Township. He was 
born in Albany, N. Y., March 12, 1817, and 
was taken by his parents to Ohio, near the seat 
of Cincinnati, when four years old. His father 
was a native of New York State and his moth- 
er of Maine. Our subject's father was a tan- 
ner by trade, and the most of his time until the 
beginning of the Revolutionary war was occu- 
pied in New York City. He served as a soldier 
under Gen. Greene, and during the battle of 
Bunker Hill was glanced on the hip by a cannon 
ball, and was made a cripple for life. After 
receiving the shot, he was taken into Gen. 
Greene's own tent and kept there until able to 
travel, when he went into the service again, 
and served until the close of the war. After 
the close of the war, be and two comrades were 
journeying homeward, were taken prisoners 
by the Indians. They managed to gain the 
confidence of them and by strategem made 
their escape. They were pursued to the Ohio 
River, when the red men finding that they had 
arrived in a countrj- inhabited by white folks, 
gave up the chase. He afterward took a trip 
into the Eastern States, and in Maine was 
married to Hannah Wheeler, by whom he had 
one child — John. He had five children bj- his 
first marriage — Joseph. Ellen, Hannah, Sarah, 
and Hpnrj-, our subject. Henry's mother died 
when he was four years old. in Hamilton County, 
Kv.. 1821, from that time he was raised in 



OWNSHIP. 

Clermont County, Ohio. The education 
he received was in the subscription schools 
of Clermont County, Ohio. He was eco- 
nomical and industrious ; would work and 
earn a Httle monej-, then would attend 
the subscription school in day and at 
night would attend grammar school. At the 
age of seventeen, he went to serve as an ap- 
prentice ; set in with the intention of serving 
three years, but the foreman, owing to the 
sickness of his wife, had to abandon his busi- 
ness after Mr. Agrue had served eighteen 
months. He then went to X])iucianati to finish 
his trade as carpenter. After completing his 
course, went to different places in Ohio and 
worked as journeyman until 1841, at which 
time he left Ohio and went to Kentucky, 
worked there, and in January, 1842, was married 
to NancN- Cummins, a native of Bracken Coun- 
ty, K^-. After that, he followed his trade suc- 
cessfully- until October, 1&72, at which time he 
came to Effingham Count}-, 111., and purchased a 
farm of 100 acres of land; eighty acres is prai- 
rie in Section 32, Lucas Township ; twenty acres 
timber in Section 13, Union Township. Now his 
attention is turned to farming, and raises prin- 
cipally grain — wheat, corn and oats. During 
the war, he had papers sent to him as a recruit- 
ing officer, and recruited a great many soldiers, 
about 200 in all. Mr. Agrue is a Democrat ; is 
not an office seeker, but at times becomes 
warmly interested in political matters. Mr. 
Agrue has five children living — James Allen, 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



125 



Melinda Jane, Sarah Francis, Emma Adalinc, 
Charley Bruce, and two dead — Mary Ellen and 
Henry Bascora. 

GEORGE W. ALVIS, farmer, P. O. Eberle, 
is a substantial farmer and a man of principle. 
He was born in Floyd County, Ind., April 29, 
1850. His father is a native of '\'irginia, born 
in the year 1818 ; is a substantial farmer, liv- 
ing in Washington County, Ind. Subject's 
mother is a native of Indiana ; was born about 
the year 1821, in Orange County, that State, 
and is living with her husband. They had 
thirteen children, namely : David C, living in 
Orange County, Ind., James W., living in 
Washington County, Ind.; Mar}-, deceased ; 
Sarah A., wife of J. L. Chestnut, living in Mis- 
souri ; George W., subject ; Artimesia, de" 
ceased ; Harvey, deceased ; John, deceased ; 
Margaret M., wife of G. M. Morris, living in 
Washington County, Ind. ; Hettic B., deceased; 
Joseph and Florence L., living in Washington 
County, Ind. ; Catharine, at home in Washing- 
ton Co\nity, Ind. George W. Alvis was taken 
by his parents to Washington County, Ind., in 
1862, when twelve years old. He received his 
education in the common schools of Floyd and 
Washington Counties, bj- working for his fath- 
er in summer and in winter would attend 
school about three months in the jear. He 
made his home at his father's until 1873, when 
at twenty-three years of age he was married to 
Seaphy V. Clark, a native of Wasliington 
County, Ind. She was born about 1846. Her 
mother, Susan Clark, was a native of Wash- 
ington County, Ind., born 1823. Her father, 
Alexander Clark, was a native of Vermont ; 
his death occurred in 1857. Our subject after 
marriage removed to Orange County, Ind., and 
engaged in farming, and remained there three 
years, until 1876, at which time he came to 
Lucas Township, and engaged in farming. He 
has one child living — Mar^' Edith ; two are 
dead — Kzza, and the other died in infancy. 

IRA B. CARPENTER, fanner, P. O. Win- 
terrowd, was born in Jackson Townsliip, 



Effingham County, November 9, 1852. He 
lived with his father in Jackson Township 
until 1870; during tiiat time he was working 
on the farm for his father in the summer and 
in winter attended school in the first school 
house that was built in Jackson Township. It 
was known as the Carpenter Schoolhouse. 
The neighbors volunteered and built it. Tiiey 
went into the woods and hewed out the logs, 
and completed it about the year 1856. In 
1870, at the age of eighteen, lie went to the lake 
regions on the northern and eastern line of 
Minnesota, and engaged in lumbering and rail- 
roading; he remained there until the latter part 
of 1873. In the winter of 1874, he came back 
to his home in Jackson Township, and re- 
mained there until tlie spring of 1875, then 
went to the pine regions on Black River in 
Wisconsin, remained there until about the 
middle of July, 1875, when he went to Min- 
nesota; he remained there until Christmas, 
1875, then came back to Etfingham Countj-, 
and went to work on his farm in Jackson Town- 
ship, which he had purchased in 1870. There 
were forty acres in the tract, twelve acres being 
cleared when he bought it; he afterward cleared 
up the remainder (with the exception of three 
acres) and put it in cultivation. He lived there 
on his farm for three years, the first year he 
stayed there and kept bachelor's hall; and on 
the 26th day of February, 1876, was married 
to Rosa Ann Price, of Ellingham County, In 
1 878, he sold out and moved to Lucas Town- 
ship, on a farm of 160 acres in Section 35, 
which he had purchased. On the first of March, 
1882, he purchased another farm of 240 acres 
in Clay County, 111 . in Section 1, Bible Grove 
Township; about200 acres are in cultivation and 
the remaining forty is timber land. His main 
productions are wheat, corn and oats. This 
season he has raised about 2,500 bushels of 
wheat and oats, and about 2,000 bushels corn. 
His father, John B. Carpenter, was born in 
Licking County, Ohio, in 1815, is a farmer and 



laa 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



is living in Arkansas. His mother, Hannah 
Jane Imes, was born in Licking Count}', Ohio, 
in 1817, and died in Effingham County, Jack- 
son Township, in the j'ear 1854. They had 
seven children — Anna, wife of James Nokes, 
deceased, she is living in Arkansas ; Isaac 
Perry, living in Effingham County, Jackson 
Township ; James, living in Missouri ; Oscar, 
deceased at eight }'ears old ; John, living in 
Arkansas ; Victoria, wife of E. K Rinehart, 
living in Watson Totvnship, Effingham Co., 111. 
JOSEPH A. DRAKP], farmer, P. 0. AVinter- 
rowd, is a native of Indiana, born in Shelby 
County, that State, on the 18th of March, 1829. 
He worked on his father's farm in the summer 
time, and attended school in the winter about 
three months in the 3-ear. When fourteen years 
old, his father died and our subject lived on 
the farm until 185.3, during which time he was 
married to Catharine Mow, of Shelby Count}', 
Ind. In the same year (1853), he removed to 
Hancock County, 111., and lived there three 
years when his wife died, and he returned to 
Shelby County, Ind., and went to clerking in a 
dry goods store for George Dibert, clerked 
there for about eighteen months, then clerked 
for William P. Winterrowd about the same 
length of time. During this time, he was mar- 
ried again to Rachel Hodson, of Shelby Coun- 
ty, Ind. In the spring of 1859, he removed to 
Jasper County, 111., and purchased a farm of 
forty acres in South Muddy Township, about 
ten acres of it being cultivated land. He 
planted a good orchard and commenced to 
improve it; and in the spring of 1863 came to 
Effingham County, and bought eighty acres of 
railroad land in Section 36, Lucas Township. 
Since that time, he has bought forty acres, ad- 
joining it on the south. He is an energetic 
and industrious farmer, and raises extensively 
wheat, corn and oats. He is also a natural 
mechanic, and has worked considerabl}' at the 
carpenter's trade since he came to the State. 
He built the first dwelling that was in Winter- 



rowd town, for Wash Winterrowd, after whom 
the town took its name, and he has built aI)out 
eighteen grist mills, barns and other build- 
ings. He has eleven children living and two 
dead : Ithamar, Laura, Isaac, Shelb}', Frank, 
Emma, Thomas, George, Henrj-, May and Ota. 
Charles deceased and Era deceased. Our sub- 
ject's father, Isaac Drake, was born in Ohio 
about the year 1799. He removed to Shelby 
Countv, Ind., and there erected the first grist 
and saw mill that was on Flat Rock River, and 
also built a linseed oil mill. He also owned 
a farm, and he kept the mill and farm going 
until 1840, at which time he went to practicing 
medicine, of which he had made a special 
stud}' before. He practiced until his death 
which occurred in 1843. His wife, Prudence, 
was born in Virginia in 1798, and died in Han- 
cock County, 111. They had eight children — 
William Edwin, Ithamar, Isaac Newton, 
Aipanda, Joseph A. subject, Henry, Prudence 
Rachel and Charles. 

THOMAS J. DUNN, M. D., EUiottstown, 
was born in Bracken County, Ky., in 1845; was 
brought by his parents to Effingham County, 
Lucas Township, in 1853; he received his prim- 
ary education in an old log schoolhouse south 
of EUiottstown, it being the first schoolhouse 
that was in Lucas Township; he attended after- 
ward the community schools of the neighbor- 
hood. He attended school about two or three 
months in winter and the rest of the time 
helped his father on the farm up to 1864; he 
tiien enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and 
Fifty-fourth Illinois Volunteer: was Sergeant, 
and promoted to rank of Second Lieutenant, 
and served until the close of the war; he was 
mustered out at Nashville, Tenn., September 
18, 1865; he then came home and taught school 
until 1875, when he commenced the study of 
medicine; received his degree at Rush Medical 
College, Chicago, 111., February 22, 1881, and 
is still faithfully pursuing his profession, and 
has quite an extensive practice in the vicinity 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



127 



of EUiottstown. He was married, October 4, 
1866, to Mary F. Field, of EUiottstown. They 
have six children — Louis Oscar, living, fourteen 
years old; Elijah Andrew, died when one year 
old; Sarah F., died when eighteen months old; 
Mary Elizabeth, living, seven years old; Ada 
Bell, deceased, one year old; John William, liv- 
ing, seven months. Mr. Dunn is a Republican, 
and has served in various township olllces. He 
is, at present, Chairman of the Republican Cen- 
tral Committee in Lucas Township; he has also 
served as Town Clerk of Bishop Township as 
much as four years; he also belongs to Delia 
Lodge, No. 525, A., F. & A. M., and was Wor- 
shipful Master for six years, up to 1882 ; his 
father, Andrew Dunn, was born in Bracken 
County, Ky., in 1813; he was a farmer from his 
youth up. and also dealt some in stock; he 
moved here in Lucas Township in 1853, and 
settled on the farm which bears his name. He 
enlisted in the fall of 1861, in Company I, 
Fifty-fourth Illinois Infantrj- ; discharged on 
the 13th day of March, 1863, for disability; he 
arose to the rank of Sergeant; he came back to 
Lucas Township and went to farming, and died 
in Teutopolis January 6, 1871. He went there 
on business, and was stricken with apoplexy, 
and died in twelve hours. Deceased was 
a member of the Baptist Church, and also of 
the Masonic order. Deceased had six children 
— John W., physician in Barton County-, Mo.; 
Mary E., wife of Samuel L. Parks; Martha F. 
(deceased), wife of J. R. Merry; Thomas J., sub- 
ject; Elijah S., died in Barton County, Mo., in 
1868; Sarah Belle, wife of Silvester Harlan, 
lives adjoining the old farm. Their mother is 
living on the old farm with Mr. Harlan; she 
was born in Bracken County, Ky., in the year 
1812. 

J. W. ELLIS, traveling salesman, Elliotts- 
town, was born in Wabash County, 111., Septem- 
ber 22, 1846. His father, Charles C. Ellis, 
was born in Crawford Countj-, Ind., December 
2, 1814, was a farmer, and died February 22. 



1879, in Greenwood County, Kan. Our sub- 
ject's mother, Hannah Phar, was born in Ten- 
nessee in 1826, and died in 1854, in Wayne 
County, 111. They had five children, all are 
living, namely : Henry C, railroading in Texas; 
Joseph W., subject ; Thomas J., is a brick 
mason by trade, and is living in Brownsville, 
Neb.; Charles C. is farming in Greenwood 
County, Kan.; Sarah E., wife of Edward T. 
Wines, living in St. Louis. Subject removed 
with his parents from Wabash County to 
Wayne County, 111., in 1852; the}- remained 
there four years, and, in the spring of 1857, went 
back to Wabash County, 111. Thej- remained 
there until the spring of 1858, at which time 
they removed to Gentry County, Mo., where 
they remained until February, 1861, when they 
removed to Union County, Iowa. The}- re- 
mained in Union Count}- until October of the 
same year, when they went to Fulton County, 
111. Our subject remained in Fulton County 
until January 20, 1865, at which' time he en- 
listed in Company B, One Hundred and Fifty- 
first Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served 
one year. He was in several skirmishes, but 
in no regular battles. He was mustered in at 
Quincy, 111., and was mustered out at Colum- 
bus, Ga., February 15, 1865, when he returned 
to Fulton County, 111., and remained there 
three months, and then went to Summerfield, 
St. Clair Co., 111., and was engaged in the 
nursery business until September, 1866, at 
which time he removed to Mt. Erie, Wayne 
Co., 111., and attended a district school three 
months, afterward attending a graded school 
until September, 1867 ; he then engaged in 
teaching, and, about this time, he was married 
to Hariet A. McCoy, of Wayne County, 111.; 
she was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, No- 
vember 2. 1840. At the close of the six 
months' school, he purchased a farm in Wayne 
County, and, in the fall of 1869, sold out and 
came to Lucas Township, Effingham County, 
where he purchased a farm in Section 16 and 



128 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



commenced farming, and also raising and deal- 
ing in stock. He relinquished his stock dealing 
in June, 1882, on account of ill health. He 
sold a portion of his farm and all his surplus 
stock, and engaged with a wholesale hat and 
cap house of Indianapolis, as traveling sales- 
man, at which business he is still engaged. 
His family lives on the reserved portion of his 
farm. He has alwaj's been a Kepublican, and 
has served as Collector of his township three 
terms. He has- four children living and one 
dead, namely : John L., Charles M., Olive May, 
Joseph Olin, are living; Oscar Walter died 
April 3, 1882. He was born September 25, 
1868. Subject's wife's father was a native of 
Bedford County, Penn., born in the year 1806, 
and died in Wayne County, 111., about the year 
1863. Her mother, Mar}' George, was a native 
of Jefferson Count}-, Ohio, born in the year 
1812, and died in Wayne County, 111., in the 
spring of 1878. 

HIRAM R. EVANS, farmer, P. 0. Eberle. 
He is a young man of industrious habits. He 
was born in EtBngham County May 18, 1849. 
and was reared here. His father, Stephen Y., 
was a native of Indiana. He was born August 
22, 1822. He came to Effingham County, 111., 
in 1836, and died here May 11, 1861. Our 
subject's mother, Mary (Witchman), is a native 
of Indiana, born November 3, 1824, and is liv- 
ing with our subject. She was twice married, 
her second husband being Daniel Merry, who 
is also dead. Our subject was about twelve 
3'ears old when his father died. 

HENRY FRITCHLEY, farmer, P. 0. Win- 
terrowd, is an industrious and substantial 
farmer of Lucas Township. Was born in Rich- 
land County, 111., December 20, 1848. His 
father is a native of Pennsylvania, was born 
about the year_1814, has always been a farmer, 
and is living in Richland Count}', 111. Our sub- 
ject's mother, Lydia Stafa, was a native of 
Ohio, and is dead. They had nine children — 
John lives in Clement Township, Richland Co.; 



Sarah Ann, wife of Isaiah Louis, living in 
Richland County ; Jeremiah lives in Jasper 
County, 111.; Isaac in Richland County, Clem- 
ent Township ; Sophia, wife of John Carver, 
deceased ; Henry, subject ; Louisa, wife of 
James Lynch, lives in Richland County, Clem- 
ent Township; David, Richland County; Mar- 
garet, wife of Absalom Milliman, lives in Rich- 
land County. Their father was married again 
to Elizabeth Smith, of Ohio, and has five chil- 
dren living and one dead — Susanna, living; 
Mary M., wife of Oliver Madden, lives in Rich- 
land County ; George, Martin, William Louis 
(deceased). Henry Fritchley was reared on his 
father's farm, and received his education by 
helping his father in summer, and would at- 
tend school about four months in winter. When 
twenty-one years of age, he was married to 
Margaret Snyder of Richland County. She 
was born May 26, 1849. Henry fanned in 
Richland County one season, 1870; then sold 
out and went to the northwestern part of Mis- 
souri, Lynn County, remained there about two 
years, until 1872, at which time he came back 
to Richland County, and remained there until 
1874, when he came to Lucas Township, Effing- 
ham County, and purchased a farm of 120 acres 
of wild land in Section 2S. Now he has the most 
of it in cultivation, and raises grain — princi- 
pally wheat, corn and oats. He has two charm- 
ing little girls and a little boy — Lucinda 
Blanche, Lulu Grace and Edward Oliver. 
Margaret Fritchley's father was Morris Brady 
Snyder, born in Louisville, Ky., in 1800. He 
was a prominent man and a Methodist Episco- 
pal minister. He began preaching when a 
young man, and preached as circuit rider until 
too old for service, at which time he retired on 
a farm, and remained on the farm about two 
years, at which time he was elected Circuit 
Clerk of Richland County. He was the first 
Clerk of the county, and was a member of the 
old Whig party. He was elected for his fourth 
term, and died January 31, 1861, before he had 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



129 



served it out. Her mother, Eliza Cottrell, was 
a native of Kentucky, born May 12, 1812, 
and <Ued in Soulli Muddy Township, Jasper 
County, May 10, 1877. Tliey liad eleven chil- 
dren; si.^ are living; Mary Jane, wife of Jacob 
Cook, living in Jasper County, 111.; Alfred, liv- 
ing in Jasper County ; Elizabeth, wife of Jesse 
Cook, living in Jasper County ; John, in Jasper 
County ; Lucinda, wife of Jeremiah Fritchlej', 
living in Jasper County, 111.; Margaret, our sub- 
ject ; five are dead — Caroline, Samuel, Martha, 
Morris, George. 

JOSEPH GOSSM AN, wagon-maker, Winter- 
rowd, was born in German}-, January 23, 1852. 
Hi.s father, Andrew, was also born in Germanj-, 
in the Province of Baden, and came to this coun- 
try in 1856, and to Cincinnati, Ohio, March 4, 
of that year. He was a natural mechanic. It 
was said of him that to let him see how any- 
thing was done, even the most difficult piece of 
mechanism, he could take hold and perform 
the work readily. About four weeks after land- 
ing here in this country, he was working on a 
mill, and was sunstruck, which resulted in his 
death. Our subject's mother was also a native 
of Germany, born in the Province of Baden. 
Our subject was one of a famil}' of seven 
children, of whom three are living : Engel- 
berth, living in Effingham ; Andrew, deceased, 
died in Chicago ; Benuard, living on the old 
farm in Lucas Township, and Adolph, died at 
Winterrowd, January 17, 1882 ; Rosa, de- 
ceased, died at Cincinnati ; Joseph, our sub- 
ject ; Frederic, died in Cincinnati, Ohio. Both 
Rosa and Frederic died within six weeks after 
landing at Cincinnati, so that left live children, 
of whom three were large enough to earn $2 
per week in a tobacco factory, and after they 
had worked for one year their wages were in- 
creased. Our young friend Joseph, when old 
enough, commenced work in the same house. 
Their earnings supported the family. They 
worked there in that house for about five i^ears, 
and in 18G1 they removed to Perry County, 



Ohio, and rented a farm for three years, and 
by economy and industry saved enough at the 
end of three 3ears to purchase a farm of forty 
acres in the same county. When they moved 
to the farm Joseph began again at his trade of 
cigar making ; he worked at it for two years, 
up to 1860. He then learned the blacksmith 
trade, at Oakfield. Perry Co., Ohio. He served 
as an apprentice for about two j'ears. During 
this time his mother and family removed to 
Aurora, 111. He then quit blacksmithing and 
went to his mother's place, and remained there 
one month, and then went to Chicago, where 
he worked for his brother in a tobacco factory 
for about six months. He also worked at 
Niles, Mich., until 1868, at which time he re- 
moved to Chicago and started a cigar and to- 
bacco factory of his own. He resided there 
until September, 1871, when he sold his retail 
goods, and the wholesale goods were put in a 
commission house for sale, and were all 
destroyed in the great fire of Chicago. Loss 
about $600. In the spring of 1871, he and 
his brother came to Lucas Township. Effingham 
County, and Ijought 120 acres of unimproved 
land in Section 28. They then went back to 
Chicago, and, in September of the same year, 
the family moved on the farm. He remained 
on the farm until the summer of 1873, at which 
time he went to Winterrowd and opened up a 
blacksmith shop, selling out in September of 
same year, and went to farming. In 1877, he 
came back to Winterrowd, and purchased the 
shop owned by Jack Scott, and went to smith- 
ing, and since that time he has made additional 
improvements by establishing a wagon shop, 
where "wagons and buggies are made to order." 
At the time of purchasing, the tools and mate- 
rial were invoiced at $280, and the shop and 
grounds were valued at $30. All he had when 
he came there was his household furniture and 
$30 in money. Now his tools, ground and 
material are valued at 81,500. He was married 

in August, 1873, to Sarah Allen, a native of 

I 



130 



_1„ 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Indiana. They have two children, Rosa and 
Franklin. 

SYLVESTER HARLAN, farmer, P. O. 
Elliottstown, is a reliable and substantial 
farmer of Lucas Township. He was born in 
Parke County, Ind., February 12, 1850. His 
father, Alfred Harlan, was a native of Indiana, 
born in the j-ear 1822 ; he followed farming 
for a livelihood and died in Boone County, 
Ind., May 8, 1S74. Our subject's mother. 
Caroline Clark, is a native of Ohio and is living 
in Boone County, Ind. They have seven chil- 
dren living — Oliver, living in Boone County, 
Ind.; Sylvester, our subject ; Nancy Jane, 
wife of Marshal T. Billings, living in Boone 
County; Jacob, Noah, Alfred, are also living 
in Boone County, Ind.; Amanda Frances, wife 
of Morris Harlan, living in Boone County, 
Ind., and three are dead, Martin, Daniel, James. 
Sylvester was taken by his parents to Rush 
County, Ind., in 1853, when three years old, 
and remained there until 1861, at which time 
he and his parents removed to Boone County, 
Ind. He received his education bj- helping 
his father on the farm in summer and in winter 
would attend school about six months in the 
year until eighteen 3'ears old. when in the fall 
of 1868 he came to Lucas Township to look at 
the countFj' and also to inspect the land owned 
by his lather in Lucas Township. He re- 
mained there and attended school until the 
summer of 1869, which time he returned to 
Boone County, and in the fall of 1870, came 
back to Lucas Township and purchased ninet}' 
acres of raw prairie land in Section 9, and 
commenced to improve it. On the 22d da}' 
of January, 1871, he shouldered his ax and 
went to the woods to chop, it being the first 
day's work he ever did for himself After 
fencing fifty acres and plowing twenty, he re- 
turned to Boone Count}-, and remained there 
throughout harvest, when he came back to 
Lucas Township and finished plowing his land. 
Now he has a well-improved farm. Mr. Har- 



lan is and always has been a Republican, and 
has served in various township offices. In the 
spring of 1871, he was elected Collector of the 
township and served two terms. He has 
served as School Trustee and Commissioner of 
Highways. In the spring of 1882, he was 
elected Town Clerk, which office he now holds. 
Sylvester and his brother Noah, and his two 
sisters belong to the M. E. Church. Our sub- 
ject was married November 25, 1872, to Sarah 
Belle Dunn, a native of Kentucky, born Feb- 
ruary 7, 1853. They have had two children — 
John Oliver, living, and Sarah Olive, de- 
ceased. 

WILLIAM J. JAYNE, physician, Winter- 
rowd. Although a young man. Dr. Jayne has 
had such ad^'antages for advancement in his 
chosen profession as are afforded to few. He 
was born in Pendleton County, Ky., August 22, 
1855. His father, Alexander Jayne, was a 
native of Kentucky. He was born there April 
11, 1819 ; his parents were of English descent. 
Subject's mother, Sophrona (Highfill) Jayne, 
was also a native of Kentucky. She was 
born there January 21, 1825, of Irish and 
German parents. No man could have made 
more out of the advantages afforded him than 
has Dr. Jayne. He is a man of very great 
energy and " push," working with all his might 
on whatever matter he may have on hand. He 
began business by teaching school. Taught for 
three winters in succession and at nights 
studied medicine. He attended two terras of 
school at a seminary located at Sullivan, Moul- 
trie County, 111., and two terms in a medical 
school. First term at the Vanderbilt Univer- 
sity, located at Nashville, Tenu., and graduated 
at Keokuk, Iowa. February 25, 1879, and en- 
tered into the practice of medicine; located in 
Jasper County, 111., and practiced there one 
year, at which time he removed to Winterrowd, 
his present place of business, and by energy 
and go-ahead stands high in the rank of physi- 
cians. He has quite an extensive practice all 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



131 



over the soiitliern and eastern part of Effing- 
bara County-. 

JAJIES H. KELLAR, farmer, P. O. Eherle, 
is a substantial farmer of Lucas Towunliip. 
He was born in Mason Township, EfHngham 
County, November 14, 1849. He lived 'in 
Mason Township with his brother until 1875, 
during this time he was helping him in summer 
and in winter would attend school about three 
months in the >-ear. His father was a native 
of Indiana and his mother was a native of 
Kentuckj-. His father was killed in the battle 
of Cape Girardeau, Mo. They had three chil- 
dren, all living, namelj' : John H., Sarah J. 
and James Harvey, subject. Our subject 
was married in 1870, to Angeline Bluut, of 
Ktfingham County, 111.; she was born August 
7, 1852. They have one child, Harvy Edward. 
Mrs. Kcllar's father, John Bluut, was a native 
of Illinois, and her mother, Catharine, of Ken- 
tucky. 

W. Mc. JIERRY, farmer and mercliant, Elli- 
ottstown, was horn in Barren County, Ky., 
March 19, 1827. His father moved from there 
when subject was three 3-ears old, and settled 
in Madison County, 111. There our subject 
was raised on a farm, and received his early 
education in the subscription schools. He 
came with his wife and two children to this 
county in 1851, and settled in Section 17, Lucas 
Township, where he lived till 1881. In August, 
1862, he enlisted in the Ninety-eighth Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close 
of the war, being after the first eight months in 
the mounted infantr}-. He belonged to the 
Army of the Cumberland, and was engaged in 
the battles of Chickaraauga, Mission Ridge, 
Selma and several others, being with Wilson's 
Cavalry as far south as the latter place. He 
was mustered out at Chattanooga, Tenn., in 
18G5. and received his discharge at Springfield, 
111., July 3, of the same year. He returned to 
the farm, and, as before stated, lived there until 
1881, when he moved to Elliottstown, and be- 



came a partner of F. B. Schooley, and under 
the firm name of Schooley- & Merry kept a 
general store until March, 1882, when partner- 
ship was dissolved, and our suljject continued 
the business with his son, 0. T. Merry, and 
they carry a general stock. Our subject was 
married in Bond County, this State, in 1848, to 
Miss Savage, and by her has thirteen children, 
seven of whom are living — Owen T., Noah, 
James, Sarah L., Richard, Eliza and Louan, 
The other children, witii one exception, died 
when young, Mrs, Merry died in Julj-, 1874, 
and our subject was married the following year 
to Mrs. Sarah J. Austin, Mr. Merry has 
always beena Republican in political matters, 
has been Supervisor, and at one time made a 
race as the Independent candidate for County 
Treasurer. He still owns 320 acres of farm 
land. 

JAMES R. MERRY, farming, P. 0. Elliotts- 
town, was born in Madison County, HI,, June 
29, 1833, He was brought by his father to 
Effingham County when one year old. He 
worked on his father's farm in summer, and in 
winter, when there was school, he attended it. 
All the education he jeceived was in Lucas 
Township, He helped to build several school- 
houses before he could go to school. He first 
located on a farm of forty acres in Union Town- 
ship, which Ura Stroud now lives on ; lived 
there awhile, then moved to Lucas Township, 
on the farm that Samuel Stroud now lives on. 
In 1862, August 9, he enlisted in the Ninety- 
eighth Illinois Infantry, Was mustered out at 
Springfield, 111., about the 1st of July, 1865, 
He was in the battles of Frankfort, Ky,, Ver- 
sailles, Ky,, Stone River, Tenn,, Hoover's Gap, 
Tenn., Dalton, Ga., Chattanooga, Tenn., Kene- 
saw Mountain, Tenn., Chickamauga, Tenn., At- 
lanta, Ga, After the battle at Atlanta, they 
came back to Louisville and re-mounted; the 
next raid was to Selma, Ala.; went from there 
to Macon, Ga., and many other skirmishes. 
After the war, lie came back and settled on the 



132 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



farm where, he now lives. He bought forty 
acres in 1863, fort}' acres in 1868 and twentj' 
acres in the year 1870. Tlie piece he first 
settled on was unimproved land ; the only close 
neighbor he had was Andrew Dunn. Now he 
has about ninety acres under cultivation, and 
raises grain principally. When he first came 
back, he thought he would raise grain in large 
quantities. He put in about thirt3--five acres 
of corn and raised a good crop, but could not 
find any market for it. So he kept it over 
winter, and in the spring sold it for 10 cents 
per bushel. He had to go to mill down below 
Mason ; it was owned by Uncle Elijah Henr^-. 
A 3'oke of oxen and sled, and a sack of corn 
would constitute the outfit, and right there and 
then, he said were the happiest daj-s he ever 
saw. He was married in the 3'ear 1855, to Miss 
Blunt, of Effingham Count}'. She died in 
1856. He married again, in 1857. a Miss Dunn. 
She died a short time after marriage. He was 
married again, January 1, 1880, to Miss Bar- 
cus. He has five children — John, Henrietta, 
Ida Ann, Angeline and Charley. His father, 
G. R. Merry, was born in Bourbon County, Ky., 
in the year 1802, and died in Effingham Coun- 
ty, 1866; he followed farming all his life. His 
wife, Jane Hubbard, was born 1807, in Virginia, 
and died in 1859. They had eight children — 
Henry (deceased), died at Watson, Effingham 
Co., 111.; Sarah, wife of William Green, lives 
in Effingham; Thomas (deceased); J. R. Merry, 
subject; Daniel, living in Kansas; Nancy, de- 
ceased wife of Anderson Elliott ; Elizabeth 
(deceased); Louisa, deceased wife of William 
Trapp; George, living in Arkansas. Our sub- 
ject has served in various township offices. He 
has served as School Director for about eighteen 
years, and as Commissioner of Highways for 
about six years. He belongs to the A., F. & A. 
M., and has held some office in the lodge ever 
since he became a member. 

JOHN E. MERRY, farmer, P. 0. Eberle, 
was born in Effingham County, Lucas Town- 



ship, January 18, 1849. His father, Daniel 
Merry, was a native of Kentucky, born in the 
year 1818. He was taken by his parents to 
Madison County when eleven years old, and 
from there he came to Effingham County, Lu- 
cas Township, and settled on the farm now 
occujjied by his children, George and John. 
His death occurred in the year 1874. Subject's 
mother, Eliza Davis, was born in Kentucky, 
and came to Boud County, 111., when eighteen 
years old, and died January 2, 1872. The par- 
ents had six children, of whom two are living 
— George and John ; Owen, deceased ; Will- 
iam, deceased ; Waymack died in the array, 
and James, deceased. Our subject lived with 
his father until twenty-one years of age, and 
during this time assisted him in the summer 
season, and in the winter would attend school 
about four months. When twenty-one years 
of age his father gave him his present farm, of 
230 acres, of which 160 was in cultivation and 
fifty acres in timber land. He raises grain 
principally, but to some extent deals in stock. 
Sir. Merry has always been a Republican, and 
has served as Town Clerk one term, in the year 
1881. His father was the first one who settled 
in the neighborhood where his boys now reside. 
The nearest market place was at St. Louis. In 
those days they used to make a great deal of 
maple sugar, and would take as much as three 
or four hundred pounds at one time to market, 
and would bring back groceries and such 
things that he needed. He woul.d make a trip 
about once a year. Our subject was married 
February 20, 1870, to Minerva Woody, of 
Union Township. She was born May 9, 1851. 
They have two children living — Oley A. aud 
Rufus, and Weby, deceased. Mrs. Merry's 
father and mother, John Woody and Charlotte, 
are natives of Indiana. 

GEORGE M. MERRY, farmer, P. 0. Eberle, 
is one of Lucas Township's enterprising and 
substantial farmers. He was born in Effing- 
ham County, Lucas Township, September 29, 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



1»3 



1850. His father was a native of Kentucky, 
born in the year 1818, was a fanner, and died 
in Lucas Township in 1874. Our subject's 
mother, Eliza Davis, was a native of Kentucky, 
and died January 2, 1872. The parents had 
six children, of whom lliu two youngest are 
living — George and John ; Owen, William, 
Waymack and James are dead. Subject lived 
with his father until twenty years of age, dur- 
ing which time he was working for his fatlier 
in summer, and in the winter attended school 
about four months. When twenty 3'ears of ago 
his fiithor gave him 140 acres of land, since 
that by inheritance he has obtained 110 acres, 
and in all has 250 acres. He has it all in cul- 
tivation l)ut forty acres. His main productions 
are grain and hay. Mr. Merry has always been 
a Republican, and is serving his second terra 
as Commissioner of Highways. He was mar- 
ried in April, 1870, to Jane Simmerman, of 
Lucas Townsliip, Effingham County. They 
have three children, namely, Druie Zilla, Fan- 
nie E. and Crooker E. 

NOAH MERRY, farmer, P. 0. Elliottstown, 
a substantial farmer of Lucas Townsliip, was 
born in Bond County. 111., October 4, 18.51. He 
was brought by his parents, Wayraack and 
Matilda Merry, to Effingham County, Lucas 
Township, in 1851, when four weeks old. 
They settled on a piece of land, Section 17. He 
was reared on his father's farm and would at- 
tend school about five months in the year. In 
187(J, when twenty-four ^-ears old, he pur- 
chased a farm from his father in Section 9, Lucas 
Township. In the spring of 1880, he removed 
to his father's farm, and is residing there at 
the present time. His father removed to Elli- 
ottstown and engaged in the mercantile trade. 
Subject was married in the spring of 1875, to 
Lucy J. Dye, a native of Indiana ; born 1855. 
Three children are the result of their marriage, 
namelj' : John Waymack, William Orville, 
Joyce Ethel ; all are living. Mr. Merry has 
alwaj's been a Republican ; was elected School 



Trustee of township in the spring of 1881, 
which office he now holds. Mr. Merry is one 
of a family of eleven children, namely : Owen, 
Susan, Noah (subject), Richard, Mary, Sarah 
Lucinda, Eliza Ann, Louan, Druscilla, John, 
Narcissa. Mr. Merry's wife's father, John Dye, 
and her mother, Elizabeth, are natives of In- 
diana, and are living in Bishop Township, Ef- 
fingham County. 

JAMES A. McCORKLE, is a merchant in 
Winterrowd and keeps on hand a selected stock 
of dry goods and groceries, etc., and has quite an 
extensive trade throughout that neighborhood. 
He was born in Washington Co., Penn., April 3, 
1855. His father, A. B. McCorkle. was a na- 
tive of Pennsylvania, Washington County ; 
born in February, 1820, was a farmer, and died 
December 2G, 1881. Our subject's mother, 
Sarah .M. Scott, is a native of Ohio, and is liv- 
ing in Lucas Township. Nine children were 
the result of their marriage, namely' : Robert, 
deceased ; Albert, deceased ; Nellie, deceased ; 
James A., subject ; William, Scott, Curtis, An- 
drew, Letitia, are dead. Our subject lived 
with his parents in Washington County until 
1866. at which time they removed to Effing- 
ham Count}', Lucas Township, and settled on a 
farm in Section 26. The farm consisted of 160 
acres, with a small frame house on it, and 
about twelve acres were in cultivation. Our 
subject received his education in the common 
schools in the neighborhood of Winterrowd. 
He would attend school about eight mouths in 
the j"ear, and the remainder of the time would 
help his father on the farm. At the age of 
twenty-one he went to California and went to 
working on a farm, being thus engaged for 
about one year, afterward working for a com- 
panj' in a gold mine the same length of time. 
In the latter part of 1876, he came back to Lu- 
cas Township, and engaged in farming for 
about two years. In 1878, he bought an inter- 
est in the dry goods and groccrj- store owned 
by J. W. Scott, at Winterrowd, and continued 



134 



BIOGRAPHICAJ.: 



in that business until 1880, at wliicii time he 
sold out to his partner, and went to farming 
until 1881, when he purchased the entire stock 
of dry goods and groceries owned b}' J. W. 
Scott, and his present stock is invoiced at 
$3,000. He is a member of the A., F. 
& A. M., Mayo Lodge, No. 6G4. He was 
was married December 25, 1878, to Malvina 
Robertson, a native of Kentucky. She was 
born September 7, 1861. They have one child 
not named. 

SAMUEL L. PARKS, farmer and stock- 
dealer, P. O. EUiottstown, was born in 
Lincoln County, Tenn., Jul}' 15, 1837. He 
was three years old when his fixther moved 
to Shelby County, 111., where he pur- 
chased land and engaged in farming. Sam- 
uel worked on the farm and attended school 
until he was twentj'-seven years old, when he 
purchased one-third interest in a saw mill in 
Richmond Township, Shelby Count}', where he 
was engaged in business about two years. In 
the fall of 1866, he came to Effingham County, 
and engaged in buying, driving and shipping 
live stock for the Chicago, Indianapolis and 
Cincinnati markets. .For two jears he lived 
on a farm in Summit Township, where he 
farmed and dealt in stock. Afterward moved 
to Jackson Township, thence back to Summit, 
and again to Effingham. In 1878, he moved 
to his present farm in Lucas Township, where 
he is engaged in farming and buying stock. 
He also buys grain at Dieterich, on the S. E. 
& S. E. R. R. He was married in Shelbj- 
County, 111., in 1859, to Miss Emeline Ellis. 
Of this marriage he has four daughters and 
three sons living. The daughters are Henrietta 
B., Viola, Margaret J. and Mary E. His wife 
died in 1876. He married second time, in 1878, 
to Mrs. Mary E. Merry, of Lucas Township. 

WILLIAM H. POYNTER, Postmaster, 
Eberle, was born in Kentuck\-, September 6, 
1835 ; was taken by his parents to Madison 
County, 111., where they lived before moving to 



Effingham County, Lucas Township. He worked 
for his father on the farm until twenty-one j'ears 
of age. After that he went to working out on the 
farm by the month ; worked in different places 
until twenty-five j-ears of age. In the fall of 1859, 
he was married to Xarcissa Jett, of Bond 
County, 111. They have five children living, 
and two dead. The names of the living are 
Francis E., James S., Mary Alice, Noah and 
Nora. Those deceased are John W. and Al- 
mira. Our subject purchased forty acres of 
land in Lucas Township, and went to farming 
and has since bought seventy-four acres, all in 
cultivation but twentj'-nine acres. His main 
productions are grain. He received his educa- 
tion principally- in the common schools of Lucas 
Township. He has alwaj-s been a Republican, 
and has served in various township offices. 
He served first as School Director, and next as 
School Trustee. In 1871, he was appointed 
Township School Treasurer, which office he 
now holds. During this time, he was elected 
Assessor of the township, which he held 
for five 3-ears, and since that has served as Col- 
lector of Lucas Township. Now he is serving 
as Postmaster of Eberle. He and his wife be- 
long to the New Light Church. He also be- 
longs to the Delia Lodge, No. 525, A., F. & A. 
M. His fathei-, Elijah Poynter, was born in 
Barren County, Ky. He followed shoe-making 
in Kentucky principally, but when he came to 
this State devoted most of his time to farming. 
Subject's mother, Elizabeth Davis, was born in 
Kentucky, and died about the year 1842. They 
had nine children — Catharine, deceased wife of 
James Watt, Jonathan Blunt and W. Hill ; 
John, deceased ; Eliza, deceased wife of Will- 
iam Blunt ; Judia, wife of Hiram Witchman ; 
Sarah, wife of John Carter ; William, subject ; 
Frances, deceased wife of Henry Shumard ; 
James, living ; Permelia, wife of Newman 
Laws. Subjects wife's father, Francis Jett, 
was born in Virginia, in the 3'ear 1791. Her 
mother, Elizabeth Wood, was born in Virginia, 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



135 



1796. They had nine children — Gabriel Jett, 
deceased ; John Jett, living in Bond County, 
111. ; Martha Ann Teasley, living in Kansas ; 
Kliza Jett, wife of Washington Jett, living in 
Wisconsin ; Mary Elizabeth, wife of John 
Scoggin, living in Iowa ; James, deceased ; 
William, deceased ; Pennelia, deceased ; Al- 
mira, deceased. 

JAMES T. POYNTER, farmer, P. O. Eberle, 
is a native of Barren County, Ky., born Febru- 
ary 11, 1839, and now is one of Lucas Town- 
ship's enterprising and reliable farmers. He 
was taken by his parents to Madison County, 
111.; remained there about four j'ears. He and 
his father came to Lucas Township, and settled 
on a piece of land, now owned by Wa\'mac 
Merry; there the mother died. His father was 
a native of Kentucky; born in 1805. The par- 
ents removed to different places in the town- 
ship and to Flensburg, and rented a mill there 
for one 3-ear. In 1853, they came back to 
Lucas Township, and settled on the farm now 
owned by Daniel Blunt; it was wild land; they 
improved it, and his father remained there until 
his death, which occurred in 1870. Our sub- 
ject's mother, Elizabeth Davis, was native of 
Kentucky, and died in 1845 in Lucas Town- 
ship. His fixther married again in 1849, to 
Martha L. Adamson, of Jasper Countj'. The 
children by his first marriage are, namely : 
Catharine, Eliza, John, Judia, Sarah, William, 
Francis Jane, James T., Permelia D.; by 
second marriage, Martha E., Adelia, Henri- 
etta, deceased, Matilda. Edward, Narcissa, de- 
ceased. James was fourteen years old when 
his father came back to Lucas Township, and 
our subject remained with his father helping 
him on the farm in summer, and in winter 
went to school about four months in the j-ear. 
In November, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, 
Fifty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry; was 
in several engagements, namely : Siege of Vicks- 
burg, capture of Little Rock, Ark.; battle of 
Clarendon; was taken prisoner at Jones 



Station. In eight or ten days were paroled 
about 400 of them, and went to the parole 
barracks at St Louis, and were exchanged, 
from there went to Hickory Station in Ar- 
kansas, after leaving there went to Fort Smith 
into the Indian nation and remained there dur- 
ing the treaty with the Indians, and then were 
ordered back to Little Rock, Ark., and was 
mustered out October 16, 1865. He enlisted 
as a private, was elected Fourt\i Corporal, re- 
ceived promotion to duty Sergeant, from that 
to Orderly Sergeant. He served as Orderlj- 
about three months, when received a promo- 
tion to First Lieutenant and held that promo- 
tion until discharged. He came to his father's 
in Lucas Township, rented a farm and went to 
farming. In 1867, July 26, he was married to 
Nancy Merry, of Lucas Township. Her death 
occurring November 6, 1868. He lived a 
widower until 1871, married again to Nancy 
McCoUough, of Union Township. Our subject 
was a renter until May, 1881, at which time he 
purchased eighty acres of wild land, now he 
has it mostly in cultivation. He has one child 
by first marriage — Waj'mack E. ; four bj- second 
marriage, namely : William Albert, Mary Etta, 
Thomas Z. and Leota. Mr. Po^-nter has always 
been a Republican, and has served as School 
Trustee, Constable and Town Clerk. He first 
filled a vacancy as clerk for Erwiu Lown, and 
then served for three successive terms. He 
belongs to the Masonic order. A., F. & A. M., 
to the Grange and to the G. A. R., organized 
at EUiottstown. 

JOHN W. RICHARDS, farmer, P. 0. Win- 
terrowd, is an enterprising farmer of Lucas 
Township. He was born in Brown Count}-, 
Ind., June 13. 1845. His father, David Rich- 
ards, was also a native of Brown County, Ind., 
and the mother was a native of the same coun- 
ty. They had ten children — John W. (subject), 
Mary Jane (living), Anna (deceased). Charity 
(living), Sarah C. (living), Sarah Margaret (liv- 
ing), Martha (deceased), Julia (living), Bethania 



136 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



(deceased), Andrew Jackson (living). John W. 
(was bronglit by iiis parents to Jasper County, 
111., in March, 1849. He was reared on his 
father's farm, and for some time no school ex- 
isted in the neighborhood, and the first school 
he attended was a subscription school at the 
age of ten years. His parents first settled on 
a farm in Smallwood Township, and there our 
subject went to school one winter. His father 
next removed to South Muddy Township, and 
remained there two years until 1857, at which 
time they removed to North Muddy Township, 
where subject and there attended school in win- 
ter until he went into the army. He enlisted on 
the 14th daj' of August, 18G2, in Compan3' I, 
Ninty-eighth Illinois Mounted Infantry. He 
was in several skirmishes in Kentucky, and 
the northwestern part of Tennessee, at Murfrees- 
boro, Lebanon and McMinnville. Hoover's 
Gap, February, 18G3; Chickamauga, September 
12, 1863; Farmington, 1863, where they capt- 
ured Wheeler's cavalry. They followed Wheeler 
twenty-one daj-s and nights without draw- 
ing a bile from the Government, and were 
nearly exhausted when they captured him. 
From Farmington, the}' were ordered back to 
Chattanooga by the way of Bridgeport, from 
there they were sent to Cleveland, East Tenn., 
and beyond there captured quite a num- 
ber of mules, cattle and hogs, and started 
back to Cleveland, but were overtaken by the 
rebels and completely routed, their plunder 
being taken away from them. They then re- 
treated to Chattanooga, and came right back 
to Cleveland, and with more force recaptured 
their stores with about 400 prisoners. The 
next battle of any importance was at Buzzard 
Koost, Ga.; from there thej' returned to Cleve- 
land, Tenn. And the next movement was the 
forward move of the whole command on 
Atlanta. He was in the battle of Jonesboro; 
was taken prisoner there in company with 300 
on the 6th of September, 1864. They were 
taken to the first prison at Macon, Ga.; were 



kept there thirty-two days; then were removed 
to Millen, Ga. They were put in prison there 
with about 9,000 other prisoners, and were 
kept there thirty days, then were removed to 
Savannah, Ga., and were kept there three 
days; then were sent to Blackshire; put in 
prison there and kept there seven days; 
then were taken out and started for Savannah, 
Ga., and escaped by jumping off the train, l)ut 
was captured and sent to Thomasville, and 
there made his final escape and returned to 
Sherman's army at Savannah, Ga. He got 
transportation from there by the way of New 
York, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Louisville and 
on to Nashville; from there got transportation 
on a boat down to the mouth of Tennessee 
River, and from there up to Eastport, Miss., 
and went on foot from there to Gravel Springs, 
Ala. Found his regiment there, and remained 
there until Wilson made his raid through 
Georgia; then moved with the command on 
through to Macon, Ga. And in that time was 
in the battles near Columbus, Ga., and Selma, 
Ala. After the battle at Selma, he and 
eleven scouts went to Cohobby's Prison, and 
by their good management and fast shooting 
succeeded in releasing about 400 Union men; 
then returned to Selma, Ala., and from there 
went to Macon, Ga., and was in the battle of 
Macon, Ga., in 1865. They remained there 
several days, and then were ordered back to 
to Chattanooga, then on to Nashville. They re- 
mained there a few days, and on the 27th of 
June, 1865, was mustered out and returned to 
Springfield to be discharged and paid July 
5, 1865. He then returned home to his father. 
During the war, he sent home money and pur- 
chased eighty acres of raw prairie land, and in 
the winter of 1865 went to school; after that he 
engaged in farming in North Muddy Township 
until the fall of 1869, at which time he sold out 
and came to Elliottstown; that winter he pur- 
chased the farm where Samuel Stroud now 
lives; sold that farm and purchased the farm 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



137 



where he now resides. He came there and 
kept bachelor's hall until October 30, 1870, 
which time he was married to Letitia Scott, of 
Lucas Township. They have two children 
living and one dead : Francis Marion and 
Frances Rebecca are living ; John S. (de- 
ceased). 

WILLIAM N. RICHESON, farmer, P. O. 
EUiottstown. He was born in Greene County, 
Ind., on the 18th of September, 1858. He was 
brought b}' his parents to Effingham County 
in the fall of 1859. Thej- settled in Lucas 
Township on a piece of uncultivated land of 
eight}- acres, in Section 10. Our subject re- 
ceived his education in the common schools of 
Lucas Township. He was reared on a farm, 
and in the summer he would help his father 
on the farm and in the winter would attend 
school. He would attend school about four 
months in the 3-ear. He was married at the 
age of seventeen j'ears to Mary A. Burk. She 
was born in Indiana August 29, 1859. Our 
subject, after marriage, engaged in farming. 
He farmed in different places in Effingham and 
Jasper Counties until the spring of 1879, at 
which time he purchased a farm in Lucas 
Township. His farm is situated in Section 
12, one-eighth section of which, fifteen acres, 
was in cultivation when he bought it. His 
main productions are grain — wheat, corn and 
oats. They have three children, namely 
Gibson W., Jlildred and Carroll C. He re- 
mained with his step-father in Union Township 
and helped him until seventeen years of age. 
Our subject was married in 1872 to Amanda 
Davis, of Effingham County, at which time he 
removed to the farm which he had purchased of 
his step-father, in Section 21, Lucas Township, 
of eighty acres. It was all raw prairie land 
when he bought it. He has it all in cultiva" 
tion but ton acres, and is successfully engaged 
in the raising of grain^wheat, corn and oats, 
He has two children, namely, Walter E. and 
Meonia A. 



GEORGE STRONG, farmer, P. 0. Eberle, 
is one of the substantial farmers of Lucas 
Township. His parents were natives of Ver- 
mont, where his father, Emor^' F., was born in 
1811, and his mother, Harriet, in 1807. Our 
subject was born in York State November 24, 
1837. Here he resided until eight years old. 
In 1845, his father removed to Michigan, where 
he resided until 1858, in which year he re- 
moved to Bureau County, 111. In the fall of 
1861, returned to Michigan, where he remained 
until the full of 1874, at which time he moved 
to the place he now occupies. He bought a 
farm of 160 acres, fifty of which had been cul- 
tivated. Here he has industriousl}' labored un- 
til his farm is now one of the best in the town- 
ship. He is a man of good education and of 
most excellent social qualities, and is full of 
original thought and intelligence. This is 
shown in bis thoroughgoing business habits 
as well as in his social relations. Whether 
among the hills of his native State, the log- 
ings of Michigan, the classic shades of Cleve- 
land School, or the prairie of Illinois, he has 
ever been the same free-thinking, generous 
man, hail fellow well met, to all who use com- 
mon politeness. The writer has known him 
for years, and bears cheerful testimony to his 
integrity and true manliness. His education 
though liberal, far above that which is ordin- 
ary, was obtained under many embarrassments. 
He worked on his father's farm during the 
summers and attended school in winter until 
he attained his majority. After that he at- 
tended the Graded School at Plainfield, Mich., 
the High School at Grand Rapids, Mich., and 
the High School of Cleveland, Ohio, in all of 
which he sustained a good standing. He was 
a teacher for several years, but quit that for 
his chosen work, farming, which he has fol- 
lowed the greater part of his life. He usually 
handles considerable stock and thus finding use 
for his coarse grain and other farm products 
that are unmarketable, and thus receives hand- 



138 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



some returns. In 1859, he was married to Miss 
Martlia M. Beach, of Kent County, Mich., 
They have four fine, health}' children — Hattie, 
a teacher ; Mina, now married to Mr. H. Barron, 
so that Mr. Strong is already a grandfather 
though but in the prime of life ; Junia and 
Georgia, the baby and papa's pet. Benjamin 
Beach and wife, the parents of Mrs. Strong, are 
still living in Kent County, Mich. Mr. Strong 
was one of a family of six children, three of 
whom are living — Phila, deceased; Return, liv- 
ing Jerome, deceased; George, subject; Laura, 
living; Horace, deceased. Mr. Strong, blessed 
with health, a good farm, a fine famil}-, bright 
prospects and much , mental vigor, is one our 
representative men. 

NER STROUD, farmer, P, 0. Blliottstown, 
was born in Orange County, Ind., July 4, 1840. 
Was brought by his parents to this count}' 
when one year old. They settled on the farm 
where James Adams now lives in Section 3, 
Lucas Township, His father settled on wild 
prairie laud, which he entered about 1848. 
Subject was raised on a farm, and for several 
years no school existed in that part of the 
township, and the first school he attended he 
was about the age of eight j'ears, in an old log 
schoolhouse about one mile and a half south of 
Elliottstown, and for several winters went there 
until he learned the three "R's." In June, 1861, 
he enlisted at the first call for three 3-ears' men 
in Company L, of Fifth Illinois Cavalry, and 
served until October, 1865, in the same regi- 
ment and company. The last three years he 
served as Quartermaster Sergeant, and was 
always on dut}', and was in forty battles and 
skirmishes, the principal of which were : Cot- 
ton Plant, July 6, 1862; Rock Roe, Ark., Aug. 
16, 1862; McAlpin's f\irm, October 22, 1862; 
siege and capture of Vicksburg, which lasted 
fort3'-three daj'S, ending July 4, 1863; Clinton, 
Miss., July 8, 1863; Canton, Miss., July 12, 
1863 — city taken by Fifth Cavalry; Coldwater, 
Miss., August 20, 1863; Robinson's Mills, Oc- 



tober 17, 1863, and near there on the 18th day 
of October occurred an all-day fight ; in the 
rear of infantry, they fought back to Clinton, 
Miss.; in rear of Natchez, Miss., December 8, 
1863; Champion and Dalton, Miss., February 

4, 1864; Clinton and Jackson, Miss., February 

5. 1864, and eight miles north of Jackson, Feb- 
ruary 6, 1864; Morton, Miss., February 8, 1864; 
February 1 1, 1864, skirmished and drove the 
enemy all day; Decatur, Miss., February 12, 
1864; Meridian, Miss., February 14, 1864; 
Black River, Bliss., May 12, 1864; Port Gibson, 
Miss., September 30, 1864; city of Monroe, La., 
February 12, 1865; city of Harrisburg, La., 
February 16, 1865. The company was organ- 
ized at Effingham, Ills., September, 1861, by 
Capt. H. D. Caldwell, and mustered out at 
Camp Butler, in October, 1865. After the war 
he came home, and November 5, 1865, was 
married to Mary F. Merry, of Decatur, 111. 
They have four children — Eliza, Hattie, Pretty- 
man, W. Mc. and William Ura. He purchased 
his present farm in the fall of 1865, situated in 
Section 1, Lucas Township, where he owns 200 
acres. It was unbroken when he bought it; 
now he has it all under cultivation and raises 
grain, principally corn, oats and wheat; he 
plows about one hundred acres per year. Mr. 
Stroud is a Republican, and has served in va- 
rious township offices, being at present Super- 
visor of Lucas Township; he is serving his 
second yeai-. His father, Thomas Stroud, was 
born in South Carolina; came with his parents 
to Orange County, Ind., in boyhood, and there 
married Eliza Aston, a native of North Caro- 
lina, and after marriage, engaged in farming 
uutil 1840, when he moved to diflfereut points 
in Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri until 1841, 
when he settled in Lucas Township, where he 
lived until 1860, when he moved to Union 
Township, EfHugham County, and there died in 
1874. He had fifteen children, of which thir- 
teen grew up — -names are: Joseph, deceased; 
Ura, lives in Union Township; Eliza, married 



LUCAS TOWNSHIP. 



139 



N. B. Tilton, of lovva; Lucretia, wife of James 
Cooper, of Quincy, 111.; Lj-Uiu M., deceased; 
Siduu}'. deceased; Ner, subject; Samuel J., 
lanner, of Lucas Township; Hphraiin Joy, re- 
aides in Kansas; Nathaniel S., killed in battle 
of Brownsville, Ark.; Richard Nails, farmer in 
Union Township; Austin II., lives in Wash- 
int;ton Territory. Subject's father married a 
second wife and have two daughters living of 
last marriage, names are Helena and Angeline; 
they reside in Union Township. 

WILLIAM TATE, farmer, P. 0. Winter- 
rowd, was born in Couut3- Down, Ireland, Jan- 
uar)' 10, 1828; he lived there with his parents 
until twenty-four years of age. On the 10th of 
April, 1852, he embarked for this country, was 
twenty-one days on the water, and had a most 
pleasant trip. He arrived at New York .May 
1, 1852. He went to work in a lumber-yard, 
remaining there until the spring of 1854; he 
then went to Canada and engaged in farming, 
and in the spring of 1856, came back to New 
York State, where he remained until the fall of 
1857, when he went back to Canada and en- 
gaged in farming until the spring of 1864; he 
then went to Wisconsin, and remained there 
until the fall of 1874, when he moved to Lucas 
Township, Kflingham County, and settled on a 
farm in Section 36 of 240 acres, the greater 
part of which was uncultivated land. Now he 
has about 200 acres in cultivation, his main 
productions being wheat, corn and oats. This 
year he has raised about 500 bushels of wheat, 
2,000 bushels of corn, and about 2,000 bushels 
of oats. He received his education in his na- 
tive county, and was married in the year 1857, 
to Susanna Sweaze}', a native of Canada. They 
have three children — Andrew R., Maggie Jane 
and Robert Henry. Our subject's father, Robert 
Tate, was born in County Down, Ireland, in the 
year 1801, and was a farmer. He died in Au- 
gust, 1846. Margaret McElroy, his wife, was 
born in the same place and year, as her hus- 
band, and is now living in Albany, N. Y. 



They had eight children — William, Robert, 
living in Michigan; Margaret, living in Al- 
ban}', N. Y. ; Jane, deceased wife of Robert 
McHafy; Mary, (deceased) ; Bessie, wife of 
Joseph Doran, living in Albany, N. Y.; Anna, 
wife of James Doran, living also in Albanj', N. 
Y., and John, died when seven years old. 
Our subject's wife's father, Andrew Sweazey, 
was born in New Jersey about the year 1795, 
and died Canada, 1878. His wife, Hannah 
Dennis, was also born in New Jersey. They 
have five children — John, William, Andrew, 
Susan and Joel. 

JACOB WINTERROWD, farmer, P. 0. 
Winterrovvd, one of the enterprising farmers of 
Lucas Township, was born in Shelby Countj', 
Ind., September 14, 18.32. His father was a 
native of Washington County, Penn., born in 
the year 1802. He was taken by his parents 
to Warren County, Ohio, when two months old; 
resided there about twenty-five years up to 
1827. In the same year he removed to Shelby 
County, Ind., and resided there until the fall of 
1860, when he removed to Jasper County, 111., 
and bought a farm two miles from Newton, and 
there died in 1869. Our subject's mother was 
a native of Ohio, born in Warren County, of 
that State, and died in Shelby County, Ind , 
February 2, 1836. Our subject is one of a 
family of five children, of which four are liv- 
ing — Washington, living in Ellis County, Texas; 
Nancy, living with Jacob Winterrowd, in Lucas 
Township; Kirkwood, died in Shelby County, 
Ind., when thirteen months old; Jacob, subject; 
S. J. Winterrowd, living in Livingston County, 
Mo. His father was married again on the 8th 
day of June, 1835, to Dorathy Cookson, a na- 
tive of Shelby County, Ind. They had five 
children also — S. F., living in Ellis County, 
Texas; Elizabeth, wife of B. F. Moulden, liv- 
ing in Newton, Jasper Co., Ill; J. Z., lives on 
the old farm, two miles from Newton; M. F., 
died in Shelby County, Ind., when seventeen 
months old, and the other died in infancy. 



140 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Jacob Winterrowd received his education in 
tlie subscfiption scliools of Shelby County, Ind., 
although in the latter part of his school years. 
he attended free schools, which had then been 
organized. He began life as a farmer; he was 
around looking for a location, and came to 
Effingham County, 111., on the 23d of March, 
1859, but not purchasing a farm, he returned 
to Indiana in June, the same year, well pleased 
with the country, and came back on September 
14, 1859, and yet did not make a permanent 
location, and went back to Indiana November 
29, 1859. He remained there until Februar}' 
2, 1860, at which time he removed to Jasper 
County, 111. He lived there until April 9th of 
the same 3'ear, then he resolved to come to 
Effingham Count}-, which he did, and settled on 
a farm of eighty acres in Lucas Township 
where he is now living. When he came here 
it was all wild land, with no improvements 
whatever, but by his diligence and energy he 
has made quite extensive improvements, and 
put it all in cultivation. He added eighty acres 
to it in 1875; it was also wild land, but now 
has it all in cultivation, and raises wheat, corn, 
oats and rye. He also takes a great deal of 
interest in the raising of thoroughbred cattle, 
of which he has several on his farm. He was 
married, in the latter part of 1853, to Avis 



Groodwin, a native of Shelby County, Ind., and 
on Januar}- 30, 1881, his beloved wife was 
called home to the better world, leaving him 
with four little children — Millard F., W. 
N., Ida C. and Lily E.; Matia and Dora 
deceased. He was married again, on the 18th ' 
of October, 1881, to Sarah Thomas, of Jasper 
County, 111. They have one charming little 
girl, Nancy. 

GRANVILLE G. WOODY, farmer, P. 0. 
Eberle. Mr. Woody is one of Lucas Town- 
ship's most respected and enterprising young 
farmers. He was born in Indiana March 18, 
1853; was brought by his parents to Union 
Township in the fall of 1862, and settled on a 
farm there. He received his education in Union 
Township, by helping his father on the farm in 
summer and in winter, attending school until 
twenty-one years of age. He was married, on 
the 4th of July, 1873, to Lucy Merry, of Lucas 
Township. She was born October 30, 1856. 
After he was married, he settled on a farm of 
160 acres, about seventy-five acres being in 
cultivation, and the remaining eighty-five acres 
was raw land; his main productions are wheat, 
corn and oats. They have four blooming chil- 
dren living and one dead : Alva Eldridge, de- 
ceased ; Dencie Ellen, Charles, Kearney and 
Burgess, living. 



TEUTOPOLI 

HERMAN D. ELLMANN, shoemaker, Teu- 
topolis, was born in the precinct of Tenstedte, 
Parish of Cappeln, in County of Cloppenburg, 
Dukedom of Aldenburg, January 15, 1815. 
He commenced learning the trade of shoemaker 
with his father, D. Henry EUroann, in his native 
place in his sixteenth 3'ear. He worked with him 
until he was twenty-five years old. In 1840, he 
married Catharine Elizabeth Angelbeke, and 
after his marriage started a shoe shop of his 
own in township of Dinklage, in a countrj' 



S TOWNSHIP. 

place called Wulfennau, 'and run it for five 
years with fair success. He came to the United 
States in 1845, landing at New Orleans in De- 
cember, came via river to Cincinnati, Ohio, 
where he worked one year as a journeyman, 
when he came to Teutopolis, III. He only re- 
members five settlers here in the town when he 
came. He bought two lots, where he now lives, 
of John F. Waschefort, and bought a partly 
finished house of Mr. V/aschefort for SI 20; as 
soon as he finished a room, opened shop and 



TEUTOPOLIS TOWNSHIP. 



141 



became the first regular shoe-maker in the place, 
and has worked at his trade since the winter of 
1846^7, setting on his bench from earl3' 
morning until 12, 1 and 2 o'clock at night for 
many years. For some years he was the only 
shoe-maker here. He went in debt for his 
house and lot, and soon paid all his indebted- 
ness, although money was very scarce, and bar- 
ter was paid for work, so that it was difficult to 
get money enough to buy leather. He kept 
one journe3'man for many years. He can still 
put in a full day's work. His first wife died 
August 21, 1852, leaving no children. In 
March, 1853, he married to Bernandina Cath- 
arine Pundsack, she was born in Vcchta, Olden- 
burg, in October, 1832, and came to this coun- 
try in about 1841 with her parents. They have 
one daughter living, Mary Anna Eilmann, born 
November 18, 1869. One son died in infancy. 
DR. FRANCIS F. EVERSMAN, pliysician, 
Teutopolis. Francis Frederic Eversman, M. 
D., was born October 20, 1807, at Osnabruck 
in the Province of Hanover (now Prussia). 
Here, also, he received the first rudiments of 
his education. In 1837, he came to Baltimore, 
where he finished his education. He then went 
to Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended the medical 
college there. During his collegiate course he 
worked in the drug department of a commer- 
cial hospital. At the end of three years, in 
1850, he received the degree of doctor of medi- 
cine. In 1849, at the breaking-out of the 
cholera, though not as yet a licensed physician, 
he had volunteered his services, and was thus 
prematurely initiated into the practice of med- 
icine. But, in the following j'ear, 1850, having 
receivetl his degrees he entered on the regular 
practice of his profession at Cincinnati, Ohio, 
where he remained three 5'ears. From Cincin ■ 
nati he came directly to Teutopolis (1853), 
here he continued to practice liis profession. 
In 1865, in addition to his professional labors 
as a physician, he opened a drug store. His 
son, Charles Eversman, has relieved him of the 



care of the drug store, but he still continues 
his professional labors at the advanced age of 
seventy-five (1882). Subject is connected with 
the Cincinnati Medical Societ}'. He married 
Charlotta Fier, and liad three sons — Henry 
John and Charles. 

CHARLES EVERSMANN, druggist, Teu- 
topolis, was born in Alfhausen, near Osna- 
bruck, Hanover, Germany, August 31, 1843. 
He came to the United States with his parents 
in 1845. They settled at Cincinnati, Ohio, re- 
maining in that city seven years. In 1852, the 
parents came to Teutopolis, this countj-, where 
our subject has lived ever since. He was edu- 
cated in St. Joseph's College, and spent two 
years in the college of Notre Dame, at South 
Bend, Ind. He left school in 1865. At eight- 
eeu, he went to work on the farm, and conduct- 
ed it for three j'ears. In 1866, his father vvent 
into the drug business here, and he assisted 
his father in the store for ten years, and in 1876 
he became the proprietor, and has since con- 
ducted the drug store with good success. He 
has also been Assistant Postmaster for twelve 
years. He has been Justice of the Peace for 
eight years, also Supervisor three years, and 
Town Clerk. He takes a deep interest in both 
county and State politics. He was married in 
October, 1871, to Miss Catherine Busse, daugh- 
ter of George Busse, of Teutopolis Township, 
and has four children — Frank, Leo, Dorothea 
and Katie. 

JUDGE HERMAN H. HUELS, farmer, 
P. 0. Effingham, was born near the city 
of Osnabruck, Hanover, January 30, 1824. 
He left the college of his native place and 
went to Paris, France, where he remained 
for two and a half years in the Le Sem- 
inaire, Du Saint Esprit, where he studied 
rhetoric and philosophy, and then vvent to Ita- 
I3', and visited in Genoa, Milan, Florence, Rome 
and Naples. This was during the reign of Pope 
Gregory XVI. Spent six months in Italy, for 
the most part in Rome, intending to study 



142 



BIOttHAPHICAL: 



for the priesthood. From there he went 
with an English family to Bedfordshire, Eng- 
land, where he taught the French, German, 
Latin and Greek languages in an academy be- 
longing to the Baptist Church, for two and a 
half years. He came to the United States in 
1846, and became Professor of Languages in 
the seminary at the Barrens, near Perryville, 
Mo:, a small institution established there by 
the followers of St. Vincent De Paul, where 
young men were prepared for the priesthood. 
He remained there about one 3"ear, and in 
Washington, Mo., married in 18-18, to Miss 
Clara Schwegman, and afterward was clerk in 
the law office of Thomas Allen, then President 
of the Pacific Railroad, now President of Iron 
Mountain Railroad. He was a large landed 
proprietor in St. Louis. Subject had charge of 
his real estate and general business until com- 
ing here in 1851. He became a teacher of the 
parochial school at Teutopolis, this county, 
where he remained until elected Justice of the 
Peace in the fall of 1853, when he gave up 
teaching. He served as Justice and Associate 
Judge of the count}' until they adopted town- 
ship organization. He is still Justice of the 
Peace. He lived in Teutopolis until ISfil, 
when he moved to his present place near 
Effingham, where he owns about 200 acres of 
farm lands, and has since engaged in farming. 
For many years he did a large amount of pub- 
lic business for the people of Teutopolis. He 
also bought and sold considerable real estate. 
He had two children, both deceased. 

FERDINAND KOLLMEYER, farmer, 
P. 0. Teutopolis, was born in January, 
1830, in Goldenstedt, Amt Fechte, Grand 
Duchess of Oldenburg, Germany. He is a 
son of Bernhard KoUme^'er, born and died 
in the same place. He was a farmer by occu- 
pation. The maiden name of Mr. Ferdinand's 
mother was JIaria Grave, who was born in 
Oldenburg, Germany, where she died, leaving 
three boys and two girls. Our subject went to 



school in Ellenstedt, Germany, and in 1850 he 
came to the United States, via New Orleans 
and St. Louis, and settled near Teutopolis, 
Effingham Co., Ill, in which village he was 
married October 28, 1856, to Miss Josephine 
Puntsatk, who was born in 1830, near Fechte, 
Oldenburg, Germany. She is the daughter of 
Anthon and Mar}- Anna Puntsack, who were 
born in Germany, but who died in Teutopolis 
Township. Mr. KoUmej'er has three children, 
two boys and one girl. The names of the l)oys 
are Frank and John, who have attended the 
college at Teutopolis. Mr. Kollmeyer is iden- 
tified with the Democratic party. Through his 
econom}- and industry he has acquired a nice 
farm of 200 acres. Is the artificer of his own 
fortune, having labored hard for the means by 
which to defray the expense of his passage 
across the restless, billowy sea. Is a Catholic. 
FATHER P. MICHAEL RICHARDT, 0. S. 
F., rector St. Joseph's Diocesan College, Teu- 
topolis, was born in the province of Saxony, 
Prussia, September 25, 184-1. He was educated 
in the Gj'mnasium Heiligenstadt, which he left at 
the age of seventeen, and joined the Franciscan 
Order in AVestphalia, and studied philosophy 
at Duesseldorf on the Rhine, spending six 
years at the two places. He spent his novi- 
tiate of one. year at Warendorf, Westphalia. 
He came to the United States in 1867, and en- 
tered the Franciscan monastery at Teutopolis, 
where he pursued the study of theology two 
years, and was ordained priest at St. Louis, by 
Bishop Kenrick, and after his ordination he 
was Professor of Classics and Modern Languages 
in St. Joseph's College for two and a half years, 
and was at the same time sub-rector or Vice 
President of college. He was then transferred 
to same position in St. Francis Solanus Col- 
lege at Quincy, 111., for Ave years. He then 
conducted the department of philosophy in the 
monastery for four years at Quincy, 111. He 
was made President or rector of this col- 
lege in July, 1882. He was working in the 



TEUTOPOLIS TOWNSHIP. 



ua 



ministry during all of his collegiate work, hav- 
ing been pastor of three churches. 

JOHN H. RUXDE, merchant tailor, Teu- 
topolis, was born iu the kingdom of Hanover, 
village Lathen, county of Ashendorf, August 
18. 1826. He left school at fifteen to learn 
tailoring in iiis native town, serving a three 
years' apprenticeship, and worked three years 
as a hand and went to Bremen, and sailed for 
New York City May 3, 1849, and arrived June 
18, and worked in New York City about one 
and a half years, and in the fill of 1850, came 
to Cincinnati, Ohio, and worked at his trade 
tliore until 1854, on custom work. He was 
married in May, 1851, to Anna Margarettha 
Brinker. She was born in Oldenburg in 1822; 
came to the United States in the fall of 1818, 
coming to Cincinnati, Ohio. In April, 1854, 
our subject came to Teutopolis with his fam- 
ily. He worked about two years for John F. 
Waschefort. Then formed a partnership with J. 
F. AVaschefort & Co., which lasted one j-ear 
in the merchant tailoring business. At the 
end of a year, Mr. Rnmlc bought the stock of 
his partners, and on April 1, 1857, he opened 
a merchant tailoring establishment on the same 
site he now occupies and has done business for 
a quarter of a century. He bought a fresh 
stock of piece goods from Cincinnati, Ohio. 
His was at this time the only merchant tailor- 
ing house in the county, and he made four suits 
for parties who bet on the Buchanan and Fre- 
mont election. He did a good business before 
the war, and kept at times four hands. He 
drew his custom from a long distance in every 
direction. He held this large custom for many 
years, and still does a good business in mer- 
chant tailoring, clothing, and furnishing goods. 
He takes an active part in politics and religion, 
and has been Town and Church Trustee. He 
is Democrat of the old tj'pe. Mr. Runde has 
one son living, John L. Runde, born in Teutopo- 
lis August 1.3, 1861, and five children dead, 
the oldest dying iu his eighth year. 



JOHN G. SCHUETTE, teacher and physican, 
Teutopolis, was born at Mettingen, in the 
Province of Westphalia, on the 23d of May, 
1847. He attended school at Jlettiugen till 
the age of thirteen. He next went to the 
Gymnasium of Rheine, where he graduated in 
1868. After graduating, he went successively 
to the universities of Wurzburg, Marburg and 
Greifswold. He studied medicine for two 
years, while pursuing his philosophical course. 
After finishing his course in 1872, he served a 
a short while in the Prussian Arm}' during the 
Franco-Prussian war. Subject came to America 
in 1872. He landed at New York and came 
almost directly to Teutopolis. He there 
studied English for a year and a half, and ob- 
tained (1873) a position as Professor of Lan- 
guages and Mathematics at St. Joseph's Col- 
lege. He has taught there ever since. He 
married Catharine, daughter of Mathias Mette, 
of Effingham. His wife died in 1877. Sub- 
ject is a Roman Catholic ; politically, he is a 
Democrat. 

REV. P. PAULUS TEROERDE, priest, 
Teutopolis, is a native of the Bishop seat of 
Paderborn, in the Province of Westphalia. 
While quite young he removed to Bocholt, 
where he commenced his education. He after- 
ward went to Miinster, the capital of West- 
phalia, to pursue his studies, and then to 
Warendorf, where, in 1869. he joined the Order 
of Franciscans. He here finished his novitiate. 
In 1870, he removed to Wicdenbruck, and 
soon after to Dusseldorf. At both these places 
he studied philosophy, and on the completion 
of his course in that science, he returned to 
Paderborn, where, for the next two 3-ears of 
his life, he was engaged in the stud}' of the- 
ology. At this time, the Franciscans being 
expelled from Germany, the Rev. Father went 
to the seat of the Franco-Prussian war, just 
then breaking out. During the earlj- part of 
this war, he followed the contending armies, 
bearing Christian succor to the sick, the 



144 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



wounded and the dying. But sickness forced 
him to relinquish this hazardous task. In 1875, 
he left Germany and came to Teutopolis. He 
remained in this township but two days when 
he left for St. Louis to finish his studies there. 
He spent a year and a half at St. Louis, at 
the expiration of which time, having com- 
pleted his theological course, he came back to 
Teutopolis to attend a mission. He was shortly 
afterward appointed Guardian of St. Francis 
Convent and Director of the St. Francis Con- 
gregation, which joint offices he still fills. 

WILLIAM TOLCH, harness-maker, Teu- 
topolis, was born on the 27th of November, 1823, 
at Strelitz-Mecklenburg, in North Germany- 
Here he attended school and learned the trade 
of harness and saddle maker. Emigrating lo 
America in 1851, he worked at his trade for a 
short while in New Jersey. He then went to 
St. Louis and finall3- came to Teutopolis (1852). 
He settled on the National road, at the place 
where his harness and saddle shop now 
stands. He married on the 2Sth of April, 
1856, Rebecca, daughter of John McLinej'. 
Subject is an Evangelical Lutheran. He is a 
Democrat, but takes no interest in politics be- 
yond exercising the right of suflTrage. Has 
nine children living — John Henrv, Charles Will- 
liam, Samuel Frederic, Mary Catharine, Nancy 
Emilia, Lizzie, Caroline Jane, Rebecca Ann, 
Alice Cler3'. 

CLEMENS UPTMOR, Sr., merchant, Teu- 
topolis. Away back in Fatherland, now uearl3' 
sevent^'-seven years ago, on the 19th day of 
January, 1806, Clemens Uptmor, Sr., was born 
in the Dukedom of Oldenburg, in the village of 
Lohme. His parents were in the middle class- 
es, neither rich nor pinched with povert3', yet 
the childhood of the boy practically ended 
when he was ten years of age, as he then went 
as sailor boy on a fishing vessel on which his 
father was mate. These expeditions for her- 
ring were made into the North Sea, and to Am- 
sterdam and other points. In the winters, when 



his father's vessel could not sail for fish, the 
boy went to the parochial schools of his native 
village. He thus got a fair education, and a 
good knowledge of sailing the waters, as well as 
the geographj' of Europe. When old enough 
he was drafted into the army, and here he 
served five years in the infantry command. 

In company with his brother, and a few of 
his neighbors, he sailed for America, and in 
September, 1834, landed in Cincinnati. Here, 
for the next five j-ears, he worked earl}' and 
late at his trade of carpentering — haviug re- 
ceived instructions in the old countrj' as ship 
carpenter. He prospered at his work in Cin- 
cinnati, but it was slow, and, in connection 
with two or three others, looked up the subject 
of the great West, the land of rich soil and 
cheap homes, and this trio of humble workmen 
conceived the great idea of forming a colony 
and emigrating West. Did they, any of them, 
think you, in their warmest fancies, ever pro- 
long the vision to this day, and in the emigra- 
tion foresee the present flourishing town of 
Teutopolis, with its happj' population, its mag- 
nificent manufactories, its stupendous church, 
college, convent, its man}' houses, from its 
grand mansions to its many neat and tasty 
cottages, and all surrounded by elegant farms 
and improved highways ? One of the nine and 
chief movers that brought us all this valuable 
population, including the entire town of Teu- 
topolis and the rich farming country surround- 
ing it, together with many others throughout 
the whole count}', was Clemens Uptmor, Sr. 

So great and far reaching in its good effects 
to its beneficiaries, and of so mucli value was 
it to the county of Effingham that we feel it 
just and proper to repeat in outline this coloni- 
zation scheme ; 

It was organized in Cincinnati, and at first 
only nine members ; it soon grew to a society 
of one hundred and forty-two. Each member 
paid $50, and this entitled him to forty acres of 
land ; he paid also $10 toward the society ex- 



TEUTOPOLIS TOWNSHIP. 



.145 



penses, and this entitled him to four town lots. 
Messrs. Uptmor and Waschefort, in the interest 
and for the societj-, made an extended tour of 
observation, entering the State near Vincennes, 
passin<i through into Missouri to near Jcflerson 
City, but seeing slavery there, they returned 
and again entered Illinois at Quincy, and from 
Quincy to Vandalia, the land office, was their 
general route. At Vandalia they examined the 
land books, and rode many miles in all direc- 
tions, .and finally settled upon the spot where 
Teutopolis now stands as the chosen one for 
their colony. When tiiis conclusion was ar- 
rived at, Mr. Upmor returned to Cincinnati and 
called the society togetlier and reported fully 
what he had done. Everything was told ex- 
cept the place selected. He then asked the 
society to appoint a committee and he would 
take them to the place and they could enter the 
land. This was done, and Thomas Bergfelt, 
George Me}-er and Henry Roenbaum were added 
to Waschefort and Uptmor, and were appointed 
to accompany Mr. Uptmor, and $10,000 was 
placed in their hands to invest for the society. 
These committeemen did not know even to 
what State they were going until they were 
well on the way to Illinois. This secrecy was 
observed in order that the strictest justice 
might be done to all members, and further, to 
prevent any member from taking advantage of 
his knowledge and slipping awav and making a 
choice entry of land in the verj' heart of the 
colony's location. They came on to Vandalia, 
entered the land, and laid off the town of Teu- 
topolis, and returned to Cincinnati, and in tlie 
fall of 1838, in the old engine house, between 
Sixth and Seventh streets, the Land and town 
lots were distributed by a drawing among the 
members, each one taking the land and lots 
marked on the slip he drew out of the h.at. 

Such was the outline of this wise and just 
scheme, and the result stands there to-day, the 
proudest monument to the integrity, far-sight- 
edness and faithfulness of its founders of any 



similar instance in modern times. The minds 
tliat mapped out and carried through, from be- 
ginning to completion, this beneficent scheme — 
a scheme ever growing in the good, the liberty, 
the liappy prosperous homes of so man}- people, 
that transcends in importance all the battles of 
Napoleon, or the Caesars, should not be left to 
careless neglect, nor shall they be, for 
"The nasi i-< but ii base wliereon 
These ashlars, well liewii, may be laid." 

In September, 1839, Mr. Uptmor was mar- 
ried to Mary Elizabeth Niehaus, of Cincinnati. 
This wedding occurred on one of his three dif- 
ferent trips between the new colony settlement 
and Cincinnati ; one of these trips he made 
wholly on foot and another one chiefly so, as 
his horse was taken sick in Vincennes, and he 
pushed on without it. Immediately after the 
marriage, preparations to move to the new 
home commenced, and December 21, 1839, 
they lauded at Teutopolis, and occupied a lit- 
tle log hut built by J. Henry Uptmor, one 
room, sixteen feet square. The next year he 
built a frame, 16x26, on the corner lot where his 
present large brick residence stands. Here he 
opened a little store, hisstopk of goods amount- 
ing to about $100, and from this little beginning 
has grown his present large and extensive es- 
tablishment. At the same time he farmed, did 
carpenter work, and found time to build an im- 
mense wind grist mill, which was completed in 
1842. In its day it was a tremendous event in 
the count3'. It was a big venture to make at 
that time, but it, like everything else he touched, 
brousilit him success and the bread of life for 
the whole county around, in fact, extending in- 
to the surrounding counties. More curious and 
glad people visited this wonder of its day, by 
far, than do now go to see the magnificent four 
story grist mill — the finest structure and ma- 
chinery in the State perhaps, as it contains all 
the very latest improvements and invention in 
milling known, and is capable of turning out 
150 barrels of perfect flour daily. This mill is 



146 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



the most valuable improvement yet erected in 
our count}'. It is estimated that it will require 
all the wheat that can be raised on a territory 
of nearly the entire county to supply it during 
any year that it is run to its full capacity. 

In the erection of the college, the female 
convent, the extensive Franciscan monastery, 
and the magnificent church, one of the largest 
and containing the finest organ in Southern 
Illinois, were all aided and much assisted by 
the good sense and liberal purse of Mr. Uptmor 
at the time of building. 

In 1865, he built his present fine brick store, 
where he has since kept a large general stock 
of dry goods and groceries, in the name of the 
firm of 0. Uptmor & Son. In the same year, he 
commenced his pork-packiug establishment ; 
the first year he slaughtered over 1,800 hogs. 
The partnership, constituting the proprietors 
of the new grist mill, was formed in 1882, and 
consists of his son, Clemens, and Joseph Sie- 
mer, and its title is Uptmor & Siemer. 

For more than twenty years he was Post- 
master of Teutopolis, entering upon the duties 
of the office in 1842, and continuing without 
interruption during all these j-ears and without 
an official error or a complaint from any source. 
Mr. Uptmor is the father of fourteen children, 
eight of whom are living. 

This is the briefest outline of the life work of 
Clemens Uptmor, Sr. Certainly one of the 
brightest examples in our country's whole his- 
tory of what is possible for one man to do for 
himself and his fellow-man. A man born to 
command, control, guide and provide for his 
fellow-man, and has filled that grand mission 
of life so ably and so well, and that, too, with- 
out the aid of wealth, titles, or great and pow- 
erful friends at court ; indeed, without a knowl- 
edge of the language of his adopted country, 
until past middle life, is a great consummation 
— pleasant to see, profitable to behold. 

SISTER VERENA, D. N. D.,of Notre Dame 
Convent, Teutopolis, 111., is a native of Her- 



zogen Aurach, in the province of Bavaria, being 
born in that city on the 28th of November, 
1841. At the age of three years, she was taken 
from her native country and brought to Balti- 
more. She there attended the St. James' Sis- 
ters' School till the age of seventeen. In 1859, 
she was sent to Milwaukee, where she became 
a candidate^ for admission into the Order of 
Notre Dame. In the following year, 1860, she 
became a member of the order. She taught 
school for one year after her admission, in the 
city of Milwaukee. She then went to Roches- 
ter, N. Y., where she also taught in the St. 
Joseph's Sisters' School. She remained there 
seven years (to 1868). Having returned to 
Milwaukee for a few weeks, she then went to 
Kenosha, Wis., where she taught for six years, 
till 1874. She also taught three years in Chi- 
cago. In 1877, she came to Teutopolis, where 
she was appointed Sister Superior of the Con- 
vent of Notre Dame, which position she is now 
filling. 

JOHN F. WASCHEFORT (deceased), was 
born in Essen, Oldenburg, Germany. He emi- 
grated to America in 1832. After prospecting 
for some months over various parts of Ohio, he 
finally located at Cincinnati. He devoted him- 
self to learning the trade of rope and twine 
making, and in 1835, formed a partnership with 
John H. Hakman and George Venneman, for 
the purpose of manufacturing rope and cord- 
age. Soon this 3'oung firm began to prosper, 
their business assuming larger proportions from 
day to da}-. A few years "of success at Cin- 
cinnati induced them to establish two branch 
houses; one at Evansville, Ind., under the 
management of George Venneman, which, in 
addition to a well-selected stock of ropes and 
twines, had a large stock of groceries added, 
which, in a few years after its establishment, 
ranked as one of the largest jobbing houses of 
that city. The other house was established at 
Teutopolis, 111., under the control of J. F. 
Waschefort. The original partnership, formed 



TEUTOPOLIS TOWNSHIP. 



147 



in 1835, continued until 1857, when the same 
was dissolved by mutual consent. During the 
existence of this partnership, wliieli continued 
during twenty-two j-ears, Mr. Hakman managed 
the Cincinnati house, Mr. Vennemau the Evans- 
ville branch, and Mr. Waschefort tlie one at 
Teutopolis. At the final dissolution and in the 
division of property, each partner retained the 
business under his respective management. To 
the Teutopolis house Mr. W. lent all his energy 
and business abilit)-, starting with a small stock 
of goods usually kept in country stores, he soon 
enlarged the same and made it the trading place 
of the surrounding country. He soon added 
the pork packing business, making a market 
for fat hogs. The product was in those earl}- 
days transported b}- wagon to Evansville and 
St. Louis, finding a market at New Orleans. In 
1856, he built at Teutopolis a large steam flour- 
ing mill, to which he added a complete saw-mill. 
In 1860, he opened a branch store at Effingham, 
that city having been made the county seat. All 
these various enterprises, which tended so 
much to develop this neighborhood, were kept 
under his immediate supei-visons up to the time 
of death, which occurred in Januarv, 1879, he 
then being sixty-eight years of age. He was 
of a quiet and reserved disposition, assisted the 
need}', and to all who were willing to work he 
extended a helping hand. Many remember 
him as having received through his generous 
assistance their first start in life. His wife. 
Mary, to whom he was married in 1839, was 
a noble-hearted lady. She died in January-, 
1873. The have four children now living — two 
daughters residing at Cincinnati, one daughter 
lives at Teutopolis. the wife of Dr. II. Eversman; 
and an only son, Fenlinand. wlu> succeeded his 
father's business at the old homestead. .Mr. 
W., being one of the original organizers of the 
colony of Germans who settled at Teutopolis, 
was intimatel}' associated with its development 
and progress. All public enterprises received 
from him substantial support and aid. Their 



I fine brick church, large college for higher edu- 

I cation, a fine sisters' academy and parochial 
school attest the regard he paid to education 
in that small village. 

j JOHN F. WASCHEFORT, Jr.. Teutopolis 
son of Joiin F. Waschefort, was born in Teu- 
topolis Township, .March 4, 1857, here he was 

' also raised and educated, attending successively 
the Notre Dame Sisters' School and St. Joseph's 
College. At the age of sixteen, he left college 
and engaged in business, helping his father in 
the flour mill and general store keeping. In 
1879, on the death of his father, he succeeded him 

I in the same business, which he still carries on 
quite successfully. The fatherof subject was l)orn 
in Oldenburg, Germany, about 1810. He came 
alone to America when he was not more than 
sixteen years old. After stopping at various 
places, he reached Cincinnati in 1832. In 1841 
he came to Teutopolis, where he opened a Gen- 
eral country store, dealing, also, in live-stock, 
and conducting, at the same time, a large farm, 
•lie started a combined flour and saw-mill in 

j 1856. This was afterward converted into a 
flour mill. He died in January, 1879. 

j JOHN H. WERNSING, Sr., Justice of 

I the Peace, Teutopolis, was born in the 
old Kingdom of Hanover (now Prussia) in 
the year 1832. In 1840, he came to America 
with his parents, being only eight years old. 
They settled at Cincinnati, Ohio, where John 
attended a " (common school." Subject after- 
ward went to Indiana where he received in- 
structions in the higher branches, from Prof. 
Thomas Smith, Leaving Indiana, he went 
back to Cincinnati, where he learned the tratle 
of " coach and car ornamentation." Having 

• finished his apprenticeship, he was engaged as 
a foreman in a coach and car manufactory for 
fifteen years. Forced to leave Cincinnati on 
account of sickness, he came to Teutopolis in 
1865, where he has since resided. For the last 
fourteen years, he has exercised the office of 

, Justice of the Peace, and for the last six years 



148 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



the additional office of Notary Public. Soon 
after bis arrival at Teutopolis, he took charge 
of John F. Waschefort's combined steam flour 
and saw mill. Subject has always taken an 
active part in politics. He has been, succes- 
sively, member of the Board of Supervisors, 
member of the Board of Trustees, Collector of 
Taxes (for the last three years), and is at pres- 
ent Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. 
Subject was twice married. First wife — Marj', 
daughter of John Wessel, a native of Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, among the first settlers of that 
place. Second wife — Catharine, daughter of 
Henry Lepper. Subject had by his first wife, 
three sons and two daughters — Henry, Benja- 
min, Edward, Mary and Catharine. By his 
second wife he had two sons and three daugh- 
ters — ^Frank, Joseph, Theresa, Elizabeth and 
Anna. 



JOHN H. WERNSING, Jr., dealer in liquors, 
Teutopolis, son of John H. Wernsing, Sr., was 
born at Cincinnati, Ohio, November 29, 1852. 
He attended a Catholic Brothers' school till the 
age of twelve, when he left Cincinnati and 
came to Teutopolis. At Teutopolis he attended 
St. Joseph's College for two years. Leaving 
school at the age of fourteen, he worked as a 
farm hand for the next three years of his life. 
He then undertook to learn the blacksmith's 
trade, which he abandoned at the end of three 
months. After this he made a livelihood by 
painting, which he continued doing till the 
year 1879. He then opened a saloon on the 
National road, which he still keeps. He is a 
Democrat, and has occupied the position of 
Village Clerk. He married Kate, daughter of 
H. B. Bruver. Has two children — John Henry 
and Mathilda. 



MASON T 

THOMAS A. ANDREWS, Justice of the 
Peace, Mason, was born in Macon, Tenn., Sep- 
tember 7, 1829. He was married April 3, 1851, 
to Miss Arena Jackson, daughter of Irwin 
Jackson, of Marion County, 111. Our sub- 
ject located in Effingham County, 111., and 
followed the avocation of farming, at which he 
met with good success. Purchased and paid 
for 120 acres of land in Mason Township. In 
1857, he purchased a store in Brownsburg, of 
this county, and embarked in merchandising. 
This proving rather disastrous, he continued 
the business little over one year, sold out on 
credit, and never received the promised stipula- 
tion. He then returned to farming with good 
success, paid the debts contracted in the store 
business, and gained considerable property. In 
1877, he removed to Mason, and worked for 
some time in a stave factory. Politically, Mr. 
Andrews is a stanch Democrat. He has re- 
peatedly held the office of Justice of the Peace, 



OWIsTSHIP. 

a position he at present fills. Has a family of 
seven children living — John W., born in 1854 ; 
Sarah E., born in 1858 ; Mary T., wife of Har- 
vey Leatherman, was born in 1860 ; Thomas N., 
born in 1862 ; Charles P., born in 1871 ; Jesse 
A., born in 1869 ; and two dead — Miss Emma 
Andrews was born in 1864, and died in 1881 ; 
William F., was born in 1856, and died in 
1858. The subject's father, Drewry Andrews, 
was born in Chatham County, N. C, February 
14, 1783, and resided there till 1805, when he 
went with his parents to Smith Count}', Tenn. 
Soon after his arrival there he was married to 
Rebecca Parker, and settled in that county. 
In 1811, his wife died, mother of three chil- 
dren, who survived her — John, born in 1806, 
is a resident of Macon County, Tenn.; Callen 
W., born in 1808 ; Mrs. Martha Young, who 
removed in 1838 to Macon Township. After 
the death of his wife, went into the Indian war, 
which was racing at that time, and served two 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



149 



years. Returned from the war, and soon after 
married a young lady by name of Miss Eliza- 
betli Gammon. In 1838, tliey removed to 
Payette County, 111., and located at farming 
about nine miles west of Vandalia. Mr. An- 
drews was a farmer, a tanner and a shoemaker, 
farming during the summer. He tanned and 
dressed his leather during fall, and worked it 
into shoes in winter. By his last wife he 
raised a family of nine children, as follows : 
Mary, born in 1816, wife of John Barton, the 
well-known Baptist minister of this county; 
he died Februar3- 25, 1865 ; Susan, wife of 
John Minton ; Elizabeth, wife of Richard 
Jones ; Nancy, wife of William Dodson ; the 
next is the subject of our sketch. There were 
three younger daughters, who married and 
raised families. The first five of this family 
between the year 1838 and 1840, removed with 
their families to Effingham County. Drewry 
Andrews died December 3, 1845. In 1850, 
his widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Andrews, was mar- 
ried to Benjamin Campbell, with whom she 
lived till May 20, 1856, when she died. 

A. BARBEE, tavern, Edgewood, was born 
in Wilson County, Tenn., October 12, 1828, and 
removed with his parents to Franklin County, 
111., in 1842. He remained there till of age, 
and was married in that county in 1850. For 
some time after, he engaged in running a saw 
and grist mill; afterward ran a flour mill in 
Jefferson Count}-, and, later, a flour and saw 
mill combined, in Franklin Count}', and then a 
flouring mill in McLeansboro, 111. He removed 
to ESingham County in 1867, and settled a half 
mile west of Edgewood and engaged in farm- 
ing, which he followed till 1879, when he re- 
moved to Edgewood and began tavern -keeping, 
his present avocation. He has a family of eight 
children— W. F., W. T., H. W., Mrs. Ezora Ro- 
bottom, Mrs. Luella Jackaway, Schuyler, Em- 
ma and Dora. Subject is a member of the 
Odd Fellow fraternity, and politically is a Re- 
publican. 



JOHN BARTON, farmer, P. 0. Edgewood, 
son of Solomon Barton, was born in England 
in 1825. He came to America in 1857, and 
settled in Kane County, 111., and engaged in 
farming. In 1860, he removed to Effingham 
County, 111., and bought a farm of eighty acres. 
It was all wild prairie, but Mr. Barton fenced 
and put it under cultivation. Politically, he is 
a Republican. He was married, in 1866, in 
Chicago, to Miss Maria Hills, of England. She 
died about three years afterward, leaving one 
child — Hattie Maria Barton. Mr. Barton was 
married in 1373 to Miss Rachel Wilson, of 
England. Mr. Barton removed to Chicago in 
1867, and engaged in gardening business. He 
purchased ten acres just outside the city lim- 
its, which he still owns. 

OLIVER BEARE, farmer, P. 0. Edgewood, 
was born in Perry County, Ohio, May 7, 1852 ; 
removed with his parents when quite young to 
this county. On the death of his father, he 
took charge of the farm, which he has contin- 
ued to run since. Mr. Beare is a good business 
man, a hard-working and enterprising farmer, 
and an estimable citizen. He owns farming 
lands to the extent of 524 acres. Subject's 
father, Jacob Beare, was born in Lancaster 
County, Penn., August 9, 1809. He was mar- 
ried in Perry County, Ohio, October 30, 1836, 
to Miss Mary Strawn, daughter of Thomas 
Strawn. Remained in that county till 1854, 
when he removed to Effingham County, 111., 
locating on a tract of 207 acres of wild land 
near Edgewood, and began the work of open- 
ing up a farm. Long before he came to this 
county, in the year 1836, he met a great mis- 
fortune in the loss of his eyesight, occasioned 
by a mishap in blasting in a limestone quarry. 
Notwithstanding this disadvantage, he was 
persevering, enterprising and successful. He 
not only succeeded in making a farm, but add- 
ed to his first purchase a considerable 
amount of land. He was a great worker even 
after he became blind, being able to work 



150 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



in the harvest field. He would cut down 
trees, cut oil' saw-logs, load them, and 
drive to the saw-mill, without any assistance 
or company vvhatever. He died April 16, 
1878, leaving a large amount of property, and 
a familj' of seven children, namel}' ; Mrs. Sa- 
rah Bromley, Mrs. Amanda Goodnight, David 
Beare, Mrs. Catharine Lewis, Charles Beare, 
Oliver Beare, the subject of this sketch, and 
Joseph Beare — all useful and enterprising citi- 
zens. The mother, widow of Jacob Beare, still 
remains on the home farm and is quite aged. 

WILLIAM E. BEAIRD. merchant. Edge- 
wood. William E. Beaird, son of Jacob Beaird, 
was born January 4, 18-16, in Nashville, 
Ohio. In 1855, he removed to Olney, 111. He 
had good educational opportunities. He at- 
tended the Bvansville, Ind., Commercial Col- 
lege, in 1867. Subject was married in March 
1873, to Miss Flora Johns, of Olney, Richland, 
Co., 111.; kept tavern about two years, and was 
then engaged as traveling salesman by a whole- 
sale grocery firm by name of D}"as, Hewitt '& 
Stone, of St. Louis, Mo. He worked as trav- 
eling salesman for said firm about two years, 
when he engaged, in mercantile business in 
Cleremont, Richland Co., 111., continuing un- 
til 1879, when he closed out and moved to 
Edgewood, Effingham Co., 111., put up a store — 
dry goods and groceries, and general merchan- 
dising. Subject is a member of the Masonic 
fraternity, and politically he is a Republican. 
Has a family of two children — Robert and 
William. 

R. R. BILLINGSLY, grocer, Mason. R. R. 
Billingsly was born November 16, 1842, in Ohio 
Count3-, Ind., where he remained until he was 
nineteen years old, when he enlisted in the 
war in 1862, Company D, Fifty-second Indiana 
Infantry, and was assigned to the Sixteenth 
Army Corps for a term of three years, at the 
end of which time he re-enlisted till the close 
of the war ; was in Fort Donelson, Nashville, 
at Spanish Fort near Mobile, Fort Blakely and 



at siege of Corinth, Tupelo, and many other 
battles; was discharged from the army in 1865, 
at the close of the war, after a service of four 
years and seven months. Returned home 
soon after; settled at Mason, 111., where he en- 
gaged in farming for a short time. Mr. Bill- 
ingsly engaged in running a grocery store, at 
the same time ran an establishment of the same 
kind at Edgewood, also purchased a livery sta- 
ble at Kinmundy, which soon after burned, 
horses and all being lost in the fire. He is now 
engaged in running a grocerj' store; has a fam- 
ily of two children — Jessie May and James R. 

GEORGE BOLTON, merchant, Edgewood, 
was born in Dublin in 1832; came to New York 
City in 1854. Subject was compositor for the 
Brooklyn and New York Journal company, 
Albion Inquirer and other offices of rank. 
April 21, 1861, he enlisted in the war. He 
was wounded at the battle of Bull Run, and 
taken prisoner, and forwarded to Libby Prison; 
was exchanged June, 1862; re-enlisted in Sep- 
tember, 1862. He was married in Pittsburgh, 
Penn., in 1864, to Miss Angelina Johnson. 
After several 3'ears' employment at his profes- 
sion, he embarked in mercantile business in 
1875 in Edgewood, 111. 

TURNER J. BOWLING, Police Magistrate, 
Mason, was born in Carroll Count}^ Ky., Jan- 
uary 30, 1843; remained there until 1863, 
when he came to Mason, 111., and engaged in 
cooper's trade, following said trade off and on 
till 1869, and then began clerking for Thistle- 
wood Bros., in dry goods and grocery store, 
continuing till 1871, when he was elected to 
the office of Police Magistrate of Mason. He 
attended the duties of Police Magistrate, and 
at same time engaged in clerking for Pulham 
& Co. till 1875, when on the death of Mr. Pul- 
ham the store was closed. He then engaged 
in clerking for Ruffner & Leith, afterward 
Wade & Leith, until 1879, when he was elected 
Police Magistrate, a position he still fills. Mr. 
Bowling was married in Effingham County, 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



151 



December 31, 1863, to Miss Kosama Brocket, 
who died August, 1871. Oae child survives 
lier, Florence Eveline. Jlr. Bowling was married 
to his second wife, Miss AUie Weston, daugh- 
ter of George M. Weston, July 9, 1873, having 
au issue of one child — Jessie C. Subject's 
father, George W., was born in Carrollton, 
Ky., August 30, 1804; was a tinner, and lived 
in Carrollton, Ky., until his death, which oc- 
curred in August 1857. His widow still lives 
in Carrollton. Ky. 

E. W. BRIGGS, grain dealer, Edgewood, was 
born June 1, 1848, in Bangor, Penobscot Co., 
Maine, where he grew to manhood with good 
facilities for education ; came to Effingham 
County, 111., in 1870, and engaged in clerking in 
Mason, 111. In 1 872. engaged in grain buying in 
Edgewood, III. He was married, in 187H, in 
Mason, 111., to Miss Adella Tyner. To them has 
been born one child — Frederic Felton Briggs, 
Our subject is a member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity. 

JUDGE JOHN BROOM, retired, Mason, 
whose portrait appears in this work, is the sec- 
ond son of Miles and Edith (Vincent) Broom, 
both natives of North Carolina. The parents 
had four children — W illiara, John, Dicy and 
Samuel. Our suljject was born October 16, 
1809, on the Boiling Fork of Elk River, in the' 
newly settled portion afterward called New Vir- 
ginia, in the Old Dominion, near the Tennessee 
line. While an infant his parents moved into 
Tennessee, Jackson County, from which place 
they, in a short time, moved to Smith County, 
same State, on Barren River, near the Kentucky 
line — an unbroken caneljrake wilderness. In 
1814, their house and its contents were burned, 
and the family were literallj- turned " out of 
doors;" the father, as soon as he could, erected 
a log hut. but before he could put on a roof, 
his country's call for soldiers in the warof 1812- 
15 took him into the army, and this helpless 
family were literal]}- left in an uncovered rail- 
pen, with a few shucks for bed, bedding and 



and household furniture. The neighbors eventu- 
ally put a roof over their heads. The father 
(Miles Broom) served his country during the 
war, and was distinguished b}' the personal no- 
tice and friendship of Gen. Jackson, for his 
braverj'. As in after years. Gen. Jackson, in 
making a 4th of July oration, noticed Judge 
Broom, the son of his old soldier friend in the 
audience, placed his hand on the bo3-'s head 
and stated that he had seen that boy's father in 
battle, when he was so sick that he had to lean 
against a wall to load and tire his gun, j'et he 
fought the fight like a hero. Miles Broom, when 
discharged at New Orleans, started home, but 
when onl}- thirty miles on the waj" sickened and 
died, in the year 1815. 

Judge Broom's mother was then a widow, 
with four small children, three boys and a girl, 
and, at the tender age of seven years, John 
Broom was pretty much the family dependence 
in their struggle tor existence. At the age of 
seven, he attended an orplian school three 
months, and this constituted his educational 
privileges. His mother had secured ten acres 
of laud, and here he toiled and struggled for 
the family's scanty existence until seventeen 
jears old. 

February 11, 1828, being less than nineteen 
years old, he married Mar}- Allen, of Smith 
County, born June 4, 1806, near Salisburj', on 
the Yadkin River, N. C, daughter of Ben- 
jamin and Sarah Allen, natives also of North 
Carolina. The young wife was the possessor 
of a bed, and the youthful benedict owned 
a pony and a saddle, and this was the only 
freight in this connubial bark when launched 
upon the matrimonial sea. The j'oung couple 
rented a farm and mill and worked the happy 
hours away. In August, 1829, their first child, 
William, was born, and in the October follow- 
ing, the now little family of wife and cliild were 
loaded into a •' carry -all," with all their other 
goods, and started westward. He joined his 
father-in-law, Benjamin Allen, and drove his 



152 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



four-horse team to their new home in Illinois, 
on Fulfer Creek, where the two families landed 
on the 6th of November, 1829. On the banks 
of this classic stream, if he took an inventory 
of his possessions, preparatory to a new start in 
a strange land, it would have resulted about as 
follows: A pioneer, a husband, a father, not yet 
a voter, $5 in debt, and nothing else in the 
world. No, not a pauper, for as his long and 
useful life has shown, he was rich in health, 
energ5% resolution, industry, and that Western 
vim and pluck that wins its way and triumphs 
over every obstacle. 

Judge Broom and his father-in-law purchased 
the improvement of John McCoy. The Judge 
had to go to Vandalia and buy on a year's 
credit such things as he was compelled to have. 
He thus secured, amoug other things, a few 
shoe-maker's tools, and for years he made all 
the family shoes, and his wife could cook nearly 
everything in the kettle. Like all pioneers, 
their meat was wild game. The first three 
years he had to carry his plow, sometimes on 
horseback and sometimes on foot, forty-five 
miles, to get it sharpened, often occupying three 
days ou a trip of this kind. In 1835, he se- 
cured employment at 37 cents a day in the rock 
quarry, getting rock for the national road; the 
second year, he had become so expert that he 
got 70 cents a day. This was the foundation 
of his prosperity and fortune, and, in 1834, he 
entered his first forty acres of land, and bought 
a, yoke of oxen. In company with others, he 
plowed the first furrow on the National road to 
a point near Vandalia. Farming, cattle-rais- 
ing, contracting, teaming and working by the 
day or by the contract, he prospered, and, al- 
though he reared a large family of children, he 
provided enough to give each son 100 acres 
and each daughter forty acres, and retain over 
400 acres of land for himself 

His official life commenced with his maturity, 
being elected Constable in 1830. He was 
elected Justice of the Peace in 1 839, and has 



filled this office for forty-one years; was five 
years Associate Judge, and in 1862 was elected 
County Judge, and served four years ; was 
nominated for the Legislature, but declined on 
account of ill health, and designated Hon. 
Stephen Hardin to take his place. Here are 
fifty-nine years of life in our county. Looking 
backward over this long historj' of public trusts 
and labors well and faithfully discharged, must 
cheer with sincere joy the evening of a long and 
well-spent life. 

Judge Broom's was a useful, busy life, as 
full of hard work as it was of variety. He 
farmed, made shoes, contracted on the National 
road and other work; teamed to St. Louis and 
Terre Haute, married people, tried their law 
suits, arbitrated and adjusted the difficulties of 
neighbors; administered on estates; gave gra- 
tuitous legal advice; cried all the auction sales; 
hunted bee-trees and paid his first debt with 
honey, wax, and skins and venison hams, and 
read the Declaration of Independence, standing 
on a Cottonwood log, at the first 4th of July 
celebration ever held in the county, when Burke 
Berry and Aikin Evans, of Vandalia, were the 
orators; has been foreman of more grand juries 
than any other ten men of the county, and that 
he drew around him alwa}-s troops of friends is 
evidenced by the confidence of his neighbors in 
the long lease of official life they have so gen- 
erously forced upon him. 

His t)eloved wife and help-meet, the mother 
of his nine children, died Februar}' 8, 1879. 
The children were as follows : William, born 
in Tennessee; Benjamin, born in this county 
September 16, 1831, is a farmer in Chase 
Countj', Kan.; Sarah Ann and Elizabeth Jane, 
(twins), born March 8, 1833; the former mar- 
ried Croft Grider, now a prosperous farmer in 
West Township, this county, the latter married 
James Osman, of Chase County, Kan.; Dicy, 
born May 27, 1837, married Thomas Peter- 
son, a farmer of Mason Township; Martha 
Caroline, born August 1, 1839, married John 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



153 



W. Smith, both dead, and left six children; 
Marinda EfBe, born July 12, 1843, died in in- 
fancy; Rebecca Adeline, born August G, 1845. 
married Thomas Allen, both dead, and left two 
children; and Marj^ Rachel, born July 12, 1848, 
died August 19, 1863. Our subject was re-mar- 
ried July 18, 1880, to Mrs. Arminda J. Newman. 

IRA CANNON, farmer, P. 0. Mason, was 
born in Crawford County, Ind., April 12, 1824, 
and removed with his parents, in his youth, to 
Parke County, Ind.. where he grew to man- 
hood. Mr. Cannon was married in Parke 
County, August 31, 1845, to Miss Sarah Swaim, 
daughter of J. B. Swaim. He made his home 
in Parke County till 1856, when he removed to 
Effingham County, 111., and located on a farm 
of 120 acres, in Section 6, Mason Township. 
In 1872, he sold his farm and removed to 
Mason ; took up tavern-keeping for several 
years, then moved into his private residence, 
and has since followed farming. He has lately 
purchased a farm of twelve acres within the 
corporation of Mason, on which there are good 
buildings and a first class orchard. Our sub- 
ject has nine children living, three sons and 
six daughters — John H., of Effingham; George 
H., resides in Xorwalk, Iowa; Surrilda J. Sid- 
dens, resides in Alton, Iowa; Mary E. Ueits, of 
Mason; Linna Bell Hawle}-, lives in Jackson- 
ville, 111.; Eliza A. Core, resides in Philadelphia; 
Ada, Laura and Tillman A. Our subject's 
father was born in Ireland; he came to 
America, with his parents, when seven years old. 
He was married in Kentucky, in 1800, to Miss 
Margaret Hayes. He died in 1832, in Parke 
County, Ind. His widow remained on the 
home farm in Parke County till her death, 
which occurred in 1857. Of a family of nine 
children, only four all living — James, Thomas 
R.. Ira and Mrs. Hariet Davis. 

AMOS CONAWAY, merchant, Mason, 111., 
was born April 11, 1829, in Bourbon County, 
Ky. In 1830, his parents removed to McLean 
Countv, 111., and settled on a farm. Here he 



grew to manhood. He first engaged in saw- 
mill ai^d lumbering business, which he pursued 
about ten j-ears. Mr. Conaway was married 
in Champaign County, 111, June 2, 1857, to 
Miss Elizabeth Boyd, daughter of Stephen 
Boyd. For some time, he followed farming. 
In 1864, he engaged in merchandising in Mon- 
ticello, Piatt Co., 111.; soon after sold, and re- 
turned to his farm. In 1878, again embarked 
in merchandising at Monticello, and in 1882 
he removed his store to Mason, 111. Subject 
is member of the Knights of Honor, is a Dem- 
ocrat. Has nine children, all living^James 
C, Byron B.. Hortense, Amos C, Lizzie, 
Nancy. James E., Mary E, and Allen R. 

G. W. CORNWELL, physician, Mason, 
son of G. H. Cornwell, was born in Fleming 
Count3', Ky., removed with his parents, at the 
age of ten, to Monroe Countj-, Ind., soon after 
to Mount Meridian, near Greencastle, Ind. 
Afterward to Cloverdale, Putnam Co., Ind., 
where his father died in 1851, and he began the 
study of medicine in Stylesville, Hendricks Co., 
Ind., under J. N. Green, M. D. During his 
time of stud J', he also attended school at Asbury 
University two years. After three years' study 
in an office, he, in 1854-55, attended Rush 
Medical College at Chicago. August 20, 1855, 
he landed in Jlason, and selected that place to 
win his fame and fortune, and embarked in the 
pursuit of his chosen profession. The Doctor 
is a stanch Democrat. He was elected Repre- 
sentative in the State Legislature from Fayette 
and Effingham Counties, for the term of 1867- 
68. Subject is a member of Masonic Lodge, 
No. 217, of the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Corn- 
well was married in Hendricks County, Ind., in 
June, 1855, to Miss Amanda Baldwin, daughter 
of Eli Baldwin, and they have had five children 
living— Lueian M., William 0., Eva Etta. Effie 
May, Lillie Frances; and three dead — Viola 
E., Mary A. and Albin C. 

ANDREW J. GRAVER, farmer, P. O. 
Mason; he is the son of John Craver, and 



154 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



was born July 27, 183S, in Putnam County, 
Ind. At the age of sixteen j-ears, he re- 
moved with his parents to Effingham Count}', 
111.; was raised on a farm. Subject was mar- 
ried, September 6, 1865, to Miss Mollie Camp- 
bell, daughter of William Campbell, of this 
county. Subject enlisted for the war in July, 
1862, Company C, Ninety-eighth Illinois Mount- 
ed Infantry ; was forwarded to Louisville, Ky. 
Subject was in the following battles : Hoover's 
Gap, Tenn., Kenesaw Mountain, siege of 
Atlanta, Chickamauga, Selma, Mission Ridge. 
Was discharged June 26, 1865. Returned 
home and engaged in farming, and took up the 
responsibility of taking care of his father and 
mother, which continued till their death. Sub- 
ject has a farm of eighty acres. Subject is a 
Republican ; has a family of five children — 
Homer, Emma Leola, Carrie Alice, Flora, 
Mirtie. Subject's father, John Craver, was 
bora July 24, 179-4, in Monroe County, N. C. 
Was married to Miss Mollie Todd in North 
Carolina ; removed to Indiana in 1837, and 
followed the avocation of farming. Removed to 
Illinois in 1853, and located on a farm of 120 
acres, two and one-half miles northeast of Ma- 
son, before the Illinois Central was built. Had 
a family of ten children, of whom seven are 
living— Alexander, John, Mrs. Nancy Eggers, 
Elizabeth Cartright, Mrs. Mary Hunter, Elmi- 
na Kellar, and the subject of our sketch. 

N. H. CURTIS, farmer, P. 0. Mason, is a 
son of P. H. Curtis; was born in Jennings Coun- 
ty, Ind., February 1, 1843. In 1861, he enlisted 
in the war, Company C, Thirty-seventh Indiana. 
Was in the battle of Stone River, and many oth 
er light engagements, as well as a great many 
hard marches. Subject was married in 1876, 
in Effingham County, 111., to Mary, daughter 
of Henry Tucker. Subject engaged in farming 
in 1882. He purchased a farm of sixty acres 
in Section 3, Mason Township, mostly in culti- 
vation and partly in the creek bottom. Has two 
children — Nancy and Jonathan. 



HENRY T. DAMON, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
son of Theo. Damon ; was born December 1, 
1834, in Hampshire Count}', Mass.; here he re- 
mained till 1857, when he located in Effingham 
County in Januarj', 1858. His father purchased 
a farm of eighty acres in Section 21, Mason 
Township, and he owns thesamepieceof land, on 
which he farmed since his arrival in this coun- 
try. He produces mostl}' grass and a fair 
amount of wheat, oats, etc. Our subject's 
father, Theo. Damon, was born May 15, 1805, 
in Massachusetts. He was married in Janu- 
ary, 1831, to Miss Mercy Willcutt, daughter of 
Enoch Willcutt. He settled on a farm, and 
followed farming and lumbering till April, 
1858, when he removed to Mason, 111., and set- 
tled on a farm of eighty acres near that place. 
March 1, 1873, his wife died, and he was mar- 
ried February 19, 1874. He made his home in 
this county till his death, which occurred April 
25, 1875. He was a Republican. He left a 
family of four children ; three by his first wife 
and one by his last — Martha E. died when 
quite young ; Henry, the subject of our sketch ; 
Martha E., the second, and Frank R. 

MICAJAH C. DAVIDSON, farmer, P. 0. 
Mason, was born December 18, 1808, in Buck- 
ingham Co.,Va. Moved to Smith Co., Tenn., with 
his parents at the age of two years. Here he 
was raised on a farm with unfavorable fiicilities 
for education, but he improved his opportunity 
and gained a fair education. He was married 
in 1828, in Smith County, Tenn., to Miss Mary 
Fry, daughter of Henry Fry, engaged in farm- 
ing. Shortly after removed to Fayette County, 
now Effingham County, III, and settled on tract 
of land in Jackson Township ; here he remained 
several years. As he could not have good health, 
he purchased a tract of land in Section Ave, 
Mason Township, which he afterward en- 
tered of Congress, to the amount of 239 
acres, on which he has made a farm, and 
has about 100 acres under cultivation, mostly 
in the creek bottom, and is consequently 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



155 



very fertile. He raises mostlj' corn, some 
wheat. Subject is a member of the Baptist 
Church. He cast hi.s fu'st vote for (Jen. Jack- 
sou. He voted the Whijr ticket till the party 
went down; then he went into the Democratic 
party and remained with them. Subject's wife, 
Mary Davidson, died July 3, 1815, leaving a 
famil}' of nine children, four of whom are liv- 
ing — Mrs. p;icy Williams, Henry Davidson, 
John Davidson, Mrs. Martha Prater. Mr. 
Davidson was married, February 29, 1852, to 
Sarah Astin, by whom he has four children — 
William P., Charles W., Franklin P., Eli P. 
When he raised his house, he had to go to Blue 
Point to get hands to help him. In those 
days, thej- had no mills and they grated their 
corn and sometimes ground with hand mills. 
In 1835, he bought a horse mill, brought to the 
county bj- Jonathan Parkhurst ; by this means 
he and his neighbors could get their meal. In 
1878, he built a first-class house, and has good 
buildings. 

WILLIAM H. DIETS, teacher. P. 0. Mason, 
is a native of Carroll County, Md. He was 
born January 2, 1848. His father was a na- 
tive of tTerman3', and his mother a native of 
Maryland. Ills father came to America at the 
age of ten, and located in Maryland, where, in 
1845, he was united in marriage to Lucy A. 
Heiser. Two children, a son and a daughter, 
both of whom are now living, were the result of 
that union. In 1856, the family came to the 
West and located in Whitley County ; there, the 
father, Philip J. Diets, died in 1865. Two 
years after the father's death, his mother mar- 
ried again, and soon after the family came to 
Illinois, locating first at Madison County, then 
in Effingham Count}', where the mother still 
resides, her husband having died some time 
since. The subject of this sketch attended 
the public schools of Indiana and Illinois, and 
was for some time a student in the State Nor- 
mal School of Illinois. In 1870, he began life 
as a teacher in the public schools of Effingham 



County, and excepting about fifteen months 
spent in teaching in Central Iowa, has been en- 
gaged in the scliools of this county ever since, 
making teacliing a specialty. He taught thir- 
teen terms in the West Union School near 
Mason. From 1878 to 1881, he had charge of 
the Mason Public Schools; at present has charge 
of the public schools of Watson. Prof Diets 
is a man of indomitable energy, tact and skill 
in the profession of teaching, and hence is in- 
valuable in that avocation. He lias been for 
some time engaged in writing a work on biogra- 
phy, embracing the lives of the leading men, 
and has the work nearly ready for publication. 
This promises to be of unique value and inter- 
est. In 1872, he was married to Miss Marj' E. 
Cannon, of Mason, 111. One child has blessed 
this union, a daughter — Rochelle E. Diets, who 
was born June 1, 1878, at Des Moines, Iowa. 

WILLIAM DONALDSON, farmer, P. O. 
Mason, was born in Brown County, Ohio, 
August 9, 1821. At the age of seven j-ears, he 
removed with his parents to Boone County, 
Ky., where he learned the trade of cooper un- 
der his father. Mr. Donaldson was married 
July 2, 1846, to Sarah Wingat, daughter of 
William Wingat. He pursued his trade in 
Petersburg, Boone County, till 1849, when he re- 
moved to Carrollton, Carroll Co.,Ky., and con- 
tinued his trade in that place fourteen years, 
the last two years of which he engaged in the 
distilling and flouring business also ; turning 
out sixty barrels of whiskj^ and sixty-four 
barrels of flour every twenty-four hours. 
In 1861, he sold out all his interest there, 
and removed to Mason, 111. The follow- 
ing year, moved on to his farm, near town, of 
160 acres in prairie and eighty acres in timber. 
He afterward purchased 160 acres adjoining 
his farm and fifty acres more in timl)er. He 
also has several other tracts of farming lands 
in the county. Mr. Donaldson makes a spe- 
cialty of grass-raising ; he usually cuts from 
150 to 200 acres, and ships from his own 



156 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



farms about fifteen cars of pressed hay annu- 
ally. He also produces a fair amount of other 
farm products ; for instance, iu 1882, he 
thrashed 1,800 bushels of oats, 500 bushels of 
rye, and cribbed 2,-100 bushels of corn. For 
the past twelve years Mr. Donaldson has en- 
gaged in buying and shipping grain; excepting 
a few years of crop failure, he shipped an aver- 
age of fifty car loads annually. Mr. Donaldson 
turns out about 100 head of fat hogs per year. 
He is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fel- 
lows' fraternities, and is a strong advocate 
of Democracy. He has a family of seven chil- 
dren living, and two dead. Josephine Thistle- 
wood, resides in Cairo ; Catharine Condon, liv- 
ing in Iowa ; Lue, Charles, Henry, Cora, 
Thomas ; Annie Vista, wife of I. B. Reed, de- 
ceased September, 1872 ; Willie, died in 1859, 
aged six years. Mr. D.'s father, Andrew Don- 
aldson, was born iu Brown County, Ohio, in 
1795. Mr. Donaldson was a Government Sur- 
veyor for several years. He purchased a tract 
of 120 acres near Georgetown, Ohio, forty acres 
of which he laid out and sold in town lots. 
Mr. Donaldson, Sr., married in 1824 in Vir- 
ginia, to Miss Catharine Baxter. After some 
3'ears' residence in Georgetown he removed 
and settled in Carrollton, Carroll Co., Ky., 
where he remained till 1855, when he removed 
to Perry County, 111, where he died in 1858. 
His widow died three daj's after her husband's 
death. The following are the children who 
survive them, including the subject of our 
sketch and Allen ; Jane Hobbs, Caroline 
Hobbs, Alexander, John, Joseph and Minerva 
Williams. 

JOSEPH DONALDSON, cooper. Mason, 
son of Andrew Donaldson, was born in Boone 
County, Ky., July 19, 1831. He was raised 
in the town of Petersburg. During the gold 
excitement Mr. Donaldson spent six years 
in California and British America, in the min- 
ing business. Subject was married in Carroll 
County, Ky., in 1861, to Miss Elizabeth Bowl- 



ing, daughter of William Bowling. He located 
in Carrollton in pursuit of his trade, cooper- 
ing, which continued there till 1863, when he 
removed to Effingham County ; returned the 
following year to Kentucky and enlisted in the 
United States Army, Companj' C, One Hun- 
dred and Fifty Indiana Volunteers. He served 
in the First Brigade and First Division of Han- 
cock's arm}- corps. He was in many hard 
marches and skirmishes. He was discharged 
August 5, 1865. In March, 1868, he removed 
with his family to Mason, III. He soon after- 
ward engaged in farming and stock-dealing in 
Union Township. In 1875, he sold his farm 
and moved to Mason, where he resided since in 
pursuit of his trade, coopering, at which he is 
an expert. Few men can turn out more barrels 
per day than Joseph Donaldson. He is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternitj'. Politically, he 
is a stanch Democrat, and zealous worker in 
the interest of his party. Mr. Donaldson has 
one child living, Jennie, born March 8, 1864, 
and two deceased. Andrew J. died (when 
very young) 1862, and Catharine W. died in 
1880, aged eighteen 3'ears and nine months. 

JUDGE JOHN C. FAULK, deceased, born 
in January, 1799, in Albany County, N. Y. 
He was educated at the Greenville Academy; 
in Albany, N. Y., a renowned institution under 
the principalship of Prof Parker, father of 
Judge Amasa J. Parker, of Albany. Among 
the classmates of Mr. Faulk in this academy, 
were Hon. Amasa J. Parker, Hon. Hiram Gard- 
ner and Hon. Mitchell Sandford. After graduat- 
ing, Mr. Faulk entered the law office of Hon. John 
Adams, of Catskill, after serving as a student 
seven years, was at the city of Utica, at the age 
of twenty-two, admitted to practice, and after 
practicing in his profession for many years in 
Broome County, N. Y., he was married in 
Bainbridge, N. Y., February 21, 1837, to Miss 
Fannie A. Nichols; removed toEdgewood, 111., 
in 1869, where he remained till his death, 
which occurred March 25, 1876. He died in 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



157 



the hope of a glorious immortality, surrounded 
by his family, consistiiiir of his wife and three 
sons and one daughter. Thus peacefully has 
passed away another of our old citizens. He 
in early life cliose law for his profession. With 
a laudable ambition to excel, with a retentive 
memory and an indomitable energj', he rapidly 
rose in iiis profession, and stood a peer among 
the galaxy of legal lights that graced the bar 
of I^ew York a quarter of a century ago. No 
case was so simple but he gave it his attention. 
No case so intricate, but he unraveled it. With 
a knowledge of almost all the decisions of the 
higher courts of our country, and even ability 
to elucidate any point necessary to success, 
made him a safe counselor and a successful 
lawyer. He was affectionate and kind as a 
husband and father, genial in social relations 
with his neighbors, and ever a gentleman and 
friend among his associates. 

JAY N. FAULK, liveryman, Edge wood, 
son of John C. Faulk, was bom April 4, 
1840, in Chenango County, N. Y., and had the 
chances- of a common school education. He 
came to Illinois in 1857, and located at Edge- 
wood; engaged in clerking in a store; followed 
that till 1861. In 1863, he engaged in merchan- 
dising in Edge wood; followed that to great ex- 
tent off and on probably fifteen 3'ears, in con- 
nection with trading land and horses, and 
kept livery stable business. At present owns 
a livery stable and dwelling and property in 
Edgewood, as well as several pieces of land 
Subject is a member of the Masonic fraternitj% 
and is a Republican. Subject was married in 
Tecumseh, Mich., March 30, 1864, to Miss 
Sofronia A. Miller, daughter of George W. 
Miller, of Effingham; has one child — W. J. 
Faulk. 

JOHN L. FAULK, liveryman, Edgewood, 
son of John C. Faulk; was born on October 
15, 1844, in Chenango County, N. Y. Left 
there at the age of fifteen, and went to Penn- 
sylvania ; remained clerking in a store for 



four years; ran a harness shop for two years. 
In 1865, he came to Edgewood, 111.; clerked in 
a store for his brother for some time, and pur- 
chased an interest in the store, which he fol- 
lowed with farming;, also livery business for 
the past seven years, and has also bought and 
shipped horses. 

JOSEPH FENDER, farmer, P. 0. Edge- 
wood, son of John Fender, was born in 1842, in 
Clay County, 111. He was raised on a farm. 
He engaged in the occupation of farming. Was 
married in 187C to Miss Nancy Baker, daugh- 
ter of James Baker, and settled on a farm in 
the southern part of Effingham Countj', 111. In 
1881, he sold his farm of 180 acres in Effing- 
ham, and moved into Clay County, 111. Sub- 
jeet is a member of the Masonic fraternity-, 
Edgewood Lodge, No. 486. Subject has a family 
of four children — Joseph II., Louis, Daisj-, John 
B. Subject's father John Fender was born Jan. 
7, 1817, in North Carolina. Left that State at 
the age of twelve with his parents, and re- 
moved to Lawrence Count}-, Ind. He was mar- 
ried May 18, 1836, in Lawrence County, Ind. 
to Miss 3Iatilda Sheeks. He engaged in farm- 
ing and trading in stock until 1850, when he 
removed to Effingham County, 111. Laid a war- 
rant for 160 acres, which he laid on Section 34, 
Mason Township. To this he added probably 
as much as 700 acres of land in Effingham and 
Clay Counties. Remained in this county- until 
his death, which occurred November 16, 1866.- 
Of a family of nine childi-en, five are living — 
Melinda C. Brown, born February 15, 1837 ; 
Isaac, born December 24, 1838 ; Daniel, born 
in September, 1842 ; Joseph ; Henry D., born 
September 16, 1862. 

ROBERT G. GIBSON, merchant. Mason, 
was born in Ohio Countj-, Ind., May 10, 1841. 
He learned the cooper's trade, but never fol- 
lowed it. In 1861, he came to Mason, 111., 
where he began quarrying rock, and worked 
until he enlisted August 12, 1861, in the Thir- 
ty-Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantrj', serving 



158 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



until the close of the war. He was in many 
bloody battles, and at Chickamauga he was 
captured, September 19, 1863, and was held 
until Maj' 6, 1865, when he was paroled. He 
was held at Richmond two months, Danville, 
Va., five months, and lay in Andersonville four 
and one-half months, then in Charleston, S. C, 
thirt}- days, then at Florence, N. C, balance 
of time. He was reduced to a skeleton, and 
suffered more than words can tell. He was 
mustered out in Springfield, 111., in May, 1865, 
and came back to Mason, where he engaged in 
the milling business, buying a third interest in 
the firm of D. W. Sisson & Co. Ran Mason 
Mills twelve months, when he traded for a 
farm, which he conducted in the fall of 1867, 
when he bought a stock of goods of Isaac 
Baker, and has conducted a general merchan- 
dise business ever since, with good success. In 
addition to the store interests, he buys and 
ships grain and hoop poles and ties, employ- 
ing in all departments from twelve to fifteen 
hands ; and he also conducts three farms. 
His parents died when lie was nine 3'ears old. 
and he had to shift for himself He was mar- 
ried in Mason, 111., in 1866, to Miss Ellen 
White, a native of Massachusetts, and has four 
children living. 

WILLIAM 0. GINTER, carpenter. Mason, 
was born May 2, 1835, in Bath Count}-, K}'. 
At the age of seventeen he took up the car- 
, penter's trade, at which he served an appren- 
ticeship of three years at Owingsville, Ky. 
He came to Effingham Count}', 111., in 1855, 
and began carpentering. Mr. Ginter was mar- 
ried February 27, 1846, to Mrs. Julia Morphew. 
In 1868, he purchased a farm about two miles 
north of Mason and moved on it. He farmed 
a short time during the summer and worked 
the remainder of the year at his trade. In 
1881, he removed to Mason. Subject has a 
family of three children living — Nanna M., 
Zuanna and Ursula ; and two dead — John H., 
died October 1877, age eleven j'ears; Samuel 



L., died October 18, 1869, age about one year. 
Subject, politically, is a Democrat. 

A. GRANGER, farmer, P. O. Edgewood, 
Mason Township, son of John Granger, was 
born in 1819, in Wayne County, N. Y., where 
he was married June 7, 1842, to Miss Sarah 
Cass. Removed to Lake County, 111., bought 
a farm and engaged in farming, which he con- 
tinued till 1862, when he sold his farm and 
moved to Effingham County, and engaged in 
farming in West Township, where he purchased 
a farm of 160 acres. In 1875, he removed to 
Edgewood, 111. In April, 1882, Mr. Granger's 
wife died, leaving the following children, viz., 
James C, Lucy H., Mary (wife of W. E. 
Wisner), J. M., Clarence, Elmer E., Imogen, 
Edwin, Elizabeth. In 1852, Mr. Granger was 
elected Sheriff of Lake County, 111., and filled 
the position of Deputy Surveyor one term. 

SOLOMON HAINES, farmer. Mason P. 
O., Mason Township, son of Richard Haines, 
was born April 20, 1826, in Orange County, 
Ind. He grew to manhood in that count}'. 
Had fair opportunity for education; subscrip- 
tion schools. Subject was married January 
11, 1848, to Miss Elizabeth Martin, who died in 
1860, leaving three children, John A., Sarah 
Ann, Hattie. In 1866, he was married in Ef- 
fingham County, 111., to Mary McCulley. Re- 
moved to Effingham County in 1850, and re- 
engaged in farming, on a farm of fifty acres, 
Section 13, to which he added forty acres of 
river bottom. In 1865, he enlisted in the war, 
Company H, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth 
Illinois. Was sent to Nashville, Tenn.; re- 
mained in service till the close of the war, a 
term of eight months. By his second marriage 
has one child, viz., Eva D. 

DR. JOSEPH HALL, Postmaster, physi- 
cian and druggist, Edgewood, is a son of 
Dr. Joseph Hall, was born July 14, 1840, 
in Ontario County^ N. Y., whence he came 
to Edgewood in the year 1859, and remained 
a short time. Studied medicine under his 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



159 



father, who was at Bloomfielci, N. Y. Our sub- 
ject was married to Miss Laura O. Tourge, 
February 4, 1864, in Wayne County, Mich. 
Settled in Edgewood, III., in spring of 1864, 
where he has since practiced medicine with 
success, and run a drug store. He is a man of 
sterling worth to the (^ominunit}- in which he 
lives. He is politically a Republican. Was 
appointed Postmaster in 1870, and resigned 
in 1873, and was re-appointed Postmaster in 
1881, which office he continues to fill. He has 
two children — Seacheus L., born September 11, 
1868, and Lawrence L., born July 17, 1871. 
Subject's father. Dr. Joseph Hall, was born 
September 12, 1805, in Westchester County, 
N. Y. Studied medicine under Dr. Beech and 
Dr. Smith, of New York City. He was also an 
ordained minister of Christian conviction. Mr. 
Hall practiced medicine in State of New York 
several years, till 1859, when he immigrated to 
Effingham County, 111., settling in West Town- 
ship, He died February 14, 1861, at his resi- 
dence in West Township. He had a family of 
four children, three sons and one daughter — 
Edwin, Sarah M,, Joseph and Asa H. 

CHRISTIAN HANSON, railroad man, son 
of H. P. Hanson, was born in Denmark 
February 22, 1843, where he remained till 
1862. when came to America. He landed at 
New York City, pushed westward to Chicago, 
and secured a situation in the employ of Illinois 
Central Railwaj'. He was placed in charge of 
the railroad tank two miles north of Mason, 
which position he has filled since. In connec- 
tion with this for the last few j-ears, he has 
also run a tank near Neoga on the same road. 
He is a proniinent memben of the Masonic 
fraternity. He has held all of the offices of his 
lodge from the lowest to the highest, and is 
also a member of the R. A. Chapter. Mr. 
Hanson was married in this count}' in 
1865, to Miss Caroline Johanson, daughter 
of Peter Johanson, a highly respected citizen 
of the county. They have a family of four 



children, namely', Charles, John, Willie and 
Henry, 

STEPHEN HARDIN, farmer, P, 0. Mason, 
son of John and Ellen (Colclasure) Hardin, 
was born in Washington County, Ind., Septem- 
ber 18, 1818, and was raised on farm with advan- 
tages for an education limited to a few terms 
of winter school. He came to Clay County, 
111., in 1843, having been married, in 1841, to 
Miss Mary Stalcup, of Orange County-, Ind., by 
whom he had five sons and three daughters, 
who grew up : Elizabeth E., wife of Andrew 
Nelson, of Mason; John S., died in army at 
Pilot Knob, Mo., in October, 1861, aged eight- 
een years ; Jane Adeline, unmarried; Peter 
B,, farmer in Mason; Leander Madison, of 
Mason Township; Sarah Evaline, wife of John 
C. Martin, of this town; Levi C, of this town- 
ship, farmer; John S. (No. 2), on the old home- 
stead. Our subject came by team to what is 
now Georgetown, 111., settling at the edge of 
timber skirting a tributary of Little Muddy 
Creek, on unimproved land, when he opened a 
farm of eight}' acres, part prairie and part tim- 
ber; building a cabin, he went to work, and 
added from his earnings several other tracts, 
working on it for ten years. In November, 
1850, he was elected Sheriff of Claj^ County, and 
serve a term of two years, and in 1853 he en- 
gaged in merchandising at Georgetown, 111., 
continuing there two years. Mr. Hardin and 
his partner, William McCracken, divided the 
stock of goods, and subject with a portion of 
the stock, came to Mason in 1855, and in 1856 
moved his famil}' here, and has resided here 
ever since. He closed out his stock in the 
spring of 1858, and in November, of that 3'ear, 
he was elected Representative from the coun- 
ties of Fayette and Effingham by the Dem- 
ocracj'. He served in the session of 1858-59, 
and during this time he introduced the bill 
which provided for the removal of the 
county seat from Ewington to Effingham, 
During' 1860-61, he again engaged in mer- 



160 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



cbandising at Mason, with a branch store at 
Winterrowd. He has since devoted his entire 
attention to farming and stocli-raising, and 
almost every year since coming here has 
bought and shipped stock, principally hogs 
and cattle. His farm, with the exception of 
a small lot and cabin, has been made bj' his 
own labors, and it consists of seventy -five acres 
in this tract, and sixteen acres were platted by 
him, and is known as Hardin's Addition to 
Mason. He has various other bodies of farm- 
ing lands. His father was born in North Car- 
olina, Julj', 1795, and came to Washington 
County, Ind., when about twenty years old, 
and farmed there until 1864, when he came to 
this county, and is now living with subject, 
aged eighty-seven years. He married a lad}- of 
German parentage, and raised a familj- of eleven 
children, all of whom became heads of families. 
The mother died here about 1871. 

HENRY C. HENRY, Postmaster, Mason, 
son of Joseph Henry, was born in Effingham 
County, 111., December 15, 1847. Here he re- 
mained till 18t)l, when he enlisted in the war. 
Company B, Thirt^'-eighth Illinois. His com- 
mand was first forwarded to Missouri, after- 
ward to Corinth, Miss., and was in that siege, 
battle of Chaplain Hills, Ky. He was wounded 
at Stone River; a ball passed through his chest 
and lungs. He was discharged March 2, 1863, 
and he returned home. He re-enlisted in May. 
1864, Company F, One Hundred and Fortj-- 
third Illinois; this time in the one-hundred-day 
service. Was sent to Helena, Ark., in the 
Cyprus swamps, and his command was disabled 
for duty bj' malaria, so prevalent in that section. 
Subject was married, August 17, 1868, in Cass 
County, Mich., to Miss Mattie L. Wheeler, 
daughter of S. H. Wheeler. He engaged in 
nursery business in Mason. Has for many 
years served as Government Detective. He is 
a member of the Odd Fellows fraternit}-, and is 
a Republican. In 1882, was appointed Post- 
master at Mason, 111. Has one child — Willie. 



ANDREW J. HOBBS, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
was born February 10, 1828, in Franklin Coun- 
t}', Ind. Removed with his parents to Mis- 
souri at the age of nine }'ears. Remained there 
till he was eighteen years old, when he when 
to Kentucky. He was married in Boone Coun- 
ty, Ky., May 8, 1851, to Miss Caroline Donald- 
son, daughter of Andrew Donaldson. He re- 
moved soon after to Switzerland County, Ind. 
He learned the distiller's business, which, at that 
time, was very paj'ing and which he followed 
with great success till 1860, when he engaged 
in the mercantile business in Patriot, Ind., for 
six years; then sold his store and moved onto 
his farm. In 1868, he sold his farm and emi- 
grated to Effingham County, 111., and located 
on an improved farm of seventy acres in Sec- 
tion 33, Mason Township, which he afterward 
purchased, on which he has made his home 
since. Mr. Hobbs is a member of the Masonic 
fraternity, Mason Lodge, No. 217. He and his 
wife are members of the M. E. Church. He 
has ever clung to the principles of the Demo- 
cratic party, and rejoiceth hugely over the vic- 
tories of 1882. Mr. Hobbs is a genial, accom- 
modating old gentleman, who never loses an 
opportunity to assist a neighbor or friend; has 
won many warm friends in Mason and vicinity. 
He has been repeatedlj' elected to the office of 
Township Assessor. Of a familj- of nine chil- 
dren, six are living — Emerj' Hobbs, Andrew J. 
Hobbs, Ida M. Hobbs, Minerva Hobbs, Anna 
Hobbs and Grace Hobbs; and three dead — Rob- 
ert S., died March 23, 1881, aged nineteen years 
eleven months and twenty-five days; i\Irs. Ella 
Hinkle was born October 26, 1856, and died 
July 19, 1881; Alexander D., was born March 
25, 1870, died October 8, 1871. 

J. P. HOLMES, insurance agent. Mason, was 
born in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Penn., 1816; 
soon after moved with his parents to Chambers- 
burg, where he was raised. Had liberal 
chances for education. Attended Dickinson 
College, located at Carlisle, two years, gaining 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



161 



a first-class, practical business course, aiming 
at the same time to studj- medicine; made con- 
siderable researeli into tlie languages. He has 
done for himself since the age of seventeen. 
Subject was married in Franklin County, Penn., 
to Lucetta Douglass, daughter of William 
Douglass. Engaged in teaching school till 
1845, when he enlisted as a private in Company 
A, First Pennsylvania Cavalry, and entered 
the Mexican war. He was selected as Major 
of the regiment. At the battle of Buena Vista, 
he was wounded in the calf of his right leg, and 
taken to tlic liospital; from the effect of this he 
is still a cripple; 1847, he moved his family, 
consisting of wife and three childi-en, to Wells 
Count}-, Ind. Soon after, moved to Wabash 
County, Ind.; bought a farm of IOC acres and 
followed farming and teaching till 1855, when 
he immigrated to Tazewell County, 111. After 
farming four years in Tazewell County, he then 
removed to Eureka, Woodford County; re- 
mained at l)usiness of farming three years. In 
1860, in Tazewell County, he sold 1,200 bushels 
of corn at 11 cents per bushel, when he could 
have sold it for $1 per bushel the next j'ear. 
In 1864, he moved to El Paso, Woodford Coun- 
ty, and engaged in the insurance business, 
which he followed till 1866. He was Police 
Magistrate of the city several terms of four 
years each. In 1874, moved to Decatur, tlience, 
the same year, to Effingham County, wiiere his 
wife died in the spring of 1875. In 1876, lo- 
cated at Mason, in the insurance business, at 
which business he still continues. He served 
one term as Police Magistrate of Mason. Mr. 
Holmes was married in December, 1875, to 
Mrs. Eva K. McCracken. 

C. P. LEATHERMAN, manufacturer, Ma- 
son, son of John Leatherman, was born July 
10, 1814, in Ohio. Wlien he was four j-ears 
old his parents moved to Indiana. He was 
married in 1836, to Miss Elizabeth Krutz- 
inger, daugliter of Jacob Krutziuger, of 
Orange County, Ind. He served an appren- 



ticeship at blacksmithing, under a brother, 
David L., and pursued that business in Orange 
County till 1853; he then moved to Cla}' 
County, 111., and in 18C9 to Mason, Effingham 
Co., 111., following his trade in the two last 
places. He is a plow-maker also, and turns 
out quite a number each 3ear, for whicli he 
finds ready sale. Thousands of pounds of iron 
has he wrought into implements of utility, year 
after year has he toiled at his trade, that 
of liard toil, over the furnance and forge. It 
is the many hard and repeated blows over the 
anvil that sends the Ijlood rushing tlirough the 
veins, and makes life long and healthful. Labor 
and honesty go hand in hand, and Mr. Leath- 
erman is honest and one of the first citizens of 
our county. Subject has a family as follows: 
Miss Sarah Cornwell, William, a resident of 
Vandalia; Jacob, Miss Mollie Hale, James, 
George, iMrs. Allice Goodnight, Harvey. 

ISAAC LOWRY LEITH, farmer, P. O. 
Mason, was born in Perry County, Oliio, De- 
ceml)er 16, 1814. He removed to Fairfield 
County with his parents when about fifteen 
months old, and he grew upon a farm near 
Pleasantville, Ohio, until seventeen years old, 
when he struck out for liimself, going Xorth he 
found a home among tlie Wyandot Indians on 
the Sandusky River, in what is now Wyandot 
County, Oliio, in seach of adventure; he traded 
witli the tribe in horses, and remained with 
them three years, and went to Hebron, Lick- 
ing Co., Ohio, and for tliree years supplied 
the hotels for twenty -six miles along tlie Na- 
tional road with beef, driving wagon himself, 
and hired the butchering done. In the spring 
of 1840, lie came on horseback, a single man, 
arriving at Mason April 26, 1840. He entered 
land in 1840-42, in Section 12, 13 and 11, and 
added thereto until he iiad 400 acres. He 
fenced and l)roke the first field in tiie prairie, 
which was afterward known as the Leitli Prai- 
rie. He was married in 1844, to Miss Brown, and 
settled norlli of Ewington, on vvliat is known 



162 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



as the Blakelj' farm, living there for one and 
a half years. He then settled on his farm in 
Section 12, where he lived five years, engaged 
largely in buying and driving stock. He 
bought and fed cattle and hogs principally. 
He brought a drove of sheep from Fairfield 
County, Ohio, in 1843, and sold them to the 
farmers. As early as 1837, while in W3'andot 
County, Ohio, he drove herd of horses to South- 
ern Virginia and North Carolina, a distance of 
650 miles. Mr. Leith was actively engaged in 
buying stock for twenty-five years, spending a 
large portion of his time in saddle, buying for 
most part in this and neighboring counties, 
driving to St. Louis and Ohio, until the build- 
ing of the Central "Railroad, when he shipped 
to Cincinnati, Ohio, and Chicago. From 1853 
to 1855, he aided in the building of the I. C. 
R. R., being foreman of a gang of men, and had 
a contract for hauling stone; superintended 
forty ox teams. In 1855, he moved to his pres- 
ent place, selling his old homestead, now owned 
by Mr. Dallis, of Piatt County, 111. He bought 
a tract of wild prairie land here, with the ex- 
ception of a small patch fenced and a log cabin. 
Mr. Leith has put aljout 280 acres of land in 
cultivation, and fenced 120 acres of timber. 
He produced wheat largely, raising some years 
3,000 bushels per year. During past ten years, 
has not handled much stock, but has raised 
grain. Politically, Mr. Leith was a Democrat 
until the issues of the war came on; he voted 
for Mr. Lincoln, and in 1861 was elected to the 
Constitutional Convention which met in 1862. 
He was nominated bj' the Douglas Democrats, 
and received a large Republican vote. He was 
appointed on a committee with Mr. John F. 
Waschefort and Mr. McCann, to learn what the 
people wished in regard to township organiza- 
tion, and visited everj' township in the countj', 
and served in various offices in the township. 
He has the following children: Leslie W., of 
this county, in mail service on Narrow Guage 
road; Mary Elizabeth, wife of Dr. Will Wade, 



of Salem, Oregon; Fanny Ann, wife of D. W. 
Matthers, druggist of Salem, Oregon; Amanda 
Crooker, wife of E. Hobbs, farmer of this town- 
ship; Edmund T., farmer of this township; 
Alice B., wife of Dr. D. F. Lane, of St. Elmo, 
111.; Sarah L., also in Salem, Oregon, wife of 
H. H. Ragan, merchant; Cora D.; Enola May, 
in school at present. Our subject's father, 
Samuel Leith, was a son of John Leith, born 
on the Pedee River in North Carolina; was of 
Scotch parents, who were members of a numer- 
ous clan, located near the city and river of that 
name. His parents died when he was young, 
and he was put under a guardian, and not lik- 
ing to learn a trade ran awa^' at the age of 
thirteen years, and went up to Little York, 
Penn., through the wilderness. He remained 
at Little York four years, when he went to Ft. 
DuQuesne, now Pittsburgh. 

DAVID LEITH, deceased, whose portrait 
appears in this work, was born in Fairfield 
Count}', Ohio, in 1817, son of Samuel and 
Amanda (De Long) Leith, he born in the 
Northwestern Territory, and died in 1822, 
at the age of fifty-five 3'ears ; she, born in 
Pennsylvania, and died in 1814, at the age of 
sixt^'-three 3'ears. The}- were the parents of nine 
children, six sons and three daughters. Our 
subject received a common-school education, 
and started in life as a farmer. He was mar- 
ried in Fairfield, Ohio, in September, 1842, to 
Amanda Wilson, a native of Virguiia, born in 
1808. They had the following children : John 
C, Kate, Hattie, George, Thomas, Emma, Lau- 
ra, Fannie and Homer, named in the order of 
their births. Our subject's father, Samuel 
Leith, in his earlj' days was captured and for 
a long time held by the Delaware Indians, and 
during the time of his captivity, the girl that 
afterward became his wife was also a captive 
in the hands of the Cuyahoga tribe. The two 
met under these circumstances, formed an ac- 
quaintance, and were afterward united in mar- 
riage. Our subject was a Supervisor at the 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



16$ 



first organization of the county, and was also 
elected to the Legislature. He was a Demo- 
crat in politics, and an A., F. & A. M., mid also 
a lloj-al Arch Mason. 

DAVID K. LKtTIl. farmer, F. O. Mason, 
is a son of James Leith, and was born in Fair- 
field Count}', Ohio, January 27, 1837. He re- 
moved with his parents, at the age of five, to 
EtHngham County, 111. He was raised on a 
farm, and was thus engaged when he started 
for himself about two miles east of Mason. 
Mr. Leith was married in this county October 
2, 1859, to Miss Mary Wilson, daugliter of 
William Wilson. He has a fiimily of four chil- 
dren, as follows : Dallas 0., born November 
30, 1861 ; Mary B., born July 9, 1867 ; Oscar, 
was born November 9, 1869 ; Franklin A., was 
born April 27. 1871. Subject has an excellent 
little farm of fifty- three acres, and raises a fair 
amount of wheat, oats, corn, etc. He is polit- 
ically, a Democrat of the old school. Subject's 
father, James Leith, was born in Licliing Coun- 
ty, Ohio, January 27, 1814. He was married 
in Fairfield County, Ohio, in February, 1 836, to 
Miss Barbara Bank. He pursued the avoca- 
tion of farming in Fairfield County till 1842, 
when he removed with his family to Effingham 
County, Til., and located on a tract of land two 
miles east of Mason, which he afterward en- 
tered of Congress to the amount of 415 acres, 
to which he afterward added forty acres. Here 
he opened up a fine farm, and spent the re- 
mainder of his life in good circumstances. 
Subject had twelve children, six of whom are 
living, and are good citizens of this county — 
David K. Leith, Samuel, Mrs. Sarah Murphy, 
Taylor, Allen, and Mrs. Nora Hardin. Mr. 
Leith died at a good old age. His widow sur- 
vives him, and resides on the home farm. 

J. C. LEITH, farmer, P. O. Mason, is a na- 
tive of this county, was born in August, 1843. 
He was raised on his father's farm, two miles 
east of Mason. He engaged in farming on the 
old home farm when he began business for 



himself He makes his occupation a decided 
success. He produces an immense amount of 
grain, grass, etc., and keeps on hand a fair 
amount of stock. He is an earnest and zealous 
supporter of the principles of Democracj'. 
Subject's father, David Leith, a native of Fair- 
field County, Ohio, was born June 8, 1817. He 
was married in Fairfield County September 20. 
1842, to Miss Amanda WiLson, daughter of 
William A. Wilson. Shortly after his marriage 
he removed to this count}', and located on a 
tract of land two miles east of Mason. He 
purchased a tract of upward of 500 acres, 
and succeeded in putting 300 acres under a 
high state of cultivation. He was an active busi- 
ness man and an excellent farmer. He dealt 
largely in stock and stock raising, cattle and hogs 
principally. In 1867 (having previously burned 
a large kiln of l)rick for the purpose), he erect- 
ed a commodious brick residence, at a proba- 
ble cost of $5,000. Mr. Leith moved into his 
new house in March, 1868. In 1870, he was 
elected Representative in the State Legislature 
from Shelby and Effingham Counties. He died 
before the expiration of his term of office. 
His death occurred at his home June 10, 1871. 
His deceased widow, Mrs. Amanda K. Leith, 
who survived him a few years, was born in 
Frederick County, Va. She died at her 
old home November 18. 1S76. They raised a 
family of nine children, all living, viz.: (Sub- 
ject of our sketch); Catherine R., wife of Dr. 
Isaac Baker ; Harriet E., widow of William B. 
Cooper, deceased ; George W.; Mrs. Sarah E. 
HoUoway; David T.; Mrs. Laura A. Davis ; 
Mrs. Mary P. Jlartin ; Homer E. 

JAMES G. LOUDER, farmer, R O. Edge- 
wood, son of Gideon Louder, was born April 
11, 1844, in Effingham County, 111.; was raised 
on a farm. In 1862, he enlisted in the war. 
Company C, Ninetj'-eighth Illinois. This com- 
mand was assigned to the Army of the Cum- 
berland, and consequently was in the following 
battles : Hoover's Gap, Elk River, Chickamau- 



164 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ga, Chattanooga, Mission Ridge, battles 
around Atlanta, Selma, Ala., and was discharged 
June 7, 1865; returned home and engaged in 
farming. He was married October 26, 1865, 
in Edgewood, III., to Miss Annie Baker, daugh- 
ter of Robert Baker; engaged In the avocation 
of farming in the vicinitj- of Edgewood. He 
has a famil}' of five children living, namely, 
Robert, Fannie, Barney, Flora, Emma ; and 
three dead — Alwilda, Marj- and Etta. 

JOHN T. MARTIxN, Mason, was born Feb- 
ruary 13, 1841, in Effingham; spent his boy- 
hood days with his parents, in Jackson Town- 
ship. In 1861, he enlisted in the war, in Com- 
pany G, Eleventh Illinois Volunteers; was sta- 
tioned at Camp Dubois, and afterward at Bird's 
Point, Mo., where he was discharged. In 1862, 
he enlisted in the three 3^ears' service in Com- 
pany G, Sixty-second Illinois, and was for- 
warded to Cairo, 111.; thence to Paducah, Tenn., 
and thence to Columbus; came home once on 
twenty days' furlough, and then joined his com- 
mand at Reterford Station. Was honorably dis- 
charged in 1865, and he returned home to 
Effingham County, 111. Subject was married, 
March 8, 1866, to Miss Ann Bailey, daughter 
of Henry Bailej'. Mr. Martin has a family of 
three children living — Alex, John and Kitty 
Bliss; and two dead — Harry, died at the age of 
l)ine years, in 1877, and Dellie, who died in 
1872, age nine months. 

WILLIAM M. MARTIN, livery. Mason, son 
of Moses Martin, was born August 30, 1844, in 
Effingham Count}', 111. He engaged in the 
liver}- business in 1858, in Mason, 111., which 
he has continued since that time with good 
success. He was married, in February, 1873, 
in Marion Countj', 111., to Miss Anna Blacka- 
more, daughter of Samuel Blackamore. His 
family consists of four children, as follows : 
Iva, Nellie, Corenia and Willie. He is a stanch 
Democrat, and a clever gentleman. 

WILLIAM MATTHEWS, M. D. (deceased), 
was born in Montgomery County, Va., July 27, 



1819. He belonged to a manl}' and vigorous 
race, his grandfather, John Haven, having been 
an Inventor and man of great force of character 
and originalit^v. In the autumn of 1827, the sub- 
ject of this memoir emigrated with his parents 
to Putnam County, Ind , where he was associa- 
ted with his father in agricultural pursuits, un- 
til his twentieth j^ear, at which time he entered 
upon the study of medicine, under Dr. William 
Talbot, of Greencastle, Ind., a gentleman of 
rich learning and wonderful hospitality. After 
completing a full course of reading, he moved 
to Stilesville, Hendricks County, where, in 1843, 
he formed the acquaintance of, and was soon 
after married to. Miss Ruth Ann Jessup, a 
lady of brilliant attainments and of a most 
amiable disposition, by whom he had two 
children, one of whom, David W. Matthews, is 
still living. (See sketch). Shortly after his 
first marriage, he matriculated in Rush Medical 
College, Chicago, where he graduated with the 
highest honors. He then removed to Putnam 
Count}-, where he remained till his second mar- 
riage, in 1848, to Miss Deborah S. Hopwood, 
of Bellville, Ind., a lady of great worth, and 
one who proved herself to be a most excel- 
lent and helpful companion to him through all 
the trials and afflictions of his after life. By 
her he had three children, only one of whom, 
James N., survived, and will be made the sub- 
ject of a sketch in this volume. From 1848 
until 1858 Dr. M. was engaged in the practice 
of medicine in Putnam Count}', Ind. At the 
end of this time, he removed with his family to 
Mason, Effingham Co., 111., where he continued 
in the active work of his profession till the day 
of his death, January 13, 1874. Dr. Mat- 
thews was a most valuable and esteemed citizen 
an able and popular physician, a great phil- 
anthropist, and his loss was deeply deplored by 
the large circle of acquaintances among whom 
he moved and labored. He was a friend to the 
poor, and endeared himself to them by his con- 
siderate attentions and humane treatment. He 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



165 



did an immense amount of work for little or no 
pay. He was a man of strong social and polit- 
ical instincts. As a politician he was ahva3-s 
an anti-slavist ; having early allied himself 
witli the Republican Party, he worked zealously 
with it until the close of the war, and the later 
constitutional amendments were adopted. As 
a literary man, Dr. Matthews was a most 
persevering writer, with a diction like that of 
Haliam. His contributions to the press, on 
every conceivable topic, would, if collected, fill 
many volumes. He wrote with great force and 
accuracj-, and from the fullness and freshness 
of a richly endowed intellect. For many 
months prior to his death, he was engaged in 
preparing an elaborate work on " Domestic 
Medicine," for popular use, but died before his 
manuscript reached the press. He loved na- 
ture, and was most sensitivel}- alive to the in- 
fluence of the beautiful, whether in the tiny 
insect, the flower, the tree, or the human sub- 
ject. God's works were not voiceless and 
meaningless to him. In religion he was practi- 
cal and liberal-minded, holding to the doctrine 
of Universalism, in its broadest and fullest sig- 
nificance. He idolized his friends, and clung 
with tenacity to the memories of his >youth, 
and this sketch of a good man, can not be more 
appropriately concluded than b}" quoting an 
extract from his pen, touching one of the cher- 
ished impressions of his declining years. In 
his " Autobiograph}-," he says : " On my own 
part, the nearer I approach the end of my mor- 
tal career, the stronger do I cling to the sincere 
friendships formed in the days of my youth, 
and my earnest prayer to Almighty God is, 
that they shall be the last things on earth to 
part from my memory and abandon my bosom, 
and among the first to hail and cheer me on my 
entrance upon the better life." 

DAVID WADE MATTHEWS, druggist, Sa- 
lem, Ore., the eldest son of William Matthews, M. 
D.. of whom we publish elsewhere a condensed 
sketch, was born in the village of Stilesville, Hen- 



dricks Co., Ind., September 18, 1844. When only 
a few weeks old his father removed to the vi- 
cinity of Fillmore, Putnam County, of the 
same State, at which place the subject of our 
notice passed the greater part of his childhood, 
having lost his mother when but two years of 
age. In 1858, his father having remarried, he 
emigrated with his household to Mason, 111., 
where the son divided his time in attending 
school and in assisting in the cultivation of a 
large tract of new prairie-land. Though of a 
delicate organization, he yet was a most indus- 
trious lad, and applied himself with diligence 
to the discharge of his duties, both in school 
and out. At the outbreak of the rebellion, he 
was among the first in this section of the State 
to join the army of the Union. At the age of 
sixteen, he enlisted in the Eleventh Illinois 
Infantry, under Capt. Rose, a man, who, it is 
claimed, subsequently rendered himself ex- 
tremely odious to his company, through a 
career of intolerable misconduct and mistreat- 
ment. The regiment went into camp about 
the last of July, 1861, at Bird's Point, opposite 
Cairo, where it remained most of the time in- 
active, until the storming of Fort Donelson, at 
which time it was thrown into the thickest of 
the carnage, and barely escaped total destruc- 
tion. The men fought bravely and desperately 
against fearful odds, but the ranks of the regi- 
ment were frightfull}' thinned and mutilated. 
Young Matthews, having l)een selected to 
guard the colors, was one of several others who 
were shot down in the early part of the conflict. 
His wound, at first thought to be fatal, proved 
otherwise, the ball having penetrated and 
passed through the fleshiest part of his thigh, 
barely missing the femoral artery. For a few 
hours he was a prisoner in the hands of the 
enemy, but not being in a condition for removal 
to the rear, the doubtful tide of battle soon re- 
stored him to the Union lines. Ilis wound 
bled most profusely, and the toes of one foot 
were frozen so severely that the ends subse- 



166 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



quently ulcerated and sloughed off. It was a 
terrible night, and he was among the last car- 
ried off of the bloody field. For many long 
hours he lay weltering in his blood, pillowed 
upon the incarnated snow, with the dead and 
d3'ing alone for companions, and the bleak, 
howling winds for his comforter. But a gra- 
cious providence directed some of his associates 
to the inhospitable spot where he lay, and he 
was removed to a temporary hospital, whence 
he was soon after taken aboard the steamer, 
Allen Collier, and conveyed to Cincinnati, where 
he was granted an unlimited furlough. His 
wound having healed, however, he returned to 
his regiment at the end of sixty days, and 
served out his term of eulisment, participating 
in many of the severest struggles of the war. 
Returning home in 1864, he attended college 
for one term, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, and from 
that time forward, until 1875, he was associated 
with his father and cousin, W. L. Wade, in the 
pursuit of horticulture and mixed farming. 
In October, 18G7, he was married to Miss Fan- 
nie A. Leith, a j'oung lady of great worth and 
prominence in the communitj", and in time the}' 
became blessed with a small circle of beautiful 
children. From 1875 until 1881, Mr. Mat- 
thews held many important positions of trust 
among his fellow-citizens, and for several years 
was in the Government Postal Service, a part 
of the time in the capacit}' of Postmaster at 
Mason, and a part as Mail Agent on the St. 
Louis & Vandalia road. In 1881, for the 
purpose of bettering his fortunes, he removed 
to Salem, Ore. En route thither his family 
contracted malignant small-pox, and two of the 
number, Nellie and Lowery, beautiful and in- 
telligent children, succumbed to the loathsome 
maladv. The affliction of the family was intol- 
erable during this awful period of isolation and 
lone suffering, but it finally ended as all trials 
must. Three children are living, Ruth, Mary 
and Oskie. Mr. M. now enjoys a well estab- 
lished drug trade in Salem, and is growing 



popular as his acquaintance extends. He is a 
! man of great practical abilit}', of generosity 
and high mindedness. He has alwaj's been a 
consistent advocate of Republican principles, 
and in his social relations there are few better 
men. He contributes some to the current 
prints, and is a scholarly and accurate 
writer. 

J. N. MATTHEWS, physician. Mason, 
was born in Putnam County, near Greencas- 
tle, Ind., May 27, 1852. When two years old, 
his father's family came to Mason, 111. When 
ver}' young, he evinced a taste for reading and 
scribbling, partly from inheritance and partly 
from his own surroundings. Among his earli- 
est discoveries of himself was. no doubt, the 
amazing one that he could make his words 
jingle, and at a very early day he had that 
supremely happiest moment in all boy's lives 
that have the gift of writing, of seeing his 
rhymes in print. From the country school, 
when 3'et not over ten years of age, he stepped 
up into the exalted place of '' imp" in the vil- 
lage printing oflice, and here, among the types, 
and the atmosphere of a printing office, was 
confirmed and improved the natural bent of 
the boy's genius, and liis pen has never rested 
long at a time since that period. He has writ- 
ten much for various publications, and re- 
peatedly- has given evidences of real poetic and 
literary merit. He entered the Industrial Uni- 
versity, Champaign, 1868, and graduated as 
the head of his class in 1872. For the next 
three years he devoted his time to literar}'- 
work and reporting for different newspapers. 
In 1875, he entered the Medical College of St. 
Louis, and graduated, again with the first 
honors, and that, too, in a class of 120 candi- 
dates. In 1878, he married Miss Luella Brown, 
of Madison, Ind., and located in Mason, in the 
practice of his chosen profession. Our sub- 
ject is the son of Dr. William Matthews (de- 
ceased), of whom, and also of a brother of our 
subject, sketches will be found elsewhere. 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



167 



A. McANDERSON, M. D., Mason, was born 
in October, 1830, in Pennsylvania. He re- 
moved with parents in his j-outh to Richland 
County, Ohio, where he grow to manhood with 
a fair opportunity for obtaining an educfation. 
He graduated in 1851, at Jefferson Medical 
College, Philadelphia. In IStil, he enlisted in 
the Union army, and was placed on special 
service as a surgeon at a hospital near Nash- 
ville, Tenn ; served three years. After the 
close of the war he located, for the practice of 
his profession, at Springfield 111., where he re- 
mained a short time. He removed to Chicago, 
where he gained a first-class practice. In Oc- 
tober, 1871, he had everything, including his 
library, swept away by the great fire. In the 
spring of 1877, he located at Mason, 111., and 
has a good practice. Dr. McAnderson was 
married in 1856, in Wyandot County, Ohio, to 
Miss Helen E. McGill, who died in Springfield, 
111., in 1864. 

ESQUIRE JOHN McDONALD, cooper, 
Edgewood, sou of William McDonald, was born 
in 1818, in Clermont County, Ohio. Here he 
remained till 1866. He learned the cooper 
trade during his boyhood, and located, in the 
pursuit of his trade, at New Richmond, Cler- 
mont Co., Ohio. He pursued this avoca- 
tion till 1852, when he engaged in clerking in 
a dry goods and grocery store, and served two 
terms as Justice of the Peace during the time. 
In 1861, he was appointed Postmaster at New 
Richmond, and was re-appointed in 1865. In 
1866, he resigned the position in behalf of a 
crippled soldier, whom he recommended and 
secured the appointment. He then removed 
to ElTingham County, 111., and engaged in work- 
ing at his trade at Edgewood, which he still 
continues. Mr. McDonald has served one 
terra as Justice of the Peace and two terms as 
Police Magistrate of the village of Edgewood. 
Is a stanch Republican. He is a member of 
the Masonic fraternity, and has been Secretary 
of the Edgewood Lodge during the last fifteen 



years of his residence here. Mr. McDonald 
was married in Clermont County, Ohio, No- 
vember 14, 1839, to Miss Rebeoca Bradbury. 
She died in 1849, the mother of four children 
Marion, Theodore, Leroy, MoUie. Subject was 
married in New Richmond, Ohio, June, 1851, 
to Miss Alice Swem. Her death occurred 
Ma3' 6, 1853. One child, Laura, survives her. 
In 1855, he was married to Esther Jackson, of 
New Richmond, with whom he now lives. He 
has three children by her — Charles, Maj' and 
Hattie. Subject had four sons who faced the 
showers of leaden hail in the great rebellion — 
Thomas, who died of affections contracted in 
the war, Marion. Theodore and Leroy. Mr. 
McDonald is a man of generosit}- and first- 
class hospitality, and is a useful member of 
society. 

BARNEY McKOUN, railroad section fore- 
man, Mason. Was born March 17, 1832, in 
County Tyrone, Ireland. In 1853, he came to 
New York and worked on a farm one year, 
then went to Cleveland, Ohio, and spent the 
winter there. The following summer, he en- 
gaged in the avocation of a sailor on Lake Erie. 
In 1857, he went to Chicago and secured a sit- 
uation in the emploi' of the Illinois Central 
Railway. In 1863, he was appointed section 
foreman, a position he has since filled. Mr. 
McKoun was married at Mattoon, January 
12, 1863, to Miss Mary Cunningham, of Chi- 
cago. He has a family of seven sous and one 
daughter, as follows: Isabel, John, Daniel, Bar- 
ney, James, Patrick, Michael and Thomas F. 
Subject is a Demcjcrat. 

JUDGE ROBERT S. MILLS, druggist. 
Mason, was born February 28, 1813, in 
Hamilton County, Ohio. Came with his par- 
ents, when quite young, to Vevay, Ind.; after- 
ward removed by flat-boat to Charleston, 
Clarke County, Ind.; in 1835, located in Orange 
County, Ind. Here he was married, in June, 
1836, to Miss Caroline Chapman, daughter of 
Thomas F. Chapman. In 1840, he removed 



168 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



to Charleston, Coles Co. Ill, where he was 
elected Justice of the Peace one term, and two 
terms to the office of County Judge, which 
position he filled with great credit from 1845 
to 1848 inclusive. During Fillmore's adminis- 
tration, he was Postmaster at Charleston, 111.; 
he also ran a drug store, which he continued 
several 3'ears after his term as Postmaster ex- 
pired. He then went down on the Central 
Railroad south of Mattoon, and established the 
little town of ^Etna. Was the first Postmaster 
of that place. He was one of the principal agi- 
tators for the building of the Masonic hall, 
which was erected at that place. He was pro- 
prietor of a grocer^' store; also built a grain 
house, and engaged in grain-buying rather ex- 
tensively. In 1863, he sold his interest at 
^Etna and removed to Mason, Effingham 
Co., Ill, and embarked in merchandising. 
In 1873, engaged in the drug business, his 
present avocation. Judge Mills is a Democrat 
and a member of the Masonic fraternity. He 
has a famil}' of seven children — Thomas C; 
Ophelia S., wife of Henr^' Moore, of Clark 
County; Hattie, wife of Henrj- Hoxley, of Ne- 
braska; Clarence S.; George T., jeweler, of 5Ia- 
son; Alline, wife of George Wade, of Mason; 
May. Mr. Mills is a gentleman whose days 
are fast passing away, whose life is like a liv- 
ing stream, purified by upright and sincere 
motives, fair and honest dealings. He has 
won a host of friends, who shelter him in his 
old age with a true kindliness and a devoted 
friendship. 

WILLIAM MUIR, saloon-keeper, Edgewood, 
son of Cyrus Muir, was born in Pickaway Coun- 
ty, Ohio, December 3, 1844. Moved to Douglas 
County, 111., at the age of thirteen, where he 
engaged in farming for three years; purchased 
an interest in a saw-mill in Missouri, which he 
ran for some time. Among the big contracts 
was the sawing of the ties of Q., W. & P. R. R., 
from Quincy to Kirksville, a distance of seven- 
ty-five miles. He kept a saloon for six years 



in Mansfield, 111. In May, 1882, he engaged in 
same business in Edgewood, 111. Subject was 
married to Miss MoUie Buoy, May 22, 1865, in 
Douglas County, 111., who died February 23, 
1877, and he married his second wife, Irena S. 
Buoy, in 1880. Subject has three children : by 
his first wife, Eva and Annie, and one by his 
second wife — Bertha. Mr. Muir is a member 
of the Odd Fellows lodge. 

M. O'DONNELL, farmer, P. 0. Mason, was 
born November 4, 1825, in Ireland. Came to 
America in 1847. Remained in New York and 
New Jersey about two years, then came to 
Effingham County, 111. Worked on the railroad 
two years in Missouri. Came back to this sec- 
lion, and engaged in farming near Mason. 
First, he had sixty-one acres of land; now has 
253 in this county, and 140 in Iowa. He raises 
considerable grain — wheat, corn, etc. — and has 
dealt in live-stock largely- in the past. Mr. 
O'Donnell was married to Miss Maria Brogan, 
in New Jersey, in June, 1858; have two chil- 
dren living — Michael and Catharine. He be- 
longs to the Masonic fraternity, and is a mem- 
ber of the Catholic Church. Mr. O'Donnell is 
an honorable citizen of Effingham County, and 
takes an active part in politics. 

WILLIAM O'KEEFFE, farmer, P.O. Mason, 
son of John O'KeeflFe, was born in January, 
1830, County Cork, Ireland. Came to America 
at the age of sixteen. Remained in New York 
Citj' about one year, and went to Halifax, Nova 
Scotia, where he remained about three years. 
From there he removed to Milwaukee, Wis.; 
was in Chicago a short time, and came to 
Effingham County, 111., January, 1856, and set- 
tled on a farm in Mason Township. He at 
present owns a farm of 219 acres in Sections 8 
and 17, Mason Township, and Section 36, Jack- 
son Township, on which he has fine buildings 
and orchards. Politically, a Democrat. Mr. 
O'Keeffe was married in St. Mary, Abbott's 
Parish, London, England, October 6, 1850, to 
Miss Margaret McCue, daughter of Patrick 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



109 



McCue. Mrs. O'Keeffe was born in London, 
March 10, 1833, and was raised in Ireland — 
Glinvcoth, Cork Count}-. 

P. G. PAUGH, pliysician. Mason, was born 
December 27, 1814, in Bourbon Countj', Ky. 
His fiitlier died before his birth and his 
mother died soon after, and he was brought up 
by his sister, with whom he removed to Mon- 
roe County, Ind.. at the age of seven 3-ears. 
Here he received a liberal education in the 
high scliools of that county. He studied medi- 
cine under E. C. Moberly, a term of five years, 
whom he afterward bought out and engaged in 
the practice, in Bedford, Ind. Soon after, re- 
moved to iSpringville, of the same county, and 
engaged at his profession, where he remained a 
practitioner for thirty 3"ears. In 1867, he im- 
migrated to Mason, 111., and again located in the 
practice of medicine; here he has a first-class 
practice; here, he has won man}- warm friends. 
Dr. Paugh was married in Lawrence County, 
Ind., August 11, 1831, to Miss Hannah Scog- 
gan,who died May 13, 1840. Mr. Paugh was mar- 
ried iu the latter part of 1840, to Miss Eliza 
Cook, daughter of John Cook, of Lawrence 
County, Ind. Subject has two sons and five 
daughters living — Dr. William H. Paugh, re- 
sides in Mattoon, 111.; John C. Paugh, M. D., a 
resident of Mason, and the subject of another 
sketch in this volume; Sarah E., wife of Newton 
Young, of Altamont; Mar}- F., wife of Joseph 
Cook, and resides in Mattoon, 111.; Amelia A., 
wife of Andrew Douglas, a well-known farmer 
near Mason ; Maria B.; Anna Laura; Joseph 
B. Paugh, died in 1867, aged sixteen years 
eight months. Subject of this sketch is a 
member of the M. E. Church and of the Masonic 
fraternity. He is an ardent supporter of the 
doctrines of the Republican party. 

JOHN C. PATTGH, physician, P. 0. 5Ia- 
son, son of Dr. P. G. Paugh ; was born in 
1841, in Lawrence County, Ind.; here he was 
raised with good opportuity for an education, 
which he improved. He studied medicine in 



charge of his father, P. G. Paugh, also under 
Dr. Grey, with whom he first engaged in the 

practice of his profession. In 1865, he came 
to Mason, 111., and located in the practice of his 
chosen profession, where he has remained since. 
Subject was married at Mason January 27, 
1870, to Miss Marion Woods, daughter of Jolin 
Woods. To them were born five children, as 
follows : Garrison B. and Anna V. (twins). 
Wilbur J., AUie M., Albert. 

SANFORD POSTON, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
was born in Switzerland County, Ind., October 
26, 1840. In 1862, he enlisted in the war, 
Compan}- A, Third Indiana Cavalry. Was as- 
signed to Pleasanton's First Cavalry Corps 
and was in Gen. Custer's brigade. His com- 
mand was forwarded to the scene of hostilitj-, 
and did active service in the following engage- 
ments : Second battle of Bull Run, Lookout 
^Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg. In this 
battle he was wounded ; a ball struck him in 
the right side, passed through his body, and 
was cut out on the left side ; from effect of this 
he was thrown off dut}- onl}- three months, 
when he returned to his comrades at Aequia 
Creek, Va., and was in the Gettysburg fight, 
battles of the Wilderness, Early's campaign 
down the Shenandoah Valley. He was dis- 
charged February 24, 1865. He was one of 
the fortunate thirty-one men who came out 
alive, of a regiment that went into the war 
eleven hundred strong. He was married in 
Switzerland County, Ind., February 17, 1866, 
to Miss Josephine Vandever, daughter of Al- 
bert Vandever. In 1868, he emigrated to Ef- 
fingham Count}', 111., and located near Mason 
in farming. In 1879, he purchased an interest 
in the Mason Flouring Mills, which he still 
owns. In 1882, made a visit to Dakota Terri- 
tory, and secured 320 acres of land near 
Chamberlin, D. T., to which he intends going 
the ensuing spring. Subject has a family of 
three children, viz.: Albert, Laura and 
Edith. 



170 



UIOGRAPHICA].: 



ROBERT N. RANKIN was born February 7, 
1820, in Lawrence Count}', Ind., where he was 
raised on a farm. He was married, October 3, 
1839, in his native county, to Martha J. Foster, 
daughter of William Foster, and engaged in 
farming in Lawrence ; owned a farm of sixty 
acres there, which he sold in 1849, and re- 
moved to Mason, 111., and engaged in farming ; 
purchased 280 acres, and made his profession 
a success. Opened a farm about two miles 
southeast of Mason. About 1859, he sold his 
farm with the intention of going to Oregon, 
but when the war brolve out he changed his 
phms, and purchased a farm of 160 acres, one 
and one-half miles north of town, which he 
afterward traded for a clothing store in Mason, 
which he sold out ; and lived and made his 
home in Mason till June 20, 1871, when he 
passed to eternal happiness, leaving a widow 
and seven children — J. M., Bernetta Reed, 
Robert M., Henry H., Cornelia J. Sprinkle, 
■William F. 

W. F. RANKIN, hardware, Mason, was born 
in Effingham County, 111., March 13, 1863. At 
the age of eighteen, he purchased a hardware 
store of his brother, which he had clerked in 
about two years previous to said purchase. 
Mr. Rankin has a fine stock of hardware. 

MITCHEL B. REED, retired, Mason, was 
born in Knox County, Tenn., September 2, 1811. 
At the age of six j'ears, he went with his pa- 
rents to Blount County, of the same State, from 
which place, after a short residence, the farail}' 
removed to Jackson's Purchase, in the Cherokee 
nation. Herehe wasdailj'and hourly companion 
of the red rovers of the forest, of that strange race 
which is so rapidly passing from the face of the 
earth, soon to be perpetrated only in the tradi- 
tions and legends of the coming generations. 
The subject of this sketch was a close observer of 
their habits and characteristics. He knew them 
to be unrelenting and treacherous, warlike and 
brave, unterrified and intrepid, keen sighted as 
a hound, unmatched in horsemanship, and dex- 



trous as a marksman. He was also acquainted 
with the better side of Indian character, and 
could testify to their kindness and hospitality, 
and to the forbearance with w hich they watch the 
more powerful Caucasian nation crowding them 
toward suuset. Often has Mitchel Reed partici- 
pated in their wild sports and feats of prowess, 
and been a listener in their camps or wigwams to 
their uncouth and superstitious recitals in their 
native dialect. Among other occurrences about 
this time, he formed the acquaintance of the 
celebrated Davy Crocket, and is conversant 
with much of the history of that brave and ec- 
centric civilizer and backwoodsman. At Jack- 
son's Purchase, Mr. R. Ijved until the year 
of 1825, when he removed to Athens, McMinn 
County, where he remained till 1836, with the 
exception of one year spent at Kuoxville, Tenn., 
learning the trade of wagon-maker. During 
these ten j'ears, his occupation was that of farm- 
ing and peddling among the Indians of Ocoa 
Purchase, undergoing and overcoming hard- 
ships and perils that at the present time are 
called incidents almost incredible. For weeks 
at a time, he would be out with his team alone, 
in the vast wilderness, encompassed b}' the 
wilj', distrustful savage, and steadily expo.sed to 
the attacks of wild animals and the venom of 
deadly serpents. It was the 9th of June, 1836, 
he arrived at Ewington, the country seat of 
Effingham Countj', after a long and fatiguing 
journej' from the sunny Soutii. A desolate- 
looking prospect opened before him. No 
rattle of trains; no telegraph wires to flash the 
news of an outer world. Only a few scattered 
mills along the streams, or the ominous howl- 
ing of the wolves broke the quietude. Wild 
deer were thick upon the hills, and vvild turkey 
were not then, as now, a luxurj'. The crack of 
the rifle and the thud of the woodman's ax were 
the first to announce the new civilization in 
this section of the country. The old order of 
things gave waj* to the brawny arms of the pio- 
neers; the primeval trees were shaped into 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



171 



houses, and houses were mustered together and 
towns constructed; the desolate waste of sway- 
ing grasses were swept by the autumn fires, and 
soon the bannercil corn heUi up its myriad 
beauties to the sun. On the last day of 1837, 
our old friend was married to ^liss Lavina 
Slover, whose father was the owner of the land 
on wiiich the citj' of Effingham now stands. 
The early days of his wedded life were full of 
trials, hard.ships and toils, yet seasoned with 
much that is pleasant and gratifj-iug to recall. 
The year of 1846 finds him again in Bradley 
County, Tenn., pursuing the trade of wagon- 
maker. In 1851. he returned to Illinois, and 
after a short residence in Edwards County, 
came back to Effingham, and located between 
Big and Ijiltle Salt Creeks, Watson Township. 
In 1867, he removed to the vicinity of his pres- 
ent abode. In 1876, he lost his much-beloved 
partner of his struggles, who died universallj' 
lamented bj' all who knew her many excellent 
qualities. Six out of eight children born to the 
happy twain survive, exemplar}- citizens, as fol- 
lows — Mrs. Mary E. Cronk; Miss Mahala C. 
Reed, who is at present her father's housekeeper; 
George W.; James P. and Isaac S., who is the 
subject of the sketch following this, and 
Charles M. Reed, who is a first-class, moral 
young man, and makes his home with his father. 
The first and third born were sons who died 
quite young. 

ISAAC S. REED, merchant, Mason, was born 
in Edwards County, 111., March 13, 1852. He 
was raised on a farm in the vicinity of Wat- 
son and Mason. His facilities for education 
were such as the common schools of the county 
afforded. After he was twont}--one, he attended 
two terms of school near Mason, and two terms 
of select school in the town of Mason, therebj' 
gaining a good common school education. He 
has followed the business of farming and stock 
dealingtill recently. In 1882, he purchased the 
post office building owned by Mr. Hill, and 
put in a good stock of groceries as well as no- 



tions and books, and in connection with this, he 
runs a barber-shop, a business at which he put 
in a part of each week for some time, and has 
become an expert at the work. Mr. Heed has 
been a local correspondent for Effingham Demo- 
crat for many years. He is a good itemizer, 
and when disturbed by brother correspondents, 
he makes the old fuzz fl^' at a severe rate. He 
is a member of the Masonic fraternit}-. Mason 
Lodge, No. 2 1 7 ; has held the offices of Senior Dea- 
con and Secretary, which last position he fills 
at present. He is a Democrat, of indomitable 
qualifications. He is a genial, good-natured, 
clever fellow, and a typical gentleman. 

WILLIAM H. RICE, furniture dealer, Edge- 
wood, was born November 4, 1838, in Essex 
Count}-. N. J. Remained there till 1857, when 
he went to Charleston, S. C, where he remained 
in the sewing machine business until 1861, 
when he went to Indianapolis. Ind.. remaining 
there till 1867 ; then returned to the South and 
traveled through several States. In 1873, he 
began the hotel and restaurant business, mak- 
ing several removals. Began furniture busi- 
ness in connection with hotel keeping in the 
city of Effingham, 111., in 1881. In 1882. he 
moved his furniture store to Edgewood. his 
present location. In 1877. he was married to 
Miss Palmer. 

JONATHAN J. ROBINSON, farmer, son of 
John Wesley Robinson, was born in February 
6, 1837, in Effingham County. Removed with 
his parents when quite j'ouug to St. Louis, 
Mo. After some residence in St. Louis, he 
removed to Posey Count}', Ind. Shortly after- 
ward returned to Effingham County, 111. He 
has made this his home since. He was mar- 
ried, April 10, 1859, to Miss Martha Ann 
Redding, daughter of Willis Redding, in this 
county. p]ngaged in farming in this county. 
In 1862, he purchased a farm of eighty acres in 
Mason Township, Section 33, mostly wild land, 
of which he has about fifty acres in cultivation, 
partly in bottom. Politically, a Republican. 



173 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Subject has four children, namely — Mary E., 
William J., Sedora K, Robert W. 

FERDINAND A. SCHIFFLIN, hardware 
store, Edgewood, dealer in hardware, groceries 
and agricultural implements, of Edgewood, III, 
was born in Prussia March 22, 1839. Landed 
in New York City March 12, 1857. Remained 
in New York City fifteen j-ears, employed as 
traveling agent by his brother and partner, 
Schifflin and Sicvers, wholesale dealers in hard- 
ware. Subject came to Edgewood November 
19, 1870, engaging in hardware, groceries and 
machiner}', etc., business on his own hook. 
Subject of this sketch possesses rare business 
talent and keeps a complete stock. Was mar- 
ried to Miss Fannie Ryan in New York City, 
January 19, 1861. They have two children. 
Angle and Ferdinand W. Mr. Schifflin is a 
Democrat, and belongs to the Masonic order. 

JAMES R. SCOTT, physician, Edgewood, 
was born September 13, 1840, in Jeffer- 
son County, Ky. Removed with his parents to 
Pike County, where he grew to manhood with 
favorable opportunity for education. He at- 
tended school taught by A. T. Hendricks, Esq., 
brother of Thomas A. Hendricks, of Indiana. 
Began the study of medicine in 1858, under J. 
R. Adams, of Petersburg, Ind. Also studied 
under J. L. Hallim, of Central District, surgeon 
for Illinois Central Railroad. He graduated at 
the Cincinnati Medical College in 1862. He en- 
listed in the United States service in March, 1862, 
in the Third Kentuck}' Infantry as an assistant 
surgeon. Was on the field of battle at Chicka- 
mauga, Rock}' Face Ridge, Dalton, Kenesaw 
Mountain. Was discharged October 10, 1864. 
Subject was married in Mason, December 25, 
1865, to Mary A. Jacobs, who died in Septem- 
ber, 1867. He was married in 1869 to Miss 
Mary Farrin. She died the same j'ear, and he 
was again married to Miss Maggie Gilmore, 
daughter of J. L. Gilmore, April 2, 1871, to 
whom have been borne two children. The first, 
Minnie, born in 1873, died in 1875. The sec- 



ond, Nettie C, was born April 23, 1882. He is 
a member of the Masonic fraternity, and politi- 
cally a Democrat. 

JOHN H. SEITZ, former, P. 0. Mason, son 
of George P. Seitz, was born in 1849 in Harri- 
son Count}', Ind. Removed with parents in 
1864 to Clay County, 111., where he was mar- 
ried in 1871 to Miss Amelia M. Smith, daugh- 
ter of Lawrence Smith. He engaged in farm- 
ing. In 1874, he removed with his family to 
EtHugham County, 111., and settled on a farm 
one mile north of Mason. Subject is a Demo- 
crat. He has a familj' of three children^ 
Laura Addie, Annie A., Katy Florence. 

ANDREW SHARP, shoemaker, Mason, son 
of William Sharp, was born in Wirt County, 
W. Va., in 1850. His father died when he was 
very young, and he began to shift for himself 
at the age of nine 3'ears, working at various 
kinds of public work. In 1865, he took up the 
trade of shoemaking. In 1871, he came to 
Mason, 111., and started a shop, where he has 
remained since, working at his trade. Subject 
was married in Mason, 111., in 1872, to 
Miss Nanc}' Barkham, daughter of Howell 
Barkham. Mr. Sharp is an old Jacksonian 
Democrat. Besides some fair property in 
Mason, he owns fifty acres of beautiful val- 
ley land in the mountains of West Virginia, 
which, on account of the oil and oil works of 
that section, may become of great value in the 
future. In his boyhood he assumed the respon- 
sibility of taking care of his mother, which he 
still continues. 

CHARLES SISSON, station agent. Mason, 
son of Daniel Sisson, was born in Ohio Coun- 
ty, Ind., August 29, 1856. Removed with his 
parents when quite young to Mason, 111. Here 
he had fair advantages for education, attending 
the Mason High School several terms. At the 
age of twenty-two, he engaged in telegraphy in 
Mason. He has served as station agent at 
Sigel and Neoga. In 1880, he was stationed at 
Mason, the office in which he learned. Subject 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



173 



was married in Mason, September 23, 1880, to 
Miss Kva Bailie, daugliter of Andrew Bailie. 
He has one child, Arthur Eugene. Subject's 
father, Daniel Sisson. is a millwright bj- pro- 
fession. He owns a first-class flouring mill at 
Mason, 111. Has nine children, all living — 
Ada B., a well-known teacher of the county ; 
Franklin ; Charles, the subject of our sketch ; 
Eugene, a law student at Shawneetown ; Bird, 
May, Ida, Ernest and Effie. 

.\LMON D. TARBOX, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
a son of Solomon Tarbox, was born in Switzer- 
land County, Ind., December 24, 1834. He was 
married in this county, October 16, 1851, to 
Miss Rachel GrifHn, and took up the avocation 
of farming on a farm of eight}' acres near 
Veva\", Ind. In 1 8G4, he sold his farm and re- 
moved to ElHngham Couul\', 111. He pur- 
chased 120 acres of land in Section 29, Mason 
Township. This he has made his home since. 
Mr. Tarbox, and his wife are both mem- 
bers of the M. E. Church. Politically, he is a 
Republican. Mr. Tarbox has a family of seven 
children, as follows : Milton, William, OUie, 
Clara, Gertrude, Laura, and one deceased, 
Fannie. Subject's father, Solomon Tarbox, was 
born in New York November 9, 1873. He was 
married in New York in 1805, to Miss Harris, 
daughter of Robert Harris. In 1808, he re- 
moved to Indiana, and followed the avocation 
of farming in connection with his trade, shoe- 
making. He removed with his son, subject, to 
Illinois, with whom he made his home till his 
death which occurred in 1866. His widow 
(subject's mother) Mrs. Alice Tarbox, was born 
in New York June 16, 1796. She is now 
and has for many years made her home with 
her son. Mrs. Tarbox has been a member of 
M. E. Church since she was eleven years old. 
They raised a family of eight children, two of 
whom are living, including subject and Fannie L., 
wife of Daniel Kittle, a resident of this township. 

WILLIAM TOOKEY, farmer, P. 0. Edge- 
wood, son of John Tookey, was born October 



27, 1818, in County Kent, England. Here he 
was raised on a farm, and the facilities for an 
education were ver}- poor. He was married in 
England in 1843, to Miss Harriet Revel. He 
emigrated to America in 1851, and located in 
Philadelphia, where he . was engaged as 
gardener and milkman; there he remained till 

1856, and settled on a farm, and followed in 
that county only a short time, when he removed 
to Chicago, and engaged in gardening; here he 
remained till 1876, when he removed to Ef- 
fingham County, 111., and purchased a farm of 
100 acres in Effingham County, and eighty 
acres in Fayette County, across the line. Mr. 
Tookey 's wife died in Kane County, 111., in 

1857, and he was married, August 31, 1867, to 
Mrs. Emma Chariot, in Chicago, by Dr. Lord. 
By his first wife, he has three children living, 
viz.: James, Harriet and Mrs. Annie Duddles. 
Mr. Tookey is a member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity, Edgewood Lodge, No. 484. Subject is 
a Republican politicall}-. 

HENRY TOOKEY, farmer, P. 0. Edge- 
wood, was born in 1827, in Kent County, Eng- 
land. He was married in 1852 to Miss Sarah 
Barton. Came to Philadelphia in 1855, via 
New York City, where he remained one 
year, then pushed westward to Kane County, 
111. In 1859, he removed to Effingham County, 
111., and engaged in farming a small farm of 
fifty-one acres near Edgewood, to which he 
has added to the amount Of 627 acres of land, a 
partofwhich is given to his children; still retains 
a good farm. In 1882, he rented his farm and 
removed to Edgewood, 111., where he still runs 
a small farm adjoining the corporation. Feb- 
ruary 5, 1877, his wife died. He was mar- 
ried September 1, 1878, to Mrs. Emily J. 
Fields. 

BENJAMIN TURMIN. farmer, P. 0. Ma- 
son, is a son of John Turmin; was born in 
Bedford County, Tenn., in 1819. Here he 
was raised on a farm. He was married in Bed- 
ford County, Tenn., in 1830, to Miss Martha 



174 



BIOtiRAPHICAL: 



Gross, and he engaged in farming in that coun- 
ty till 1844, when he removed to Perry County, 
111., and resumed farming. He purchased sev- 
eral farms in that county, and was in well-to- 
do circumstances. In 1865, he removed to Ef- 
fingham County, aga,in resuming the avocation 
of a farmer. In 1849. his wife died. Shortly 
after the death of his wife, he engaged in 
merchandising in Mulkeytown, Franklin Co., 
111. He soon after sold out his store and 
erected a store building and put in a large 
stock of goods, in Franklin County, III., on 
the McLeausboro road, and he was the first 
Postmaster of the village Ewing that built up 
there. One year later finds him in the town of 
Mason, 111., where he again engaged in mer- 
. chandising, which he continued about one j' ear, 
and sold out. He bought a farm in West 
Township which he soon after traded for a 
farm near Mason; this he traded for a farm 
of 108 acres in Section 8, Mason Township, 
and moved onto it in 1876. Mr. Turmin was 
married to his present wife in August, 1879; 
her name was Mrs. Louis Hance. His second 
wife's maiden name was Miss Elizabeth Silk- 
wood. Subject has a family of five children 
living — Mrs. Mary Burks, Mrs. Margaret Cul- 
lej', Mrs. Martha Metier, Mrs. Sarah Caven- 
augli and Virginia B. Turmin. Politically. Mr. 
Turmin is a Democrat. In 1864, he, in con- 
nection with a great many of the best citizens 
of Tamaroa, including lawyers, doctors and 
other men of good standing, were arrested and 
taken to Washington City, and imprisoned. 
This was just before the election. After the 
election was over, they passed an interview 
with some Government officer, and of course 
were acquitted and allowed to return home. 

DAVID S. TURNER, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
was born in Buckingham County. Va., June 
21, 1822, being the oldest child of James Tur- 
ner, now of this countJ^ He was eight j^ears 
old when his father came to this county, hav- 
ing lived seven years in Tennessee. Subject 



went to school here to a Tennessean named 
James White, in Jackson Township, one- half 
mile west of his father's old homestead ; thinks 
he was twelve years old when he went to the 
first one in that neighborhood ; went to school 
when he could be spared from work on the 
fiirm. It was a problem in those days to 
clothe children, and as fast as a boy's 
clothes and shoes were done he started to 
school. The last teacher he went to was hired 
by his father to come and teach his children in a 
house on his farm. His name was Hiram 
Graj , a native of Tennessee. Our subject was 
married June 9, 1844, to Elizabeth Henry, 
daughter of Elijah Henry, of this county. He 
came from Lexington, Ky. After marriage our 
subject located on a farm of heavy timbered 
land near Watson, but not liking the idea of 
removing heavy timber, he bought 180 acres 
of land in 1850, near what is now Edgewood- 
for $400, and lived on it five years and im- 
proved it. In 1855, he bought 250 acres ad- 
joining the town of Mason, where he now lives 
and has farmed it ever since. He raises a va- 
riety of grains and stock. In 1868, his wife 
died, leaving two children — John Henry and 
AUie. In 1869, our subject remarried to Mrs. 
Maria Van Deusen, of English birth, and has 
three children of this marriage — Freddie and 
Flora (twins), and Maggie. Mr. Turner has 
lived in the town of Mason since 1869. 

HENRY B. TURNER, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
son of James Turner, was born in Effingham 
County, 111., December 27, 1830. His chances 
for education were as good as that time could 
furnish. He attended several winter terms a 
distance of three miles, and then the accommo- 
dations were ver}- poor, being an average pio- 
neer log schoolhouse. He also attended two 
winter terms of school taught at his father's, 
the teacher being hired by his father to teach 
the familj- ; thus he acquired a fair education. 
He followed farming till 1856. making his home 
with his father, at which time he engaged in 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



175 



merchandising at Louisville, Clay Co., III., in 
partnersliip with Iltnry M. Ilobbs. In this 
business I think he continued only long enough 
to win his partner's fair daughter, Miss Susan 
Ellen ITobbs, and to whom he was married 
September 27, 1857. He returned to Etting- 
ham County and settled his tract of land, 212 
acres of wild prairie, in Mason Township, two 
and one-half miles north of Mason, where he 
has made a farm on which he has excellent im- 
provements, and calls it " Sweet Home." Mr. 
Turner is a member of the Masonic fraternity 
and is a zealous supporter of Democracy. He 
has a family of four children — Stephen D., Ida 
May, Harriet A., Rozilla. 

WILSON TURNER, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
son of James Turner, was born in Jackson 
Township, of this county, October 2, 1838. He 
was raised on a farm. Received a fair common 
school education for that time. In 1858, he 
attended school at Windsor, Shelby County, 111., 
where he made the acquaintance of MissMarj' 
A. Poe, daughter of Abner Poe, to whom he 
was married November 27, 1858. In 1860, he 
located on a tract of land of 240 acres, two and 
a half miles northeast of Mason, timber and 
prairie adjoining, on which he has 140 acres in 
cultivation. He has a first-class residence and 
other buildings as well as an excellent orchard. 
Subject of this sketch is a Mason, and is of 
Democratic persuasion. The following are his 
familj- : Henr}- A. ; Zilla C, wife of Aaron 
Louder ; Didemraa Y. ; Elcy N. ; James W. ; 
John F. ; Theodore N. ; Annie Laurie ; Glen- 
dora A., and two who have been called to rest 
— William B. and Oscar H. 

MAJ. HARRISON TYNER, merchant, Ma- 
son, was born in 1813, in Scott County, Ky. 
Removed with his parents, at age of two, to 
Shelby County, Ind. With fair opportunities 
for education, he grew to manhood here. He 
was married. December 27, 1832, to Miss Levi- 
na Penwell, daughter of George Penwell, and 
resided in Indiana till 1854, and followed the 



profession of carpenter and joiner, whicii lie 
learned short!}' after his marriage. Moved to 
Kankakee, III., in 18.')4, and again embarked in 
his profession. In 1859, he removed to Mason, 
III. In August. 1861, he enlisted in the war 
Company H, Thirty-eighth Illinois, as Captain 
of company. His health having failed him, he 
returned home soon after his enlistment. 
During the earl}' part of 18G4. he again enlisted 
and was commissioned Major of the One Hun- 
dred and Forty-third Illinois. The One Hun- 
dred and Forty-third was not called to the field of 
battle; was stationed at Helena, Ark., to guard 
the river, and keep the river navigable for 
United States boats. At one time during a 
short stay of six weeks at Helena, onl}' twenty- 
seven men were reported able for duty on ac- 
count of the malaria of that vicinity. During 
his first enlistment, was in the following engage- 
ments: Siege of Corinth and the battle of Stone 
River. Was discharged September 26, 1864. 
For some \'ears after the war, he ran a boot 
and shoe store; afterward engaged in dealing 
in groceries and furniture, of which he keeps a 
fine assortment. The following are his chil- 
dren: David L., Oscar M. and Charles W. Two 
of his sons were killed in the war. George W., 
the oldest, was killed by the cars, and William 
H. was wounded at Liberty Gap, Tenn., from 
the effects of which he died. 

DAVID L. TYNER, furniture, P. 0. Mason, 
dealer in furniture, etc., son of H. Tyner, was 
born November 27, 1836, in Hancock County, 
Ind. He came with his parents, in 1858, to 
Illinois, and settled at Kankakee, where his 
father followed the carpenter's and joiner's 
trade. The subject of this sketch learned the 
the trade of his father. He was married, April 
4, 1838, in Kankakee County, III., to Mahala 
Dashiell. In 1843, he moved to Champaign 
for a short time, and in 1 844, he removed to 
Mason, III., and engaged in his trade till 1874, 
when he engaged in the furniture business, and 
has good property in Mason. Politically, he 



176 



BIOGRAPHIC AJ.: 



is a Republican. Has a family of seven chil- 
dren — Ada, Minnie, Jennie, Nellie, Gertrude, 
William H. and Charles. 

GEORGE WADE, druggist, grain-buyer 
and stock-dealer. Mason, was born in 1841, in 
Switzerland County, Ind. Here he spent his 
boyhood daj-s, with a fair chance for education. 
In 18t)0, he attended the National Normal 
School, at Lebanon, Ohio, for the year. Mr. 
Wade enlisted in the Union army in 1862, in 
Company C, Ninety-third Indiana lufantrj'. 
At first was assigned to the Fifteenth Army 
Corps, under Sherman ; afterward transferred 
to the Sixteenth Arm}' Corps. He was in the 
following engagements ; Vicksburg, Erica's 
Cross Roads. In an engagement at Gun Town, 
he was taken prisoner and taken to Mobile, 
Ala., afterward to Andersonville Prison. He 
remained in imprisonment about ten months, 
and was exchanged and discharged in August, 
1865. He returned to his home in Indiana, 
and engaged in stock-dealing ; also followed 
flat-boating for some time. In 1871, he located 
in Mason, 111., in the hardware business, which 
he continued about two 3'eai-s. In partnership 
with Thistlewood Brothers ; he bought Sisson's 
flour mill, and at the same time dealt largely 
in dry goods and groceries ; sold the mill and 
traded for a stave factory, which he ran for 
several years. He now owns a drug store and 
is a grain bu^'er and stock-dealer. The firm 
of Wade & Leith is running a dry goods and 
grocer}' store in Clifton, 111. Mr. Wade owns 
a farm of 160 acres in Section 22, West Town- 
ship ; also 167 acres in Section 15, Mason 
Township. He is a member of the Masonic 
fraternity. Mr. Wade was married October 25, 
1876, to Miss Alina Mills, daughter of Judge 
Mills ; they have one child — Alfred S., born 
June 9, 1878. 

B. R. WESCOTT, Jr., farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
son of D. R. Wescott, was born December 25, 
1842, in Pike County, 111. His parents moved 
to Mansfield, Ohio, when he was quite youug. 



where he remained till twelve years of age ; 
they then removed to Iowa Citj-, Iowa. Here 
he remained till 1860. In 1862, he enlisted in 
the war. Company B. Thirty-third Iowa In- 
fantry, from Sigourney, Keokuk County, for a 
term of three years, or during the war ; and he 
got the full benefit of the term. Was for- 
warded to Columbus, Ky. Was in the follow- 
ing engagements ; Helena, capture of Little 
Roc-k, Saline River, Ark., siege of Mobile, 
Spanish Fort, Blakely, capture of a rebel fleet 
on the Tombigbee. Was discharged at New 
Orleans July 17, 1865. After the war, he went 
to Chicago and engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness, afterward hardware business ; continued 
two years. In 1867, he began traveling for a 
wholesale factory — S. I. Russ & Co., which he 
followed about two years ; and came South to 
Greenup, and engaged in book-keeping for I. 
H. Pauley and the Vandalia Railroad. This 
he continued during the construction of the 
Vandalia to the State line. He engaged in the 
nursery business at Hoopston, Vermillion Co., 
111. In 1876, he .sold there, and farmed in 
Mississippi one year ; did not like the countrj-. 
He then engaged in nursery business in Indi- 
ana, which he continued till 1880. He pur- 
chased a farm in Effingham County, III, and 
removed on it. Has a farm of 200 acres, all in 
Mason Township. Subject was married July, 
1870, in Clark County, III, to Miss Ella Lan- 
gel, daughter of Philip Langel ; to them were 
given two children, viz., Cora and B. R. 

JOHN WILLIAMSON, former, P. 0. Edge- 
wood, son of Thomas Williamson, was born 
February 24, 1839, in Lawrence County, Ind. 
Removed to Clay County, 111., at the age of 
seven j'ears, with his parents, and settled in 
north part of Clay County, 111. Was raised on 
a farm, and started for himself at the age of 
fourteen. He was married in 1S5S to Miss 
Nancj- Baker, daughter of Robert Baker ; she 
died in 1873, and he was married in 1875 to 
Mrs. Mary Catharine Fender. Subject carries 



MASON TOWNSHIP. 



177 



on a farm of 160 acres. Subject enlisted in 
the war in 1862, in Company- C, Niuet^'-eightli 
Illinois. Was assigned to the Army of the 
Cumberland. He was in the following en- 
gagements: Hoover's Gap, Elk River, Chicka- 
mauga, Chattanooga, and series of battles around 
Atlanta, Ga., and Selma, Ala. Was mustered 
out June 27, ISO,"). Politicallj', he is a stanch 
Republican. 

WILLIAM WILSON, farmer, P. 0. Edge- 
wood, son of William Wilson, was born in the 
county of Norfolk, England, in 1818. Was 
raised in England. Subject was married in 
England in February, 1840, to Miss Mary A. 
Blake. Engaged in railroading and also as a 
stone mason on the public works. In 1851, he 
emigrated to America with his family, consist- 
ing of a wife and four children. Located a 
short time in Connecticut. In 1853, he came to 
Clay County, and followed railroading on the 
Central Illinois until 1857, when he bought a 
farm of eighty acres, to which he added 120 
acres. He also owns a farm of 160 acres in 
Mason Township, near Edgewood. Has a fam- 
ily of eleven children living — William, Eliza 
Barton, Ellen Chariot, Mary Tookey, Henri- 
etta, Henry Wilson, Robert Wilson, by his first 
wife. His first wife died in 1864. In 1867, he 
was married to Ellen Selena. The following 
are his children : Emma, Franklin B., Joseph 
and Charles. 

J. W. WILSON, farmer, P. 0. Mason, son of 
John S. Wilson, was born in 1832 in Hamilton 
County, Ohio. He removed with his parents, 
at tiie age of seventeen, to Effingham County, 
and located on a farm three miles northeast of 
Mason. Mr. Wilson was married, in 1862, to 
Miss Julia F. Shull, daughter of M. M. Shull, 
Cumberland County, 111. He soon settled on a 
farm of eighty acres in West Township, Section 
13, which he afterward paid for by farming and 
good management, to wliich he has added flfty- 
one acres adjoining, on which he now lives, in 
Mason Township. Mr. Wilson is a member of 



the Masonic fraternity. Mason Lodge, No. 217. 
Politically, lie is a Democrat. He has a family 
of six children — Lillie B., Albert R., Edwin 0., 
Cora May, Burlie Wilbur, Amanda E., and one 
dead — Charles C. 

CHARLES D. WILSON, farmer, P. 0. 
Mason, son of William M. Wilson, was born on 
March 18, 1839, in Fairfield County, Ohio. 
Removed with his parents in 1847, to Effing- 
ham County, 111., where he has since made 
his home. In August, 1862, he enlisted in the 
war, Company C, Ninety-eighth Illinois Volun- 
teers; was in the following battles : Elizabeth- 
town, K}-., Hoover's Gap, Tenn., Chickamauga, 
Wheeler's raid, which was a very hard raid, and 
a series of battles ; Peach Tree Creek, Atlanta, 
Ga., Selma, Ala.; was discharged June 27, 
1865, and mustered out of service at Nashville, 
Tenn. He returned home, and was married, 
October 29, 1865, in Effingham County, to 
Miss Margaret E. Ruffner, daughter of Andrew 
Rufl'uer; farmed a rented farm for some time. 
In 1874, he purchased a farm of fortj' acres in 
Section 25, Mason Township, all in cultivation. 
Subject is a Democrat. Has a family of three 
children, namelj', Emma, Lee and Gracie. 

JAMES F. WILSON, farmer, P. 0. Mason, 
a son of John S. Wilson, was born in Fairfield 
County, Ohio, March 24, 1844; removed with 
his parents to this county when about seven 
years old. His father settled on a farm of 
eighty acres, half in Union and half in Mason 
Townships. Subject lives on and owns the one 
fort3- of the home farm lying in Mason Town- 
ship, all of which is under cultivation. Mr. 
Wilson was married in this county, June 21, 
1863, to Miss Margaret Wilson. They have a 
famil}- of six children — George M., John S., 
James A., Eunice Ellen, Sarah A. and Flora J. 
Mr. Wilson is a zealous supporter of Democ- 
racy. 

imOOKS WILSON, farmer, P. 0. Mason, a 
native of Fairfield Count}-, Ohio, was born Au- 
gust 29, 1840. He removed with his father, 

L 



178 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



John S. Wilson, to this count}'. He followed 
the occupation of farming, and owns the east 
half of the home farm. His father, John S., 
died several 3'ears ago. Mr. Wilson was mar- 
ried in this count}', January 12, 1871, to Miss 
Lydia E. Hinkle, daughter of Casper Hinkle. 
Thej' have a famil}' of six children, namely — 
Thomas 0., Frederic W., Harry Alden, George 
W. and two (twins), Phebe Florence and Cas- 
per L. 

MORGAN WRIGHT, deceased, was the 
son of an old Revolutionarj' soldier, who 
fought seven years, including the j'ear 1776, 
and was personally acquainted with Gen. Wash- 
ington. This gallant old hero, William Wright, 
emigrated to Indiana at an earl}' day. Morgan 
was born in the year 1800, and was married to 
Miss Jane Allen, in 1822. He settled in Put- 
nam County, Ind., and purchased a large body 
of timber land, and, in a few years, the income 
from his farm was a fortune. He soon became 
one of the master spirits of the old Whig party, 
and, as a stump orator, he was the rival of 
Gov. Joseph Wright. He emigrated to Effing- 
ham County, 111., in 1852, and settled on a farm, 
on which the town of Mason is built. He was 
never well after he came to this county, but he 
conducted his own affairs till within a few 
months of his death. He and his wife lived 
together fifty years, and raised a large family. 
Dr. Owen Wright is the only child of this family 
that remains in this county. Morgan Wright 
died July 4, 1872, and his wife died January 
16, 1882. They rest from their labors, and 
their works do follow them. 

DR. OWEN WRIGHT, the son of Morgan 
Wright, Esq., first caught the glimpse of light on 
the 16th of February, 1835, near the city of 
Greencastle, Ind., and was raised on a farm by his 
parents, who sent him to school when he was 
four years and six months old. At the age of 
nineteen, he had completed a course of study, 
which entitled him to the baccalaureate degree. 
Subsequently, he received the degree of A. M. 



In the year 1852, he emigrated to Effingham 
County, 111., and two years later he entered 
upon the study of medicine. In 1856, he ma- 
triculated in Rush Medical College, Chicago, 
where he remained an industrious student, till 
he graduated, February 17, 1858. During the 
winter of 1859-60, he closed his office and went 
to St. Louis to attend lectures. The two lead- 
ing medical colleges were so near to each other 
that he managed to hear the two great rival 
surgeons each day. Prof McDowell in one 
school and Prof Pope in the other. His pride 
and ambition were then, and are to-day, to 
know everything that may be known on all 
sciences and branches of his profession. Sub- 
sequently, he attended lectures in Ohio Medi- 
cal College. During the late war, popularly 
known as the Southern rebellion against the 
United States, he was commissioned as First 
Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and 
Twenty -fifth Regiment Illinois Volunteers. He 
was one of the active Surgeons on the great 
campaign, known in history as " Sherman's 
march to the sea." He was detailed as Surgeon 
of the Fourteenth Army Corps Hospital, in 
Savanah, Ga., in January, 1865, where his su- 
perior learning and skill were recognized and 
acknowledged by all with whom he was as- 
sociated. When he retui-ned home from the 
army, he resumed the business of his profession, 
and those who know him best will testify that 
he is never idle. When he is not professionally 
engaged, he goes to his library of several hun- 
dred volumes of standard works, and opens 
such books for study as his mind seems best 
able to digest. He writes extensively for medi- 
cal journals and State papers. He is an elo- 
quent speaker, and has published a volume of 
his orations. This work has been indorsed and 
highly eulogized by the ablest scholars in our 
country. As a surgical operator, he has shown 
himself to be as skillful as any physician. He 
prepares his subjects with great care, and when 
he has everything at hand and in order, his 



JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 



179 



knowledge of anatomy, and his extensive prac- 
tice with the knife, on the dead subject, enable 
him to work without an}- probability of error. 
No accident has ever happened in his Imuds. 
When he knows the patient is not able to en- 
dure an operation, he withholds the knife or 
other instrument, and resorts to ditlerent means, 
and waits for further developments. lie will 
not experiment on the living subject. He has 
written a work on surgerj-, which he hopes to 
be able to publish soon. He has no respect for 
illiterate men who attempt to practice medicine. 
Lately, he published a letter in the Effingham 
Repuhlicaii, and subsequently re-published it in 
circular form, and distributed the same all over 
the country-. He states in this letter, that the 
ability to practice medicine and surgery is ac- 
quired nowhere except by the side of the sick 
person, and in the dissecting-room, under the 
instruction of an expert, and that a large pro- 
portion of the practitioners of our country 
have not studied anatomj' and physiolog}-, and 
consequently, cannot know the nature of dis- 
eases, and also, that the number who have died 
of mal-treatment, is greater than have been 



slain by the sword. On the 13th day of Sep- 
tember, 1860, Dr. Owen Wright and Margaret 
Wallis were united in marriage, in Salem. 111., 
by the Rev. T. F. Houts, A. M. Miss Wallace 
was a lady of superior intellect, and was highly 
educated in the liberal arts and sciences. To 
this couple were born two daughters and two 
sons. The oldest son is not, for God took him. 
Ann Jane and Margaret Delilah are second- 
year students in the Southern Illinois Normal 
University. The youngest child, Owen, Jr., is 
known where he lives as the little scholar and 
orator. Dr. Wright is a worthy Christian gen- 
tleman, and his order for money, where he is 
known, is good. By industry and economy, he 
has gathered around him a kind of property 
that will not perish. He has made ample pro- 
vision for the support of his familj' in after 
years. He treats all men gentlemanly, and is 
highly esteemed by his neighbors. He loves 
his friends as he loves himself, and will do any- 
thing that is reasonable for them. He lives free 
from all vices, and is a perfect type of a gen- 
tleman. He is a light to world. Long may ho live 
to perform the work of a surgeon in our midst. 



JACKSON 

BENJAMIN BALLAllD, farmer, P. 0. Al- 
tamont, is a son of William and Eliza Ballard, 
and was born in England in 1830. At the age 
of twenty-one, subject bid farewell to his par- 
ents, four brothers and three sisters, and sailed 
for New York City, w;here he arrived Novem- 
ber 22d, 1851, after a rough voyage of forty- 
two days, being nearly shipwrecked two times. 
Subject landed on mir shores " penniless and 
friendless;" worked for some time at the low 
wages of $8 per month. By mistake he pur- 
chased a ticket for Columbus. Ohio, instead of 
another point, and went to the former place. 
Here he learned of the building of the Illinois 
Central Railroad, and at once started to Effing- 



TOWNSHIP. 

ham Count}', 111.; traveled by stage part, and 
walked the rest of the way. After one j'ear's 
work on the railroad, in 1852, he took a con- 
tract of grading two miles of railroad with a 
wheel- barrow near the present site of Laclede. 
He only worked a short time with a wheel-bar- 
row; he secured the use of several yoke of 
oxen and scrapers with which he completed 
this wonderful undertaking in about three 
months' time; and net $400. He then engaged 
in farming for a time. Completed another 
contract of grading. Mr. Ballard was, in 1855, 
married in Broughton (old Effingham), to Miss 
Martha Cartwright, daughter of James and 
Catharine Cartwright. In 1857, he again re- 



180 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



sumed farming ou a rented farm, and in 1860 
purctiased eigtity acres near Ewington; forty 
acres were in tlie river bottom, wtiicli he soon 
after lost on account of defective title. He 
was then left with quite a family to maintain 
and to start anew in finance. These are times 
that try men's souls, but Mr. Ballard, being a 
man of iron nerve, faltered not at this embar- 
rassment. In 1860, he purchased eighty 
acres of railroad land, in Section 28, Jackson 
Township; a portion of this was prairie 
and the rest water-oak timber. On this wild 
land he built a dwelling and began the work 
of making a farm. His success has proven 
that but few men were better calculated for 
this work than Mr. Ballard. Manual labor and 
hard work have been his pleasure and pride. 
He has taken laurels of brilliant hue in this, 
America's honored and prided work. To his 
eighty-acre tract of land, he has added 360 
acres, also a bottom farm of fortj' acres, mak- 
ing 480 acres. Mr. Ballard makes farming a 
decided success. He raises an immense amount 
of grain — corn, wheat, oats, etc., and a fair 
amount of stock. Mr. Ballard is a Democrat. 
He and his wife are members of the Baptist 
Church. They have a famil}- of children as 
follows, Eliza, wife of Carless Wilmeth, was 
born September 8, 1857; Charles A., was born 
March 14, 1863; Emily F., was born October 
2, 1865: Arminda J., was born November 
15, 1869; Martha R., was born December 20, 
1874. Their second child endures earthly 
troubles no more. He was born October 12, 
1860, and lived with parents till June 10, 
1882, when the Angel of God welcomed him to 
his eternal home. James was a young man 
with as spotless a character as the county 
could afford, and was ever amid friends wher- 
ever he was known. Nearing the portals of 
death, he gave unmistakable evidence of his 
preparation and his hopes of immortality. 
Some time before his death he united with the 
Missionary' Baptist Church, and lived a Chris- 
tian the remainder of his life. 



JOHN W. BISHOP, P. 0. Dexter, son of 
Dr. Jacob Bishop, was born December 14, 
1832. Was engaged during his boyhood in 
his father's saw and grist mill. Mr. Bishop 
ran the first steam engine brought to Effing- 
ham Countj'. Subject was married, December 
8, 1853, to Miss Elizabeth M. Hipsher, daugh- 
ter of David Hipsher, and settled on a farm 
four miles north of where Altamont now stands. 
He sold out in 1864, and moved onto a farm 
of 123 acres, in Section 5, Jackson Township, 
and has farmed it since, except three years that 
he lived in Effingham and followed railroading. 
Subject is a Democrat, has held the office of 
Justice of the Peace several terms, and has 
been a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church since 1876. Mr. Bishop has five chil- 
dren — Joseph T., born December 15, 1855 ; 
Sarah Ann, born June 15, 1857, wife of D. W. 
Baker ; Emily L., born June 26, 1864 ; Nora 
J., born July 15, 1869 ; Ida I., born July 30, 
1871. 

PERRY CARPENTER, farmer, P. 0. Effing- 
ham, is a son of John B. Carpenter, and was 
born in Delawaj'e County, Ohio, October 29, 
1842. He came with his parents to Effingham 
County, III, in June, 1852. Parents located ou 
a farm in Section 25, Jackson Township, re- 
mained about six years, sold, and purchased 
120 acres in Section 15, Jackson Township, 
and moved onto it in 1853. Subject began bus- 
iness for himself at the age of eighteen, at 
school teaching in District 5, Jackson Town- 
ship. Pursued this profession almost exclu- 
sively until 1870, when he was married May 29, 
1870, to Miss Rhoda Price, daughter of Will- 
iam Price. Subject settled on the home farm 
which he had purchased, and has made farm- 
ing his principal occupation, teaching a few 
terms during the winter. Subject has two good 
bottom farms of 120 acres each, one in Jack- 
sou Township and the other in Liberty Town- 
ship. He raises a great deal of corn and a fair 
amount of wheat. He usually feeds his corn 



JACKSON TOWNSHI]'. 



181 



to hogs, and keeps a fair supply of stock — hogs, 
cattle, etc. Subject is a Democrat, and has 
been elected to various township offices, and 
takes an active part in politics. In 1880, he 
made a number of speeches for Hancock and 
the Democratic cause. Subject united with the 
Methodist Episcopal Church in 1861; left that 
church in 1862, and became a member of the 
Missionary' Baptist Church, to which he still 
belongs. Mr. Carpenter has a family' of three 
children — Harry, Charles Stewart and Warren 
Filler. Perry Carpenter was made a member 
of Freemanton, now Altamont Lodge, No. 533, 
in 1867. In 1869, was made a Royal Arch 
Mason, in Effingham, Chapter No. 87. In 1870, 
"was elected W. M. of his lodge, which position 
he held for six years. He has ever been a 
strong temperance man, and is. and has ever 
been, a Prohibitionist. Subject's father, John 
B. Carpenter, was born in Licking County, 
Ohio, on the 19th of May, 1815 ; was married 
in November, 1839. and located in Alexandria, 
Ohio, and remained there until 1841, and then 
moved to Delaware County, Ohio. In 1847, he 
emigrated to Effingham County, 111. Subject 
was elected County School Commissioner in 
1855, and was re-elected in 1857, and served 
two terms in this capacity. He now lives in 
Washington County, Ark. 

MAJ. H. DAVIS, farmer, P. 0. Altamont, 
is a son of Henrj' Davis, and was born in 1844. 
He enlisted in the war September 2, 1861, 
Company A, Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteers. 
Went first to Camp Butler, 111., and was for- 
warded to Palmyra, Mo., and was in several 
engagements in that State. Was ordered from 
there to Fort Pillow. On the way to Fort Pil- 
low, received orders to re-enforce Grant at Shi- 
loh, and was in that engagement. Was then 
transferred to Sherman's arm3-, and marched 
with that army to the sea coast, and was in 
many of the innumerable battles of that memo- 
rable campaign. He was discharged from the 
service September 1, 1865, after a service of 



four years. Subject was married July 25, 1866, 
to Miss Margaret E. Melender, of Johnson 
County. Ind., whoso acquaintance he formed 
while on a visit to that county. He returned 
to Illinois and settled on an eightj'-acre farm 
in Section 20, Jackson Township, made some 
improvements, and traded to his father for a 
piece of bottom land in Section 17. Sold that 
and purchased another eighty* acres in Section 
20, on which he now lives. Subject has a fam- 
ily of seven children — George H., John R., Mar- 
tha J., Charles, Victoria, Minnie May, Will- 
iam E. 

NANCY ANN GARDNER, farmer, P.O. Ma- 
son, was born in Green County, Tenn., in 1820, 
her maiden name being Call. She moved with 
her parents to Indiana, where she was married, 
in 1837, to Samuel Willis, and moved to Mis- 
souri, and remained there eight j-ears; returned 
to Indiana, and resided twelve j-ears; moved to 
Illinois, and settled on a farm in Section 33, 
Jackson Township. Mr. Willis enlisted in the 
war in 1861, Company A, Twenty-sixth Illinois 
Volunteers, and was forwarded to Hannibal, Mo.; 
was in several light battles and died, and was 
buried at Hannibal, Mo., in 1862. The life of 
our subject's husband was not her onlj- sacri- 
fice, as she had two sons who shouldered tlie 
musket in fiery fray; the older, Jacob Willis, 
enlisted in the same company with his father, 
at about the age of twentj--one; after manj' 
long and weary marches, died at Cairo, III., and 
was buried there. James Willis enlisted in the 
war at Mattoon, 111., at the early age of seven- 
teen ; was forwarded to Arkansas and the South- 
west, where he remained in the service about 
three j-ears, after which he returned to his 
home, not, however, until seriously' injured by 
dropsy, of which lie died in 1881, at his home in 
Shelby Count}-, 111. His death was very sudden. 
He arose to build a tire, rather early in the 
morning, and concluded to retire again, but fell 
to the floor— he was dying. The remainder of 
subject's family are Melinda Workman; Mary, 



183 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



wife of Rev. G. W. Wharton ; Betsej-, wife of 
Samuel Smith ; Sarah Margaret Willis, lives at 
home with her mother. Mrs. Willis was mar- 
ried to John Gardner in the year of 1863. 
John Gardner, her present husband, was born 
in 1813, in Pennsylvania, was married at the 
age of twenty-six, resided in Penns3'lvania 
about tifteeu years, when he moved to Missouri. 
In 1858, his first wife died, leaving a family of 
seven children — Sarah Jane, Belle, Washington, 
Amanda, Mary, George and William J. 

MRS. JEMIMA GREEN, farmer, P. 0. 
Watson, is a daughter of Pharez and Hannah 
Holcomb, and was born August 10, 1814, 
in Ludlow, Mass. When seven j'ears old, her 
parents moved to Ohio, where she was mar- 
ried. January 25, 1830, to William C. Creasey. 
Her husband died April 6, 1842, leaving a fam- 
il}- of four children, viz., Hannah, Mary J., 
Jemima, William. Subject was married to 
Frederic Green, March 6, 1845. Her second 
husband died October 28, 1850, leaving two 
childi'en — Frederic and Melissa. She removed 
to Cumberland County, Tenn., in 1851, where she 
remained till 1855, when she removed to Xenia, 
Clay Co., 111., afterward to Eflflngham County, 
and located on a farm on the Little Wabash 
River, three miles west of Watson. In 1881, 
she purchased a farm of 100 acres, in Section 
9, Jackson Township, in a high state of culti- 
vation, and moved onto it. Subject is a lady 
of very estimable qualities, and is liighly re- 
spected by all who know her. She is always 
ready to help the poor and need)'. She is an 
industrious old lady, and has borne the burden 
of raising her children. Subject's fourth child, 
William Creasey, sacrificed his life in the 
United States service in the great rebellion. 

AARON HARRELL, farmer, P. 0. Alta- 
mont, was born in 182G in Rush County, Ind. 
At the death of his father, which occurred in 
1844, he took up the business of farming his 
mother's farm in Rush County, Ind., maintain- 
ing himself and the family. Subject was mar- 



ried to Miss Cynthia Ann Kelso, daughter of 
Levi Kelso, of Rush County, Ind., in 1849; re- 
mained in Rush County till 1855, when he 
moved to Effingham County, 111. After farm- 
ing a rented farm for several j'ears, he pur- 
chased forty acres in Section 20, Jackson 
Township; has since added about fifty acres, 
making a farm of ninety acres, about sixty-five 
acres in cultivation. Suliject's first wife died 
in 1861, and he was married to Mary Ellen 
Beck, in 1862. Mr. Harrell has a family of 
nine children — M. C, Mary J. (wife of John 
Steed), Sarah, Ellen, Clara F., Emily E., Susan- 
nah, Rosa M. and Ida M. 3Ir. Harrell has 
been a member of the M. E. Church (South) 
since 1865, at which time he severed his con- 
nection with the M. E. Church, of which he had 
been a member since the age of twenty-seven. 
Subject's father, Aaron Harrell, was born in 
1795; was married to Nancy Bunch, in about 
the year 1820, in North Carolina; moved to 
Wayne County, Ind., in 1833, and farmed there 
till his death, which occurred in 1835. 

HENRY S. HOOK, farmer, P. 0. Dexter, 
is a sou of John Hook, and was born Februarj^ 
25, 1823, in Licking County, Ohio. He went 
to Wayne Count}-, Ind., and worked at his trade 
of tailoring. He was married, February 22. 
1846, to Miss Sophronia Martin, daughter of 
Abraham and Neoma Martin. In 1848, he 
moved to Effingham County, 111., and located 
in Freemanton; worked at his trade one year; 
bought Dr. Bishop's interest in a carding ma- 
chine, which he ran two years. In 1851, he 
moved onto his land, 165 acres in the prairie, 
in Section 6, which he entered before he came 
to Illinois, and took up the occupation of farm- 
ing. Subject says he formed acquaintances 
and attachments in an early day that are as 
lasting as time, while at the present, acquaint- 
ance and friendship is as uncertain as bubbles. 
Subject's father, John Hook, was born in Eng- 
land July 19, 1778. He came to America be- 
fore the war of 1812, and served as a soldier in 



JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 



183 



that war. Was married sooa after, to Miss 
Catherine Smith, and settled in Licking Coun- 
tj-, Ohio, on a farm of 160 acres. He raised a 
famil}' of twelve children — Jonathan, Sarah, 
Ephles, Elizabeth (wife of Lewis Groves, and 
mother of Dr. Groves), Cynthia A., Mar}-, Ezra, 
Melissa, Henry S., James R., AUie C. and John 
C. Mrs. Hook's father, Ain-aham Martin, was 
born June 1-t, 1781, in New York; was married 
in Pennsylvania, to Miss Neoma Davis; emi- 
grated to Hamilton County, Ohio ; engaged in 
carpentering; took an active part in politics ; 
was repeatedly, elected to the office of County 
Treasurer. At the age of fortj'-one, subject 
was ordained a minister of the 3Iissionary Bap- 
tist Church, in which capacity he labored zeal- 
ously the remainder of his life. Mr. Martin 
died in 1841. in Butler County, Ind. 

HENRY HUGHES, farmer, P. O. Dexter, 
son of VAi Hughes, was born October 20, 1841, 
in Licking Count}-, Ohio, moved with his par- 
ents to Crawford County, 111., in 1851; to Mis- 
souri in 1852, and to Effingham Count}-, 111., 
1855, and settled in Freemanton, it being the 
second town iu the county. Subject went to 
Pike's Peak, at the age of fifteen, to hunt gold. 
As he did not stack up gold as he expected, he 
soon took his departure for Leavenworth City, 
and engaged in driving a six-horse team for 
Uncle Sam. Returned home in 1859. In 1861, 
subject enlisted iu the war, first in a three 
mouths' call. Company G, Eleventh Illinois, 
afterward in the three years' call in Company 
K, Thirty-fifth Illinois Yoluuteers. In the bat- 
tle of Pea Ridge, was taken prisoner, and soon 
found himself in the penitentiary at Little 
Rock, Ark., where he remained eight weeks, and 
was exchanged and returned to his command 
at Cassville, Ark.; from this place the command 
made forced march of eighteen days, averaging 
thirty-eight miles per day, to Cape Girardeau, 
Mo., and sailed on the steamer Sunshine for 
Shiloh, and engaged in the siege of Coriuth; 
while at Clear Springs, Miss., being rusty for a 



job, a portion of the command marched with- 
out orders for Hollow Springs; while on the 
way they met the fellows they were looking for, 
and were severely defeated, and fought a three 
days' retreat. Was in the following battles: 
Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, 
Buzzard Roost, Tunnell Hill, Resaca, and in 
all the fights around Atlanta. Subject was 
taken prisoner at Murfreesboro, and taken to 
Libby Prison; shortly after to Andersonville, 
where he remained a short time. He returned 
home in 1804, worked several summers in brick- 
making, and then engaged in farming. Subject 
was married in St. Louis, Mo., in August 20, 
1873, to 3Iiss Nancy A. Vaugordon, daughter 
of John Vangordon, and settled on a farm in 
Section 16, Jackson Township. Mr. Hughes 
has a family of four children — Harmeniah was 
born August 23, 1874; Carrie was born Au- 
gust 10, 1876; Millie S. was born October 10, 
1878, and Hattie was born January 10, 1882. 

JOHN HUNTER, cabinet workman. Mason, 
is a son of Hugh Hunter, and was born in 
1798 in Ayrshire, Scotland. He served as ap- 
prentice at the carpenter's trade, and pursued 
that occupation for about twenty years in 
Scotland, England and Ireland. He came to 
New l''ork City, and followed Ills trade three 
years in Brooklyn; then went to Chicago, and 
remained several years, and then worked in 
Mattoon, and moved to Mason, Effingham Co., 
111., in 1863, again engaged in cabinet-work 
and carpentering. He remained in Mason 
about ten years, and moved to Samuel Winter's 
place, where he has been since 1873, Subject 
was married to Miss Isabella Crumbie in 1827, 
in Glasgow, Scotland, who died in 1846 in 
Manchester, England. He was again married 
to Miss Margaret Queen, in Scotland, who died 
before he came to America. Subject has been 
married since he came to America, to Miss 
Jane Farrell, date uuknown. Subject has lately 
purchased a farm of forty acres, two and a half 
miles north of Mason. He has lately drawn a 



184 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



pension of $1,623 for his son John, who was 
killed in the rebellion. Subject has one child, 
living — -Robert, born in January 24, 1861, in 
Effingham County, 111. 

GEORGE W. McCLURE, merchant, Dexter, 
is a son of A. H. and Eliza McClure, and was 
born February 2, 1858, at Mills Prairie, Ed- 
wards Co., 111. Subject clerked in his father's 
store considerable of his time up to 1879, when 
he purchased Mr. Said's store-building, dwell- 
ing and property, in Dexter, and put in a first 
class stock of goods, and engaged in merchan- 
dising. Subject was married to Miss Susan 
Walser in Edwards County, III, September 9, 
1880. Subject carries a first-class stock of 
goods, has a good run of patronage and is de- 
cidedly' successful. Has one child — Chester 
Arthur, born September 19, 1881. Subject's 
father, Mr. A. H. McClure, was born in Ed- 
wards Count}', 111. In 1851, during the gold 
excitement in California, he and his father sold 
their farms and emigrated to California, to en- 
gage in mining ; met with fair success, returned 
in 185.3, and bought their home farms back, 
where he still continues his profession — mer- 
chandising and farming. Subject was married, 
in 1857, to Miss Eliza Pixley. Mr. McClure is 
a zealous politician of the Republican persua- 
sion. He has a family of seven children — 
George W., Perthema I., Jesse, Osman, Will- 
iam A., Addie F., Harvey H. 

D. E. McMULLEN, farmer, P. 0. Dexter, 
is a son of William McMullen, and was born 
April 9, 1837, in Edgar County, 111. He en- 
gaged in the trade of butchering iu 1862, at 
Paris. Edgar Co., 111., and was married in Ed- 
gar Gountj', 111., to Miss Nancy Arbuckle, 
daughter of John Arbuckle, February 28, 1864. 
Our subject moved to Missouri iu 1865, where 
he remaiued a short time, and then moved to 
Bond Countj', 111., where he engaged in the 
milling business ; moved to Effingham Count}', 
111., in April, 1869, and engaged in farming on 
a farm owned by I. B. Humes, in Section 11, 



and in 1872, rented a farm of E. H. Bishop, in 
Section 5, where he has followed farming as 
well as trading in stock since ; and has made 
his avocation a decided success in this county ; 
and in 1882 purchased land to the amount of 
240 acres. Subject is a Democrat and takes 
an active part in politics ; has been elected 
Highwaj' Commissioner several times ; the last 
race, owing to a multiplicity of candidates, was 
conducted with the spirit of a Presedential 
campaign. Subject has a familj- of five chil- 
dren — Clarence A., William E., Ora May, Lillie 
Leonoria, Etta Lulu. Subject's father, Will- 
iam McMullen, was born in 1813, moved to 
Edgar County, 111., with his parents in 1827, 
and was married in 1837, to Annie Wileman, 
daughter of Jacob Wileman. He is a farmer 
and lives on his farm of 120 acres, two miles 
south of Paris, 111., on which he has an excel- 
lent orchard and first-class buildings, and is 
supplied with anything life can ask. He raised 
a family of five children — Annie F., wife of 
Thomas Laughlin, who lives iu Iowa ; Eliza- 
beth, lives in Edgar County; Juliet V"., wife of 
E. Milburn, died in 1862 ; Alcinda McMullen 
lives with her parents, aud Daniel E., the sub- 
ject of this sketch. 

SOLOMON MBSNARD, farmer, P. 0. Wat- 
son, is a son of John Mesnard, and was 
born February 2, 1826, in Connecticut. He 
moved with his parents to Fairfield County, 
Ohio, in 1834, and to Effingham County, 111., 
in 1842. Mr. Mesnard was married in Fair- 
field County, Ohio, August 10, 1846, to Miss 
Mary Spitler, daughter of Henry Spitler. Moved 
to Effingham County, 111., and located on a farm 
near Freemanton, and followed farming until 
1862, when he enlisted in the war, in Company 
G, One Hundred and Fifteenth Illinois Volun- 
teers. Met the rebs the first time at Coving- 
ton, K}-. Subject was in sixteen regular bat- 
tles, of which the following are the principal 
engagements : Fort Donelson, Stone River, 
Chickamauga, Mission Ridge. Chattanooga, Buz- 



JACKSON TOAVNSHIP. 



185 



zard Roost Mountain, Stephenson, Ala., Tun- 
nel Hill, Resaca, Ga., and Franklin, Tenn. 
Was discharged in July, 1805, and returned 
home and engaged in forming. In 1868, pur- 
chased a farm of forty acres in Section 26, 
Jackson Township, to which ho has added 120 
acres, making ICO, one-fourth in the bottom, 
and half of it under cultivation. Subject is a 
Democrat; has been elected Supervisor of Jack- 
son two terms. Subject's wife died October 18, 
1877, and he was married April 7, 1878, to 
Mary J. Reed, in Shelby County, 111. Mr. Mes- 
nard has a familj- of seven children by his first 
wife, viz.; Rebecca Clum, Delila Drum, AUie 
Parks, John H., James A., William S., Annie 
A., and two by his second wife, Lela and Rob- 
ert A. Subject's father, John Mesnard, was 
born in France March 2, 1789. Came to New 
York Git}- at the age of seventeen. Was mar- 
ried Januarj- 6. 1811, to Miss Phebe Slocum in 
Connecticut. Mr. Mesnard was a cooper by 
profession. After a residence of several years 
in Connecticut he moved to New York City, 
where he remained until 1832, when he moved 
to Fairfield Count}-, Ohio, where he remained 
until 1842, then moved to Effingham County, 
111., and purchased a farm of eighty acres in 
Summit Township. In 1847, he sold his farm 
and located in Jackson Township. He died at 
the residence of his son August 14, 1868, and 
his wife died May 13, 1860, at the age of sixty- 
seven. 

ADDISON E. MESNARD, former, P. 0. 
Dexter, is a son of John Mesnard, and was 
born in 1828. Moved to Ohio in 1833 with his 
parents, and came to Effingham County, 111., in 
1841. He was married to Miss Margaret Da- 
vidson, daughter of Samuel Davidson, about 
the year 1850. She died soon after. Septem- 
ber 20, 1855, subject was married to Miss Mary 
Ann Mitchell. He settled on a farm of 100 
acres in Section 10. Jackson Township. Sub- 
ject enlisted in the service of the United States 
in 1862, and served about four months. Was 



never forwarded to the field of battle. Subject 
has a family of nine children — Margaret E., 
wife of 0. A. Mitchell ; Franklin, Electa J., 
Norman M., Levina Rosa, John A., Mary C, 
Charles Nelson and Walter. 

CALVIN MITCHELL, farmer and stock- 
raiser, P. 0. Watson, whose portrait appears 
in this work, was born in Brown Count}', Ohio, 
December 2, 1816, and is a son of Ensign and 
Elizabeth (Calvin) Mitchell, the former a na- 
tive of New York, and the latter of Ohio. He 
was born March 3, 1787, and cast his first vote 
for President Madison in 1809. He was a 
stanch patriot and took an active part in the 
defense of his countr}-, both against the Indians 
and in the war of 1812, in the latter of which 
he served as a Captain. His educational ad- 
vantages, such as the countrj' afforded at that 
day, were limited, but his thirst for knowledge 
led him to the attainment of much valuable 
information, thus rendering him a useful mem- 
ber of society. In 1815, he married Miss Eliz- 
abeth Calvin, in Ohio, where he resided until 
1830. when he moved to Edgar Co., 111., locat- 
ing one and a fourth miles from Bloomfield, and 
lived there the remainder of his life. Ten 
children were born to him. The sons living, 
are Calvin Mitcliell (subject) and Capt. Samuel 
and John Mitchell, of Edgar County, 111. In 
1845, his wife died, and in 1850 he married his 
second wife, Mrs. Mary Riley, with whom he 
lived thirty-nine years, until his death, which 
occurred January 14, 1879, aged nearly ninety- 
two 3-ears. He was a man of undoubted lion- 
esty, proverbially kind and generous to his fel- 
low-men, no one ever applying to him for 
assistance in vain. He was active and indus- 
trious, and a zealous Christian. One can scarcely 
realize and appreciate the events crowded in 
one life, though stretching over a period of al- 
most a century. During Mr. Mitchell's boy- 
hood, Washington and Adams were Presidents, 
and during his long life he saw the republic 
grow up from a feeble community into the 



186 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



grandest country the world has ever seen. 
When his country needed his services, he fell 
into the ranks and did his duty, and when age 
and infirmity compelled him to rest from his 
labors, he had sons to fill his place, whom he 
trained up to follow in his footsteps. Calvin 
Mitchell, the subject of this sketch, when four- 
teen }'ears of age, came with his parents to 
Edgar County, 111., where he aided his father in 
opening up a farm. His education was obtained 
in the common schools of the country, and at 
the college at Franklin, Ind., which he attended 
from 1841 to 1844, thus obtaining a good, prac- 
tical education, together with civil engineering. 
About the year 1837, he commenced to work 
for himself, and spent some four years in build- 
ing turnpike roads in Clark County, 111., in the 
employ of the State. He then, after attending 
college, as above stated, taught school in John- 
son County, Ind., until 1852, when he emigrated 
to Clay County, 111., where he bought 285 acres 
of land. This he farmed successfullj-, devot- 
ing, at the same time, considerable attention to 
stock-raising. In 1856, he bought a steam 
mill at Georgetown (in same county), and en- 
gaged in the lumbering business. In 1857, he 
sold his farm in Clay Couut}-, and moved his 
mill to Union Township, EfHngham Count}-. 
The investment in this mill proved a losing one 
to him, and he finally traded it in 1858, for the 
old "Nelson farm" of 160 acres, iu Jackson 
Township, to which he has since added eight}' 
acres. By the most persevering industry and 
unswerving integrity, he has mude up the losses 
and liquidated the debts incurred in his mill 
transaction. Mr. Mitchell was married to ICliza 
Ann Allen, a daughter of Elijah and Christiana 
Allen, of Johnson County. Ind., April 13, 1845. 
The result of this marriage is six children, all 
sons and citizens of Effingham County, except 
Ensign S., who is a railroad man in Wisconsin. 
Orlando A., born in Johnson County, Ind., 
January 16, 1846; David 0., born in Edinburg, 
Ind., December 30, 1846; Ensign S., born Oc- 



tober 17, 1848; Elijah C, born July 24, 1850; 
Claudius E., born October 20, 1856, and Joseph 
C, born December 15, 1859. Politically, Mr. 
Mitchell is a stanch Democrat. He was elected 
Surve3or of Effingham County two terms, an 
oflSce he filled with honor and credit. He is a 
man of a fine sense of honor, of a kind and 
liberal disposition, often subjecting himself to 
inconvenience to accommodate his friends. 
Elijah Allen, the father of Mrs. Mitchell, was 
born December 6, 1782, in Kentucky, and when 
but three years of age his father was killed by 
Indians. In 1803, when twentj'-one years old, 
he went to Ohio, where he married Miss Chris- 
tiana Banta, August 5, 1805. He was a Cap- 
tain in the war of 1812. and also served in the 
Black Hawk war in 1832. In 1827, he removed 
to Johnson Count}-, Ind., where he lived until 
1852, when he came to Illinois and settled in 
Clay County, purchasing an improved farm of 
320 acres, upon which he died November 15, 
1857, aged seventy-four years. He had twelve 
children, all daughters except one, David B., who 
was an influential citizen of Johnson County, 
Ind., serving several terms as Countj- Clerk and 
Sheriff. In 1846, he went into the Mexican war 
as Captain of a company of volunteers. . He 
died at Monterey, January 9, 1847, aged thirty- 
nine years. 

JOSHUA G. MITCHELL, farmer, P. 0. 
Effingham, is a son of Daniel S. Mitchell, and 
was born January 27, 1835, in Smith County, 
Tenn.; moved to Johnson Count}-, Ind., with 
his parents in 1837, and to Effingham County, 
111., in 1840. In 1856, Mr. M. taught a school 
in District 5, Jackson Township. He was 
married, March 19, 1857, to Susanna Clark, 
daughter of James D. Clark, and settled on a 
farm, where he still resides and follows the 
occupation of farming. Subject is a Democrat, 
and has been elected to the offices of Town 
Clerk and Assessor several terms. Has been 
a member of the Baptist Church since 1873. 
Subject has five children — James D., was born 



JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 



187 



December 13, 1857 ; Lawrence M., was born 
February 12, 1862; George A., was born Jan- 
uarj' 22, 186-t ; Izora B., was born December 
16, 1870; Pinkney B., was born June 11, 1872. 
Subject's father, David S. Mitchell, was born in 
Smith County, Tenn., April 11, 1815. He was 
married to Miss Mahala Parkhurst, May 29, 
1833; emigrated to Johnson County, Ind., in 
1837, and to ElHngham County, 111., in 1840, 
and settled a farm three miles south of Ewing- 
ton. and afterward on a piece of land in Section 
10, Jackson, where he resided till his death, 
which occurred April 23, 1877. Mr. Mitchell 
was a man of sterling integrity, and universallj' 
respected by all who knew him. He filled 
various offices during his lifetime — Justice of 
the Peace, Town Clerk, Town Treasurer, etc. 
He held the office of Justice of the Peace 
twelve years. His wife, Mrs. Mahala Mitchell, 
was born in Smith Count}', Tenn., in 1811, and 
died in Jackson Township, March 15, 1874. 

SOLOMON NORRIS, farmer, P. O. Watson, 
is a son of Ziba Norris, and was born in Harrison 
County, Ohio, August 30, 1821. He was mar- 
ried, October 23, 1841, to Miss Elizabeth Stew- 
art, daughter of Thomas and Delilah Stewart, 
and engaged in farming his father's farm till 
1851, when he moved to Jackson County, Ohio, 
and bought a farm of ninety acres, on which be 
lived about two years and sold; bought and 
sold several pieces of land. In 1 854, he engaged 
in merchandising, and at the same time farming 
rather extensively, at which he continued for 
seven 3'ears, carrying a first-class stock of 
goods. In addition to this, he purchased a 
steam saw-mill, and met with fair success; out 
of these three enterprises, made a great deal of 
money. In 1801, sold his store and mill and 
moved onto his farm, where he remained till 
1864, when he sold his farm and removed to 
Effingham County, 111., and located on a farm 
in Jackson Township. In 1871, bought a farm 
of forty acres in Section 28, Jackson Town- 
ship, and moved onto it. to which he has added 



eightj' acres. Mr. S. is a Democrat; has been 
elected to various township offices, such as 
Justice of the Peace, Commissioner of High- 
ways, etc. Subject has seven children — Marga- 
ret A. was born October 15, 1842, wife of James 
Graham, and lives in Ohio; Stewart Norris was 
born April 4, 1845, and was married January 
21, 1870, to Miss Catharine White, daughter of 
Jesse "W^hite; Juda was born Jul}- 26, 1846, and 
was married to James H. Davidson, April 25, 
1875; Solomon was born February 5. 1832; 
Delila, wife of Thornton Reynolds, was born 
August 16, 1853; John Norris was born June 
20, 1855, and was married to Miss Sarah J. 
Robertson, April 27, 1876; William Z. was born 
March 10, 1862. Subject's father, Ziba Norris, 
was born in New Jersey July 26, 1799; moved 
with his parents to Washington County, Penn.. 
in 1812, and to Harrison County, Ohio, in 1815. 
He was married, in 1820, to Miss Juda Cort- 
write, daughter of John and Mary Cortwrite, 
in Columbiana County, Ohio. Subject was a 
farmer, located on a farm of 160 acres, which 
was settled by his father in 1815, and did not 
allow it to pass to strangers, where he lived till 
his death. He raised a familj- of ten children 
— Solomon, Mary, John, Hannah, Rebecca, 
William, Daniel, Elcy. Caroline and Juda A. 

GEORGE W. PARKS, farmer, P. 0. Dexter, 
son of Joseph Parks, was born November 24, 
1842, in Clark County, Ohio. He enlisted in 
the war in 1861; was in the battles of Stone 
River, Chattanooga and Chickamauga; was 
wounded at Mission Ridge, and sent to Camp 
Denison, Ohio, where he remained about six 
months, and returned to his command near 
Resaca, and was in nearlj' all the battles of 
the campaign to Savannah. At the close of 
the war, returned to Butler County, Ohio. Our 
subject was married in January, 1867, to Miss 
Martha Kemp, daughter of John and JLartha 
Kemp, in Butler County, Ohio, and took up 
the occupation of farming. Subject emigrated 
to Effingham County, 111., in 1871; purchased 



188 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



171 acres of land in Section 6, Jackson. His 
faiuil3- consists of tliree children — John K., 
born November 10, 1867; Lizzie E., born July 
30, 1869; Laura A., born May 9, 1881. 

WILLIAM J. Phillips" farmer, P. 0. Ef- 
fingham, is a son of William Phillips, and was 
born in Missouri March 25, 1849. He moved 
with his parents to Franklin Count}', 111., in 
1856, where he remained till 1864, when he en- 
listed in the war — Companj' K, Fortj'-ninth 
Illinois; was forwarded to Memphis, Tenn.;was 
in a number of hard marches and several bat- 
tles around as well as at Nashville, Tenn. His 
regiment being reduced by expiration of time, 
the renmant of 400 was stationed on provost 
duty at Paducah, Ky., thus cutting him olf 
from the repeated series of battles in Sherman's 
campaign; was honorably discharged in 1865. 
Keturned to his home in Franklin County, and 
in 1867 came to Effingham County, HI. Sub- 
ject was married, October 25, 1871, to Miss 
Mary J. Parks, daughter of Andrew J. and 
Sarah Parks. Subject settled on a farm of 
eight}' acres in Sections 11 and 12, Jackson 
Township, mostly bottom land. . Mr. Phillips 
raises a fair amount of grain, corn priucipall}'; 
usuall}' feeds his corn to stock, of which he 
keeps a good supply, especially of cattle. Sub- 
ject has a family of five children, viz.: Law- 
rence D., was born June 1, 1874; Clarence M., 
was born July 16, 1875; Ella Maud, was born 
August 31, 1877; William R., was born Septem- 
ber 19, 1879; Artie Earl, was born December 
16, 1881. Mr. Phillips is a Republican politi- 
cally. Subject's father, William Pliillips, was 
born in July, 1821, in Franklin County, III, 
and was married, in 1841, to Miss Sarah 
Roster, daughter of Daniel and Sarah Roster; 
was a resident of Franklin County with the ex- 
ception of four years he lived in Missouri — 
1849 to 1853. Subject was a farmer, and 
owned a farm of eighty acres. He died at his 
home in Franklin County, at the age of forty, 
two. Mrs. Phillips' father, Andrew J. Parks 



was born in 1802, in North Carolina. Soon 
after, moved with his parents to Tennessee, and 
was married there in 1827 to Miss Sarah 
Franklin, and moved to Franklin County, 111., 
in the year of 1829, and to Shelby County in 
1835; from there to Effingham County, in 
1839, where he settled on a farm in Sections 11 
and 12, Jackson Township, where he lived till 
1847, when he enlisted in the Mexican war. 
Sailed across the Gulf to Tampico, and was in 
Gen. Ta^'lor's army. After a march of about 
400 miles, reached the City of Mexico. He 
died at Pueblo in 1848, and was buried there. 
His wife, Mrs. Sarah Parks, remained on the 
farm where she raised her familj', and lived 
there till her death. 

JOHN PORTER, farmer, P. 0. Mason, was 
born in Jackson Township, this county, Sep- 
tember 13, 1839. He has lived in this county 
and township all his life, except eight j'ears- 
He emigrated to Kansas in 1856 with his par- 
ents, and lived on a farm near West Point over 
the Kansas line. They lived in Linn County, 
Kan., at the time the John Brown raid was 
made. The father of our subject was called a 
Free-Soiler, and he saw three houses burned in 
sight of home, and his father was ordered to 
leave, and did so, and went to Missouri and 
settled in Benton County, and lived there un- 
til tall of 1860, in which j-ear his father moved 
back to this county and township, and died on 
January 14, 1861. He was born in 1805. 
Subject enlisted August 2, 1861, in Company 
A, Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 
and was assigned to the Department of the West 
in Fifteenth Army Corps, under Gen. John A. 
Logan. Subject was in over twenty different bat- 
tles. First, at Island No. 10 and New Madrid, 
Point Pleasant, was at siege of Corinth, and 
October 2 and 3, 1862, battle of Corintb 
defending it against Price, Van Dorn, etc. 
Went from there to Scottsboro, Ala., where 
they re-enlisted for three years, or during 
the war, and subject came home on thirty 



JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 



189 



days' furlough ; on their return, the eneray was 
besieging Chattanooga, Tenn., and at this time 
the Twenty-sixth fought at Tunnel Hill, under 
Gen. Sherman, and broke through lines and 
pursued by forced march to Kiioxville, Tenn., 
raising siege at Chattanooga. This was the 
beginning of the famous " march to the sea," 
and subject was in all the engagements of that 
march. He was wounded on the 22d of July, 
1863, at Decatur, Ga., a minie ball passing 
through his thigh, and was excused from duty 
fifty-five days. His last engagement was at 
Bentonville, S. C. He was mustered out July 
28, 1865, at Springfield, 111. Mr. Porter's eyes 
were affected bj- exposure in army, and for 
eight months after his return he was almost 
blind. In 1866, he bought a farm in this town- 
ship, and has made additions until he has 140 
acres of land, seventy acres in cultivation. 
Married, in October 26, 1865, to Miss Nancy A. 
Cartwright, of this county, Summit Township. 
Have four children living — Amanda E., Mary- 
Catharine, John N., Benjamin F. Father James 
Porter was born in North Carolina, and moved 
when seven years old to Smith County. Tenn., 
where he lived until about 1831. He came 
when a young man to this county, and made 
his first improvement near old Ewington, and 
married Miss Mary A. Parkhurst a short time 
after his arrival. He started improvements in 
several places in the county', owning land in 
several parts of the county where he lived. He 
was a Democrat, had ten children, seven still 
livjng. Subject is oldest son. Is a Democrat, 
and served as Collector and Assessor of Town- 
ship. 

HERBERT REED, minister, Dexter, is a 
son of Henry Reed, and was born December 1, 
1841, in St. Louis, Mo. At the age of nineteen, 
he enlisted in the war in August, 1861, Com- 
pany D, Eighth Illinois Volunteers; was in the 
following battles : Fort Henry; Fort Donclson, 
where he was wounded and was sent home on 
a furlough; at its expiration, reported back to 



his command at Shiloh, and was in the siege of 
Corinth, Port Gibson, Miss., Raymond, Jack- 
son, Champion Hill and siege of Vicksburg; 
was discharged August 2, 1864, and returned 
to his home in Jasper Count}-, 111., and settled 
to farming. Subject located in Effingham 
County, in 1872. Was married to Mrs. Hester 
Angel April 10, 1875. Subject was licensed 
to preach by the M. E. Church (South), April 
1, 1876; joined the Conference in 1880. Sub- 
ject has three children — Annie Laura, Victor 
Lenoir and Eva J. Subject's father, Henry 
Reed, was born in 1806, and was married in 
1834. He was a ship-carpenter, and moved 
to various cities to secure employment at his 
trade, and finally located in Green County, Ky., 
where he died in 1847, and after his death his 
widow and family settled in Jasper County, 111. 
WILLIAM RILEY, farmer, P. 0. Effingham, 
is a son of John Riley, and was born 1818 in 
Wayne Count}-, N. Y. At the death of his father, 
which occurred when Mr. R. was quite young, 
he was bound out among strangers. At the age 
of twenty, subject engaged in farming for him- 
self and pursued that till 1841, when he enlisted 
in the Florida war against the Seminole Indians, 
but was discharged in 1842, on account of in- 
ability for service. Subject soon after emi- 
grated to Rock County, Wis., and engaged in 
carpentering under William Perry, which occu- 
pation, in connection with farming, he followed 
till 1853, when he was married, to Miss Rox- 
anna James, and moved to Memphis, Tenn., 
and from there to Illinois in 1854. Subject 
lived in Ewington, and engaged in carpenter- 
ing till 1859; then moved to his land in Jackson 
Township. Subject enlisted in the war in 1861, 
Companj- K, Thirty-fifth Illinois Volunteers. 
At the battle of Pea Ridge, Mr. Riley- was taken 
prisoner, but was soon after exchanged. In 
June, 1862, an order was issued to dischaige all 
invalid soldiers, consequently Mr. R. was hon- 
orably discharged. He returned home and en- 
gaged in farming; has a farm of 200 acres. 



190 



BIOGRAPHICAL : 



Subject has a family of three children — William 
B. Rile^-, was born Oct. 15, 1857; was married 
to Miss Emma V. Nichols, November 20, 1879, 
and settled on a piece of land in Section 10, 
Jackson Township; Ida E., and Loretta. wife of 
James White, Jr. 

JESSE HALLEY SAID, farmer, P. 0. Dex- 
ter, is a son of Jesse and Nancy Said, and was 
born Februar}' 18, 1827, in Delaware County, 
Ohio. Subject was married December 9, 1847, 
to Miss Susan Thompson, daughter of William 
and Sarah Thompson. Her mother's maiden 
name was Sherman, a distant relative of Gen- 
Sherman. Mr. S. engaged in farming and stock 
droving near New York City, at which he con- 
tinued till 1859, when he moved to Effingham 
County, 111. In 1860, he was appointed enroll- 
ing officer for this county ; also Deputy Marshal 
for the Sixteenth Congressional District, which 
position he filled until the close of the war, in 
1865. After the war, he engaged in merchan- 
dising in Dexter, which he followed about six 
years. Then took to railroading as a contractor 
to supply timber for the Vandalia Railroad ; 
also station agent. Pursued the business until 
1878, since when he has followed the avocation 
of a farmer. Mr. S. has been the owner of an 
immense amount of land in this countj'. Has 
sold all but sixty-two acres. Subject has a 
familj" of three children, viz.: William T., born 
July 26, 1849, and married to Miss Ella May 
Wallace, daughter of Nelson and Zilla Wallace, 
February 19, 1879, and has one child, Lucy 
Alice, born in 1880 ; Winfield, born October 2, 
1852, was married to Miss Kittj' McAdoo Jan- 
uary 3, 1877 ; Nancy J., born July 15, 1857, 
wife of William G. Keefer. Subject's father, 
Jesse Said, was born March 15, 1791; was a 
soldier in the war of 1812. He was taken pris- 
oner in the battle of Winchester's defeat, at 
French Town, in 1813. Was taken into Cana- 
da, where he was held a prisoner for some time, 
and was exchanged. Subject was married in 
1816 to Miss Nancy Eubanks, daughter of 



Thomas Eubanks, in Clark County, Kj'., and 
moved to Delaware County, Ohio, in 1818, and 
lived there until 1859, when he moved to Effing- 
ham County, 111. Subject accumulated a large 
amount of land. He died in 1875, and his 
wife, Mrs. Nancy Said, died in 1880. Of a fam- 
ily of twelve children, five are living, namelj' : 
Susan Loveless, Jesse H. Said, William Said, 
Harriet Smith and Harvey Said. 

HIRAM P. SIMONTON, farmer, P. 0. Dex- 
ter, is a son of Theophilus Simonton, and was 
born in 1831. At the age of seventeen he be- 
gan an apprenticeship in a printing office in 
Batavia, Ohio, on the Clermont Courier, an 
office of considerable notoriety, as it had for- 
merly been managed by Col. jNIaderia, a mem- 
ber of the State Legislature, and afterward a 
member of the United States Senate. During 
the campaign of 1848, Mr. S., in connection 
with another gentleman, did the principal work 
of running a campaign bulletin, entitled Hough 
and Ready. After several years' work at this 
business, Mr. S. became dissatisfied with the 
printer's work, and engaged in and served an 
apprenticeship as a millwright and machinist. 
Subject was married to Miss Amelia Danbury 
in 1854, in Clermont County, Ohio. Continued 
the millwright and machinist business in Ohio 
and Illinois for a number of years, and worked 
on some very large contracts, one of which was 
a mill built in Lexington, McLean Co., 111., at a 
cost of $40,000. Mr. Simonton moved to Van- 
dalia in 1857, bought a steam saw and grist 
mill, and remained there until 1862, when he 
sold out, moved from Vandalia to l^ffingham in 
1863, bought a saw mill, and located about 
three miles west of Effingham. After four 
j-ears' work in business there, sold his mill and 
purchased a farm of 138 acres in Moccasin and 
Summit Townships. He traded his land in 
Moccasin for a farm of eight}' acres in Section 
16, Jackson Township, and sold his land in 
Summit, and moved to Jackson Township in 
1872. Bought a saw mill the same year and 



JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 



191 



put it up in SiH'tion 16. Mr. S. has an excel- 
lent bottom farm, on which lie raises a great 
amount of grain ; he makes farming his prin- 
cipal employment, running a mill at intervals 
of leisure. Mr. Siraonton is a Democrat of a 
prominent character in political circles of the 
county. Has served four terms as Supervisor 
of Jackson Township. He has a family of four 
children, viz.: William T., Carrie B. (wife of 
D. O. Mitchell, and lives in Lucas Township), 
Henry Clay and Joseph C. 

WILLIAM T. SIMONTON, former, P. 0. 
Dexter, son of Hiram P. and Amelia Simonton, 
was born in Clermont County, Ohio ; removed 
with his parents when quite young to Fa3-ette 
County, 111., afterward to Effingham County, 
111. He was raised on a farm with fair facili- 
ties for educating himself, and he improved the 
opportunity and secured fair business qualifi- 
cations. During his boyhood, he followed 
farming and working in his father's steam 
saw-mill. He takes a zealous interest in poli- 
tics. He is a Democrat ; has been elected to 
the oflBce of Highway Commissioner one term. . 
He was sent as a delegate to the Democratic 
Congressional Convention, at Vandalia, 111., 
August 10, 1882. He made a number of 
political speeches during the fall of 1882. He 
is a member of the Masonic fraternity-. Sep- 
tember 26, 1882, Mr. S. and Miss Mary Arizo- 
na Miller were united iu marriage. He located 
on a farm of eighty acres in Section 3, Jackson 
Township, to which he has added 120 acres, 
making 200 acres, on which he has good im- 
provements and dwelling. He has a family of 
two children, as follows : Winfield S. was born 
August 9, 1879 ; William Clyde was born Sep- 
tember 20, 1881. 

GEORGE W. SMITH, former, P. 0. Wat- 
son, son of George Smith, was born August 
8, 1813, in Lancaster Countj-, Penn. He was 
married May 4, 1837, in Franklin County, 
Penn., to Miss Maria Adaire. At first he en- 
gaged in blacksmithing, which he followed for 



some time, and then engaged in farming, which 
he followed in various parts of Ohio. In 1863, 
removed to Effingham Count}', 111. He pur- 
chased a farm of 137 acres in Sees. 22 and 23. 
He has 100 acres in cultivation, mostly bot- 
tom, which is very fertile. He is an excellent 
farmer. Subject has a family of five children, 
namely — Calvin was born April 3, 1840, and 
lives in Minnesota ; Harriet M. was born Au- 
gust 21, 1843; Samuel H. was born March 19, 
1848, and lives in Kansas ; George B., born 
August 8, 1850, and lives in ^Minnesota ; Adoni- 
ram was born January 1, 1853, and lives in 
Minnesota. 

JONATHAN TREXLER, farmer, P. 0. Ef- 
fingham, son of Jonathan Trexler, was born 
March 19, 1821, in Jackson County, Ohio. He 
was married September 3, 1844, to Miss Dru- 
cilla Foster, daughter of Samuel and Sarah 
Foster; located on a piece of land, 120 acres 
in the timber, and cleared about fifty acres. 
In 1852, he sold his farm in Jackson County, 
j and emigrated to Effingham County, III., and 
settled a farm of 160 acres in Section 14, Jack- 
son Township. In 1853, he began the work of 
clearing a farm in the river bottom, and has 
about seventy-five acres in cultivation, mostly 
in the bottom ; has good buildings, a good 
orchard, and is in well-to-do circumstances. 
Subject has a family of two children living — 
Sarah E. was born Januar}- 7, 1848. was mar- 
ried to John C. Reynolds, April 1, 1871; Eve- 
line was born Maj- 31, 1857, and was married 
to Elijah C. Mitchell, November 21, 1874. 
Subject votes the Republican ticket, and has 
been a member of the Christian Church since 
1847. Mr. Trexler's wife died December 1, 
186G. Subject's father, Jonathan Trexler, was 
born in New Jersey November 14, 1791. At 
the age of twenty, he enlisted in the war of 
1812. Was married, in 1815, in Jackson 
Count}', Ohio, to Miss Rachel Martin, and en- 
gaged in farming. In 1853, he moved to Jas- 
per County, 111., and bought a farm in North 



192 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Muddj' Township. Purchased for his children 
and himself probably 500 acres of land. Sub- 
ject raised a family of ten children, viz.: John, 
Mary, Jonathan, David, Johnson, Jackson, 
Catharine, Vinton, William W., and Rachel. 
The father died Jauuury 29, 1880, in Jasper 
County, 111. 

JAMES TURNER. " That whereunto man's 
nature doth most aspire, which is immortality 
or continuance; for to this tendeth generation, 
and raising of houses and families; to this 
buildings, foundations and monuments; to this 
tendeth the desire of memor}', fame and cele- 
bration, and in effect the strength of all other 
human desires. We see then how for the mon- 
uments of wit and learning are more durable 
than the monuments of power or of the hands. 
For have not the verses of Homer continued 
twenty-five hundred years or more, without the 
loss of a syllable or letter? during which time, 
infinite palaces, temples, castles, cities have 
been decajed and demolished. But the image 
of men's wits remain in books, exempted from 
the wrong of time, and capable of perpetual 
renovation, neither are the}' fitly to be called 
images, because they generate still, and cast 
their seeds in the minds of others, provoking 
and causing infinite actions and opinions in 
succeeding ages. The types are as ships which 
pass through the vast seas of time, and make 
ages to participate of the wisdom, illuminations 
and inventions, the one of the other." — Lord 
Bacon. 

A proper biographical history of the men of 
the world, who by their just and great lives — 
no matter how humble the sphere in which 
they lived and toiled — men who have molded 
and made possible the march of civilization, 
would be the book of all books for the coutem- 
templation and study of men. In the olden 
time, it was onl}^ kings and conquerors — 
tyrants and brutes mostly — that the sj'cophancy 
of history deemed worthy of mention. It has 
been only a modern conception that he only is 
great whose life walk has been good — who has 
toiled for the betterment of mankind — who has 
made two blades of grass grow where only one 
grew before; in short, he who has thought 



some thought or perfected some work or labor 
that tends to better and lift up and perpetuate 
the real good and improvement of his fellow- 
man. These are the earth's great men and 
benefactors — the men incomparably above and 
beyond wealth, titles, positions or power. 

James Turner was born in Buckingham 
County, Va., July 29, 1799. His father was a 
Revolutionar}- soldier, who cast his fortune 
and his life with our forefathers, and who 
came out of that long and suffering struggle 
with only his life and liberty. When the war 
was over, he returned to his humble black- 
smith shop and here he toiled to support and 
rear his famil}' of three children. He died in 
1806 after long sufferings, first, from a fall from 
a building where he was at work, and then from 
an attack of rheumatism that eventually caused 
his death, leaving a widow and three small 
children, two boys and a girl. James Turner 
was the youngest of these children, and was 
seven years of age when his father died. Upon 
his mother's farm he toiled unremittingly, so 
much so, indeed, that where there were very 
sparse school facilities, he was wholly deprived 
of even the limited advantages they could give. 
December 16, 1818, he was married to Elsah 
Pendleton, of Buckingham County, and at once 
commenced life for himself and wife at the age 
of nineteen 3'ears. For three years he was gen- 
eral manager and controller of different planta- 
tions upon a small salary. In 1823, he moved 
to Wilson County, Tenn.. taking with him his 
mother, wife and first born babe, where he pur- 
chased a small farm, and hired a sufficient 
force to run it while he worked four years at 
the carpenter's trade. His business was mod- 
erately prosperous here, and he accumulated 
some property. But he had friends and ac- 
quaintances in the new State of Illinois, among 
whom were Judge Broom, Ben Alien, Stephen 
Austin and Duke Robinson; they had all writ- 
ten him just and glorious accounts of this new 
country, and responsive to these letters in the 



JACKSON TOAVNSHIP. 



193 



j'ear 1829 he came here to see for himself. 
While here on tiiis visit of inspection he made 
up his mind to cast his fortune with liis Illi- 
nois friends, and he selected the spot for his 
future and permanent home. There was much 
sincere pleasure among his friends when the\" 
learned that he was soon to bring his family 
and to come and to be one of them. He re- 
turned to Tennessee, sold his little farm, and in 
November, 1830, arrived in Effingham County. 
His equipage was a wagon and four horse 
team, a wife and six children, and they had 
made the journey of over .300 miles in about 
two weeks. He at once built himself a cabin 
on the spot where he yet resides. This was 
then heav}' oak timber land. While engaged 
in putting up his little bouse, lie lived in a house 
that belonged to Stephen Austin. An instance 
of the scarcity of able-bodied men at that time, 
is given in the fact that he had to appoint five 
different gatherings of house raisers before he 
could get force enough to put up the logs. 
This little old cabin is still standing, and Mr. 
Turner takes great pride in telling over the 
winter's hard work and difficulties it cost him. 
He moved into his own house March 14, 1831, 
and the great old oak trees that stood so thick 
about his premises, he cut down and cleared 
away, working by the light of the moon, after 
hard days of toil in his blacksmith shop, or at 
the carpenter's bench, doing the pressinglj' 
needed work for the people of the count3^ 
Prior to his coming, men had to go to Vanda- 
lia or Shelbyville for such blacksmith work as 
he now wrought for them. The coming of 
James Turner into our county was an event of 
the greatest importance to the people. It was 
not only the addition of one of the best of fam- 
ilies, but he brought with him more of this 
world's goods than did any man who preceded 
him. His teams and wagons were a greater 
necessity to the people, as was his work in iron 
and wood of the greatest importance to all. 
Until he could raise a crop, he purchased what 



corn he could of the fanners, but this giving 
out, he was compelled to go into Edgar Coun- 
ty, some miles l)e3-ond Paris, where he found 
some moldy corn. It was wretched stuff, but 
the best and all he could find. He was accom- 
panied by Jacob Nelson on this trip. When 
they secured the corn, they returned by way of 
Shaw's mill, but he would not grind their grain, 
so they continued their way to Slover's mill at 
the head of the Little Wabash. The trip occu- 
pied five days. Mr. Turner and Abraham 
Pendleton deadened the timber, and the first 
year put in seven acres of corn, but being in 
the bottom, the frost ruined it, but Pendleton's 
was on the upland and his four acres was the 
bread supply from the first crop. Mr. Turner's 
first attempt to raise wheat was in 1832. He 
planted four acres, and tramped it with horses, 
and 'fanned" it bj- a sheet vigorously- plied by 
two men, while another poured it in a stream 
standing upon some object. The terrible job 
was eventually completed, but such work de- 
termined Mr. Turner, and at once he went back 
to Tennessee and brought back with him a fan- 
ning mill, the first that was ever brought to 
the settlements. For a long time it was hauled 
all over the countiy, as it was loaned to neigh- 
bors. It was a county wind mill, and was lit- 
erally worn out in the service of the people. 
Mr. Turner raised several crops of cotton, se- 
lecting the southern exposure of the hill side, 
with fair success, but the lint was short and 
inferior ever}' way in qualit}-. Finding cotton 
growing here a failure, he made as many as five 
trips to Tennessee to purchase cotton and wool, 
which he carried home and his wife spun and 
wove the clothing for the family-. On one of 
these trips he brought with him iiis mother 
(who had again become a widow), and here she 
lived until her death, April 26, 1839. In these 
communications back with his Tennessee home 
friends, he influenced three different families to 
move here, aud he furnished them transporta- 
tion to come. In 1834, he was enabled to enter 



194 



BIOGRAPHICAL 



of the Government the eighty acres of land 
where he made his first improvement, and to 
this he added as he could, entries adjoining, 
until he thus owned about 500 acres. These 
entries lay on both sides of the Little Wabash. 
He then purchased of private parties until he 
owned about 1,000 acres. He was a success- 
ful farmer and stock-raiser, and his services as 
a carpenter and blacksmith were invaluable and 
of great convenience to all the people. In 1834, 
he was elected a member of the County Com- 
missioners' Court, and served out the term 
faithfully and well, but nothing could ever in- 
duce him to accept office again. His time 
otherwise was too valuable to his family and 
the people to sacrifice it in fulfilling the duties 
of office. The wife, and the good mother of Mr. 
Turner's children, the beloved helpmeet, died 
October 5, 1858, having borne the following 
children: David, born June 21, 1822, in Virginia, 
a farmer near Mason; Robert W., born in 
Tennessee, August 21, 1823, died when twen- 
ty-one years old; James S. B., born in Tennes- 
see, October 21, 1824, a wealthy- farmer, living 
in Shelby County in this State; Lorenzo H., 
born in Tennessee. May 14, 1826, residing in 
Shelby County, 111.; Mary Jane, born July 12, 
1827, wife of Samuel Winters, of Jackson 
Township; John J., born October 5, 1828, 
died November 11, 1832; Henry, born De- 
cember 28, 1830, in Effingham County, a farmer 
near Mason; Nathaniel, born April 14, 1832, 
living on the old homestead; Nancy E., born 
February 6, 1834, wife of Charles Kinsey, 
living in San Francisco; Abram P., born Feb- 
ruary, 183G, died July 29, 1856; Wilson, born 
October 2, 1838, farmer, Mason Township. 
There are now thirty-eight grandchildren, 
twenty-one great-grandchildren and one great- 
great-grandchild. On the 20th of January 
1860, Mr. Turner was married the second time 
to Mary E. Quigley, who was spared to him in 
his old age onlj' until December 10, 1874, 
when she died leaving no children. Mr. Turner 



has been for many years an exemplary and 
consistent member of the Old-School Baptist 
Church. The first vote he ever cast for Presi- 
dent was for General Jackson, and all his life 
he has been a Democrat, a patriot, a Christian, 
an exemplary model citizen and an honest, 
good man, and he has been all these in the 
broadest and truest sense of those terms. His 
long and busy life has been a priceless one to 
his family and of inestimable value to the peo- 
ple of the county. An honest man is the 
noblest work of God. Here is a man not only 
honest but full of that kindly charity, benevo- 
lence and goodness, who never had an enemy, 
and over whose good name no taint or shadow 
has ever passed. His education was confined 
wholly to his own observation and experience; 
the books have been sealed books to him yet 
his strong, active mind made amends largely 
for this, and stored his mind with useful knowl- 
edge. A man of medium stature, blue eyes, 
and although carrying eighty-three years, is 
erect, active and springy in his movements as 
are many men in the joung prime of their man- 
hood. Mentall}' and phj-sicallj- pure and clean- 
ly, no base word or thought ever escaped his 
lips. Although a picture of a green old age — 
of nature's true gentleman — that wins its way 
to the respect and affections of all who behold 
it. 

JAMES WHITE, farmer, P. 0. Watson, is a 
son of Jesse White, and was born August 8, 
1834, in Missouri, and moved with his parents to 
Effingham County, 111., in 1835. He was married, 
September 7, 1854, to Miss Phebe Keltuer, 
daughter of Samuel and Susan Keltner. Sub- 
ject engaged in farming a rented farm of forty 
acres, which he purchased of his father the fol- 
lowing year, to which he added eighty acres 
making 120 acres in Section 24. In 1870, he 
purchased a bottom farm of 160 acres in Sec- 
tions 14 and 15. Mr. White raises a great deal 
of grain, principally corn, which he has sold 
owing to the demand for corn the past few 



JACKSON TOWNSHIP. 



195 



years. Subject has met with the misfortune to 
have to pay security debts excecdlni; $1,000 
from 1879 to 1881. Subject belongs to the 
-Masonic fraternity, and is a model Democrat ; 
has filled tlie office of Supervisor four terms, 
and lield the office of School Director the re- 
markable time of twentj'-five jears. Mr. White 
has a familj' of eight children living, viz.: Dan- 
iel J. was born August 24, 1 855, and was mar- 
ried to Miss Louisa Robertson, daughter of 
William Robertson, February 5, 1877; Cathar- 
ine L. was born Octobers, 1857, and was mar- 
ried to Elisha Thrasher August 13, 1876; James 
A. was born November 7, 1859, and was mar- 
ried November 19, 1881, to Miss Lore tta Riley; 
Branson S. was born March 6, 1861, and was 
married April 15, 1882, to Miss Sarah Ellen 
Hatcher; Isaac L. was born January 30, 1867; 
Charles L. was born December 31, 1868; Van 
C. was born March 23, 1873; Sanford N. was 
born December 24, 1876; Jesse White, subject's 
father, was born May, 1811, in North Carolina; 
at the age of twenty went to Alabama, and then 
Tennessee, and moved to Effingham County, 
111., in 1830; was married in 1831, to Miss 
Catharine Neavill, daughter of George and 
Elizabeth Neavill, and moved to Missouri in 
1834, and back in 18.35. In 1 840, he located 
on 160 acres of land in Sections 23 and 24, 
Jackson Township, which he afterward bought; 
added 120 acres, making 380. Mr. White was 
a verj' strong man till 1848, when he became 
disabled b}- bone er3'sipelas, of which he died 
May 29, 1881. Of a family of fourteen chil- 
dren, ten are living — James, Mary Ann Stif- 
fler, Elisha R., Caroline Beal, Catharine Norris, 
Jesse, Henry and Jane (twins), Franklin, Cas- 
tilia. 

HARVY WILMETH, farmer, P. 0. Watson, 
is a son of Joseph Wilmeth; was born in 1826, 
in Pickaway County-, Ohio. He learned the 
carpenter's trade under his father during his 
boj'hood. and at the age of twentj"-one went to 
the town of Marion, Ohio, to work at bis chosen 



trade. Subject was married to Miss Julia A. 
Monday in 1853, in Marion, Marion Co., Ohio. 
He continued bis trade there till 1858, when he 
sold out and moved to Effingham County, 111., 
purchased 160 acreyof land parti}' in Section 
15, Jackson Township. Suljject has a farm of 
over two hundred acres, about one hundred 
acres in cultivation, bottom and upland, mak- 
ing a desirable as well as a very profitable farm, 
on which there are good buildings and an excel- 
lent orchard. Farms principally corn and 
wheat; usually feeds most of his corn to stock, 
and makes quite a specialty' of stock-raising. 
Politicall}', a Republican. Subject has a family 
of six children, viz., Carless (married Miss 
Eliza Ballard), Franklin, Mary (wife of George 
D. Loveless), Chester, Presley and Bertha. 

WILLIAM WILSON, farmer, P. O. Watson, 
was born in Larne, Antrim Co., Ireland, April 
27, 1826, son of William and Margaret (Eng- 
lish) Wilson, who were married in 1820, in Ire- 
land. Our subject is their only child, the 
mother died in 1826. The father, in after 
jears, married Margaret McKay, bj- whom was 
born five children, all surviving and residing in 
Scotland. William came to America in 1851, 
landing in New York Cit}-; he soon after settled 
at Westfleld, Chautauqua Co., State of New 
York, remaining nearly two years, working on 
a farm owned liy Asa Hall. He then came to 
Effingham Count}-, followed railroading for a 
short time, and finally settling on the farm he 
now owns. He served four months under the 
call for 75,000 men during the rebellion. Our 
subject married Elizabeth Le Crone July 26, 
1853. Mrs. Wilson was born April 7, 1826, 
and unto them were born eight children, two of 
whom are living — Alfred Denu}- Wilson 
and Mattie Boyce Wilson, both married. The 
family were educated in the Presbvtcrian faith, 
to which the descendants still adhere. Mr. 
Wilson has always acted with the Democratic 
party, and has Ijeen elected Supervisor of his 
township several tenns. He settled on the 



196 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



raw prairie, on the edge of the timber line, 
grubbed, cleared, and turned the high wild 
grass under, until he has 240 acres of farm 
under good cultivation. He cleared from the 
stump 200 acres of this land; most of his neigh- 
bors who began life with him, have passed away. 
Mr. Wilson notes that this country for farming 
purposes, is superior to Ireland, or any part of 
the old country, for the reason that more of 
any kind of grain can be raised per acre here, 
with the same amount of labor used there. An 
additional reason that crops of Indian corn and 
various fruits can be raised here that cannot be 
produced in Irish soil, he thinks that if the dis- 
contented people of his native land would come 
out here, and worked the soil, as he did, instead 
of quarreling with their Government, it would 
be better for them and for Ireland. He pro- 
duces one more argument in favor of this coun- 
try for farming purposes over Ireland, that the 
sea storms threshes the grain in the fields be- 
fore garnered, which causes great loss, this being 
caused by Ireland being surrounded by water. 
SAMUEL WINTER, farmer, P. 0." Mason, 
is a son of Benjamin Winter, and was born 
November 12, 1817, in Fairfield County, Ohio. 
Began life for himself at the age of fourteen, 



worked on a farm a short time, and then served 
an apprenticeship to the tanner's trade till 
1840, and came to Effingham Countj^, 111. He 
was married to Miss Mary J. Turner, 
daughter of James Turner, September 5, 
1842, and settled on a piece of land in Sec- 
tion 32. Subject followed the tanner's trade 
till 1852, and then abandoned that and took up 
farming as a livelihood. His farm consisted 
at first of 200 acres of timber and prairie, part 
of which he has donated to his children. Sub- 
ject voted the Whig ticket, after the Whigs 
went down, voted with the Republicans a short 
time, then left them and joined the Democrac}-. 
Subject was Deputy Sheriflf of Effingham Coun- 
ty, under 0. L. Kelley, 1857-58, and was elected 
to the office of Sheriff in 1859, and served one 
term. Mr. Winter has five children — Caroline, 
wife of Elzie Hardsock, was born August 13, 
1843; James B. was born June 14, 1845; Abra- 
ham F. was born December 1, 1848; William H. 
was born February 5, 1851; Charles Walker 
was born May 16, 1853. Subject's father was 
born in 1790, was a farmer, owned a farm of 
eighty acres near Mount Vernon, Ohio, which 
he traded for a farm near Baltimore, Ohio, 
where he died August 5, 1832. 



LIBERTY 

WILLIAM ALLSOP, farmer, P. 0. Beecher 
City, is the second son living that was born to 
John Allsop and Mary Slater, his wife. Her 
uncles, Samuel and William Slater, came to the 
United States in 1790, and were the originators 
and builders of the first cotton factory in 
America. William, the subject of these lines, 
was born March 18, 1836, and came to Amer- 
ica with his parents in 1845, and removed with 
them to the State in December, 1847, and has 
since been a resident of this count}- and town- 
ship. He remained with his parents on the 
homestead until his marriage, which occurred 



TOWNSHIP. 

December 21, 1862, to Sarah H. Zeigler, a na- 
tive of Michigan, daughter of Jacob Zeigler 
and Alvira Tiibbs. Jacob Zeigler was born in 
Butler County, Ohio, and died August 13, 1882. 
His wife, Alvira, came from New York State. 
Mr. Allsop's wife died September 29, 1869, 
leaving two children — Charles and Lillie May. 
Charles was born December 17, 1863 ; Lillie 
M., February 23, 1866. After this he located 
on the farm he now owns. He was mar- 
ried on January 1, 1872, to Mary J. Mar- 
shall. She was born November 21, 1838, in 
Monroe County, N. Y., daughter of Samuel 



LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 



197 



Marshall and Lucinda Gutherie. He was born 
in Barron Count3',Kj-. She onClinch River,Tenu. 
B}- last marriage he had one child. Ida S. B., 
born January 30, 1873. Mr. AUsop is Demo- 
cratic, and a member of Southern Methodist 
Episcopal Church. 

THOMAS ALLSOP, farmer, P. 0. Beecher 
Cit}'. Among the substantial and lead- 
ing farmers of this township is Thomas 
Allsop, who was born May 23, 1838, in 
Derbyshire, England, the ■ fourth son of 
John Allsop and Mary Slater. The family em- 
igrated to this country prior to the Mexican 
war, locating in the District of Columbia, where 
they lived two years, and in December, 1847, 
the father of Thomas came to this State with 
his family and located on land in this township, 
which he had traded for while in the district. 
He owned here 650 acres, 330 acres in this 
township, the remainder in Shelby County. 
Here he settled and remained in the count}- 
until his death, which occurred May 10, 1878, 
at his son's in Effingham. He was born in 
March, 1804. His wife died March 27. 1848, 
born December 27, 1802. To them were born 
six children — Sarah, Samuel, John, William, 
Thomas, Mary. Mar}- and John are deceased. 
Mary married George Eccles ; John died in 
Elfingham ; Sarah is the wife of Thomas D. 
Tenner}', this township. Thomas remained 
with his father until he was twenty-one, then 
began in business for himself in 1859, locating 
where he now resides. Was married first time 
to Elizabeth Hunt, born in Manchester, Eng- 
land, daughter of John Hunt and Elizabeth 
Mapplebeck. She died April 2, 1873, leaving 
six children — Lizzie, John, Emma, Sarah, Mar- 
tha. Lizzie resides in Moccasin Townsliip, 
this county, wife of Joseph Syfert. Second 
wife was Sarah Getz, of Ohio, daughter of 
William Getz ; she died leaving one child 
Bertha. Last wife was Sarah Maliin, born 
in this county, daughter of Edward and 
Elizabeth (Powell) Mahin, he, of Ohio, she of 



Tennessee. By last marriage two children — 
Clarence and Nellie. He has 200 acres in this 
township, IGO acres in Shelby County, and 
farm in Moccasin Township. He has done 
much toward encouraging the breeding of fine 
stock. Democrat, and of the Southern Method- 
ist Church. He has put all the substantial 
improvements on this farm. 

WILLIAM H. ANDERSON, furniture, 
Beecher City. The subject of this sketch 
was born in Fayette County, now London 
Township, December 16, 1843, the fourth 
son of a family of eight children, born to 
Samuel Anderson, a native of South Caro- 
lina, and left here when a young man and 
afterward served five years in the regular 
army, and about the year 1829 or 1830 came 
to Fayette County, where he settled and re- 
mained until his death in the year 1848. His 
wife was Nancy Amerman, a native of Ten- 
nessee, daughter of Stephen Amerman. To 
Samuel Anderson and wife were borne seven 
children, who lived to man and womanhood, 
viz. : James, Jonathan, Caroline, Stephen J., 
Elizabeth, William H., Emma and Matthew. 
William H. was but four years of age when his 
father died ; he then went to live with his un- 
cle, with whom he lived until his death. He 
was at this time thirteen years of age, when he 
turned out for himself, and up to the fall of 
1861 he worked out by the month. October 3, 
1861, he responded to the Nation's call, and 
enlisted in Company B, Tenth Iowa Volunteer 
Infantry, and served three years and two 
months, receiving his discharge in December, 
1864. During this time he participated in the 
battles of Belmont, Corinth, New Madrid, siege 
of Nashville, Mission Ridge, siege of Knoxville, 
Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, Rome, Ga., and 
Dallas, where he was severely wounded in left 
arm, ball passing through same and through 
the left hip and lodged in the left hip joint 
where the ball still lies. Upon his return from 
service came to Fayette, he attended school for 



198 



BIOGKAPHICAL: 



one year after which he taught school one year, 
then engaged in farming, continuing until 1873, 
after w-hich he sold goods at Greenland one 
j-ear and then farmed until 1882, at which time 
he came to Beecher Citj- where he bought 
propertj- in fall of 1881, and in 1882 built a 
business house and is now engaged in the fur- 
niture business. He was married October 3, 
1867, to Hester E. Miller, born in Fayette 
Count}', daughter of William and Callista 
(Beck) Miller. By this marriage of Mr. Ander- 
son six children have been born, four living, 
viz. : Lillie M., Callista A., Isadora and Sa- 
mantha P. Deceased were Emma J. and Liz- 
zie M., members of the Missiouarj- Baptist ; 
also A., F. & A. M., Greenland Lodge, No. 665. 
Republican and strong temperance man. Mr. 
Anderson had four brothers who served in the 
army. James, Jonathan, Stephen J. and 
Matthew. jMatthew served in the Seventh Cav- 
alrj-. The other four served in Company B, 
Tenth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. Jonathan 
had left arm shot off. James had three fin- 
gers shot off from left hand. 

H. L. BEECHER, merchant, Beecher City. 
The subject of the following sketch descended 
from a long line of distinguished ancestors, of 
various avocations, whose decisory character- 
istics are prominentl}- perceivable in the por- 
trait in this book, of him whose name heads 
this biographj-. He is a native of Licking 
County, Ohio, and was born March 14, 1844. 
His parents, Lyman and Jane (Willoughbj-) 
Beecher, were natives of Herkimer Countj', N. 
Y. The former was born March 26, 1817, and 
in 1836, he moved with his father's famil}- to 
Licking County, Ohio. The latter was born 
March 4, 1820, and blessed her consort with 
three children, viz.: Sarah A., born April 4, 
1841, married H. B. Howe, and is living in 
Cleveland, Ohio; H. L.; and Julius S. born 
October 2, 1846, married Ella Norton, of Shaw- 
neetown, 111., and resides in Columbus, Ohio ; 
H. L. received such an education as the 



country schools and one year at college afford- 
ed. He spent the greater part of his early life 
as a tiller of the soil. November 4, 1869, he 
was married to Emma L., a daughter of Wes- 
le}' and Charlotte (Charles) Hancock. Her 
father left his native State, Virginia, at the age 
of sixteen years, and came to Licking County, 
Ohio, where he subsequent!}' married her men- 
tioned above, whose ancestors were from Penn- 
sylvania. Her parents were blessed with 
twelve children, fen of whom grew to maturitj-. 
Four of ^Irs. B.'s brothers held that all men 
should be unfettered in running the race of life, 
hence the system of human slavery found in 
them an honoralile but unrelenting foe ; and 
when the accursed sj'stem organized a rebellion 
against our Government, they took up arms to 
uphold and sustain the just cause of their 
countrJ^ The j-ounger, Charles, enlisted at the 
age of sixteen, in the One hundred and twenty- 
second Ohio Volunteer Infantry; was in forty- 
two battles during three j'ears' service. James 
C. was First Lieutenant in the One Hundred 
and Thirty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Eph- 
raim and Jesse each served three years, and 
the latter was captured by the rebels, and by 
some shrewdness he escaped. Our subject, 
with his wife, removed to Fairfield, Wayne Co., 
111., in February. 1871, and about one j-ear 
later, to Beecher City, this county. The\' lived 
for awhile in the railroad depot. In June, 
1872, the}' transferred their small amount of 
this world's goods to a house which the subject 
had prepared. Mr. B. served as depot and ex- 
press agent for many years at this village. In 
1874, he obtained permission from the railroad 
company to put in the depot a stock of dry 
goods, notions, etc.; aside from this he dealt in 
grain, railroad ties and hoop-poles. He was 
commissioned Postmaster in 1874, and is the 
present incumbent. In the fall of 1876, he 
pui'chased property of the Jennings Brothers, 
and afterward improved the same. He now 
enjoys a large trade in the general mercantile 



LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 



199 



business, the result of his own economy and 
frugal dealings. His union gave him two 
children, viz.: Florence M., born June 18, 1872, 
and a son, born August 27, 1880, and deceased 
in a few da3's. In politics, he is a consistent, 
intelligent and active Republican. In a word, 
he is an honest, truthful and capable man. both 
in public and in private life, ardently attached 
to those things which are true, good and just, 
hating oppression in all its forms, ever read}' 
to rebuke meanness wherever it shows its head. 
He is a member of the Congregational Church, 
while his wife, a lady of rare beauty of person, 
of the most amiable temper and engaging man- 
ners, of high intellectual and social attain- 
ments, is an exemplary member of the Chris- 
tian organization. Mr. B. served four months 
in the late war. C. A. Beeeher, after whom 
Beecher Citj- was named, was born August 27, 
1829 ; he is an uncle of our subject ; was Vice 
President of the company, the constructors of 
the Springfield & Southeastern Railroad, now the 
Springfield Division of the Ohio & Mississippi. 
Hezekiah Beecher, the great-grandfather of H. 
L., was born July 29, 1755, in Woodbridge, 
Conn. He married Philena Johnson, born in 
the same place October 5, 17G1. The union 
resulted in eleven children ; Zina, the secon.d 
child, was the grandfather of our subject ; was 
born in Woodbridge, and in 1806 went to Her- 
kimer County, N. Y.; in 1809, married Lucretia 
Sanford, born in Hamden, Conn., October 27, 
1789. the result being ten children. Zina died 
October 24, 1865, and Lucretia died February 
26, 1880. The mother of H. L. Beecher died 
June 8, 1868, and the father was again married 
to Almeda Bloomer, October 27, 1873, Rev. 
Lyons officiating ; they arc living in Licking 
County, Ohio, on the farm l)ought by Zina 
Beecher in 1836. 

GEORGE W. BROtt^N, grain dealer, Beech- 
er City, was born in Shelby County, 111., 
1840, March 19, of a family of twelve children, 
the fifth in number born to Joseph M. Brown, 



born 1811, August 2, in North Carolina, and 
removed to Tennessee with his parents when 
young, where he was raised to manhood. He was 
married in nineteenth year to Theresa N. Parks, 
daughter of Samuel and Phebe (Caldwell) 
Parks; she died aged one hundred and seven 
3'ears; said to be one hundred and eighteen. 
Phebe was a daughter of Joseph Caldwell, one 
of the Revolutionary soldiers. Joseph M. 
afterward removed to Shelby Count}-, this State, 
arriving November, 1839, and lived here for 
several years, and served as Justice of the Peace 
many j'cars, and removed to this count}-, where 
he has since remained. George W. was raised at 
home, and at the age of seventeen began teach- 
ing in county, and continued for several years. 
Came to Beecher City in 1873, spring, and 
since remained. He learned the tinner's trade, 
and started the first tin shop in Altamont, and 
the first in this place; since 1880 has been en- 
gaged in the grain business, agent for Brown- 
back Bros. He was married, 1860, November 
1, to Jane Fortner, born in Shelby County, the 
daughter of Elisha and Elizabeth Carr Fortner. 
He has four sons — John M., Elisha, Samuel 
H. and William H. Was elected Justice in 
spring of 1881; served as Township Clerk five 
}-ears previous; member of I. 0. O. F., No. 690. 
Member of Universalist Church; Clerk of same. 
A. J. BURKE (deceased), was born 1829, 
November 2, in Harrison Count}', Ohio, 
eldest son of John J. and Nancy (Snyder) 
Burke, both natives of the Carolinas. Andrew 
Jackson remained in Ohio with his parents 
until ten years of age, when he moved with his 
parents to Fayette Count}-, Ind., where he mar- 
ried November 3, 1850, to Mary H., born No- 
ember 11, 1828, in Union County, Ind., the 
second daughter and fifth child of James and 
Annie (Johnson) Geary. James was a son of 
John Geary, of Maryland. Annie, born in 
Kentucky, daughter of Ezekiel Johnson. After 
the marriage of Jlr. A. J. Burke, he settled on 
a part of his father's farm, and engaged in 



200 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



farming, and remained here until the fall of 
1865, when he removed to Illinois, and settled 
on the edge of Shelby County, just across the 
line; here he lived three years, when he moved 
across the line into Liberty Township, where he 
had built, and remained here until his death, 
November 10, 1877. He was a member of the 
Olive Branch Church, and Trustee of same, 
and in politics was Democratic, and a man 
esteemed for his good qualities of mind and 
heart. Surviving him are his widow and five 
children — Frank M., George W., John Thomas, 
Rachel A. and Charles; deceased are Erastus, 
died 1881, aged twenty-three; Rhoda B., died 
March 7, 1881, aged eighteen j'ears, and Angle 
E., infant. 

JOHN COOK, JI. D., Beecher City. Of the 
practitioners of Materia Medica in Etflngham 
County, none are more deserving of success 
than Dr. John Cook, who though young, has 
had a marked and a successful career, which 
has been fairly earned, as he is purelj' self- 
made. He was born January 4, 1849, in Kent, 
England, son of John and Lucj' (Sharp) Cook. 
His father was born April 22, 1821, son of 
John Cook, whose ancestors' for three hundred 
j'ears were born in the same house, which was 
once part of an ancient castle, in which, tradi- 
tion says, that the son of Richard III was 
also born; under this same roof our subject 
first saw the light of day. His boyhood daj-s 
were spent at home on the farm and attending 
school. He received the advantages afforded 
at the academj', where he not only acquired a 
good English education, but a knowledge of 
classics, and leaving school at the age of thir- 
teen, he engaged as clerk in a store for about 
six years. His father having been at one time 
possessed of considerable wealth, but was un- 
fortunate, and in the changing vicissitudes of 
business life, was left devoid of proport}', which 
threw our subject mainl}' upon his own re- 
sources. In the fall of 1868, he came to 
America, and for a time lived with his uncle 



in Chicago. In 1869, he came to this town- 
ship, and engaged as teacher in the public 
schools in this township, where he continued 
until 1878, at which time he began reading 
medicine with Dr. John Wills, of this township, 
after which he attended two terms of lectures 
in the St. Louis Medical College, graduating 
March 4, 1880, where he took the gold medal, 
in nervous diseases; first prize in surgery; 
second in g3'necolog3' and in fact, his record 
was such that he took the highest honors that 
had ever been awarded to any student since 
the establishment of the college. Immediately 
after his graduation, he returned to this county, 
and formed a copartnership with Dr. J. M. 
Phifer at Shumwaj', which lasted about one 
year, when, at the earnest solicitation of friends, 
he was induced to locate at Beecher City, 
where he located in April, 1881, and has been 
eminently successful, being favored with a 
liberal patronage. August 24, 1873, he mar- 
ried Julia E., daughter of Thomas D. Tennery; 
this union has been crowned by the birth of 
two daughters — Bertha A. and Sarah L. He 
is a member of the Universalist Church, and 
of Beecher City Lodge, No. 690, I. 0. 0. F. 

CHARLES ECCLES, farmer, P. 0. Beecher 
City, was born in Manchester, Eng., February 
5, 1834, to George Clark and Mary (Witting- 
ham) Eccles. He was born May 13, 1803, in 
Stretford, Eng. She was born in Cheshire, 
Eng., in 1802, and died about 1857, in this 
township. By trade, he is a weaver, and was 
overlooker or overseer in the mill of Richard 
Birley for about sixteen j-ears. Before he 
came to America, he quit the mill and went into 
a provision store, and was in that for several 
j'ears, and then went into the coal business, and 
followed that for six jears, and then came to 
America in the spring of 1849. He started 
with the intention of settling in Ohio, but on 
board the ship he formed the acquaintance of 
John AUsop, who told him this country was 
much better than Ohio, so he came on to Effing- 



LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 



201 



ham County and bought forty acres of land, 
borrowing money of the school funds to pay 
for it. He put up a small log house, and in the 
fall of 1849, his f;^mily came from England to 
him. In his trip across, he landed at Philadel- 
phia, but his famil3' came to New Orleans, and 
came up the river to St. Louis, where he was to 
meet the family, but did not meet them on ac- 
count of mails being so irregular, so they went 
out to Naples, and from Naples they went to 
Springfield bj- train, and then hired a four-horse 
team to bring tiiem to Shelbyville. Mr. Eccles 
followed farming after coming here till a few 
j'ears ago he retired from active life. B3' his 
energ}-, he accumulated property till lie had 
260 acres of land, besides personal property. 
Of this, he deeded eight}' acres to each of his 
eldest sons, Thomas and Charles, and has since 
deeded the home-place to his youngest son, but 
reserved a life interest. Mr. Eccles has been 
married three times; by the first wife he had 
five children, three sons and two daughters, 
only two living now — Charles and George. 'By 
his second wife, Mrs. Nancy (Askius) Eccles, 
he had one son, which died j-oung; his third 
wife, Mrs. Mary (Flowers), is still living. He 
is a member of the Baptist Church. He has 
alwa3's been Democratic in politics. Our sub- 
ject, Mr. Charles Eccles, spent his early life in 
England, attending the common schools, etc., 
but commenced work at an early age, helping 
his father with the coal business, hauling coal 
from pit, etc. After coming to America, he at- 
tended the common schools of this township, 
and worked on the farm. He remained at 
home with his father till he was about twentj- 
two years old, and was married, April 18, 1858, 
in Shelby Count}', to Amanchx Miller; she was 
born in Shelby Count}-, on what was called the 
Baker place, to John and Sarah (Sanders) 
Miller. Mr. and Mrs. Eccles have Qve ciiildrcn, 
four girls and one boy — Emma V., Sarah Ellen, 
Rebecca J., Ida Florence and Charles. Mr. Ec- 
cles is Democratic in politics. He came to his 



present farm as soon as he was married, and 
has been on it since. His farm consists of 
ninety-two acres, eighty in prairie. 

GEORGE ECCLES, farmer, P. 0. Beecher 
City, was born in Manchester, Eng., January 
18, 1840, to George Clark Eccles. Mr. George 
Eccles is brother of Charles Eccles, whose sketch 
appears. Mr. Eccles' early life was the same 
as his brother's. In 1849, he came to America 
with the family. In 1854, he left home and 
went to live with his brother-in-law, Jarvis 
Clessou', in Shelby County. He made that his 
home for some years, but would work out by 
the month with farmers around. In 1865, he 
was married, in Effingham County, to Mary 
Allsop; she was born In England April, 1841, 
daughter of John and Mary Allsop. They were 
from Belper, Eng. They both died in this county. 
Our subject's wife died December 2, 1872. By 
this wife he has one child — Mary Lillian. In 
October, 1877, he was again married, in Shelby 
County, to Louisa Banning; she was born in 
Shelby County. 111., April, 1853, to William 
Banning and Elizabeth (Barr) Banning. By 
this wife he has three children — Hilda Ada, 
Henry Wittingham and Viola D. When first 
married, he went onto a farm owned by Mr. 
John Allsop, in Moccasin Township, and lived 
there till his wife's death; he then moved to his 
present place. His farm consists of 100 acres. 
He is Democratic in politics. Is a member of 
the I. 0. 0. F., of Beecher City. He received 
his education in Manchester, Eng., and the 
schools of this county, going to the early schools 
of this county. The spelling-book was the 
main book in use. 

IRA C. HUBBARTT, farmer, P. 0. Beecher 
City. Among the leading farmers of this town- 
ship is the above gentleman, who was born 
June 22, 1834. in Fayette County, Ind., the eld- 
est son of John Hubbartt and his wife Eliza- 
beth Hubbell. Mr. Hubbartt came to this 
State with his parents in September, 1853, who 
settled on the edge of Shelby County, just 



203 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



across the Effingham line. He remained with 
his father until he attained his majority and a 
short time afterward, and assisted in improving 
the homestead. In October, 1855, he married 
Mary A., a native of Shelby County, daughter 
of Elijah Parkhurst. Shortly after his mar- 
riage, he moved to Fayette County, where he 
had purchased land. Here he engaged in farm- 
ing. He remained here about five 3'ears, when 
he exchanged his propert3' there for the place 
he now owns, and added more to the same by 
purchase. He located on the northeast quarter 
of Section 22, and has since remained and giv- 
en his attention to farming. He has now 321 
acres of land, 160 here, and the remainder in 
the adjoining county. He has eight children 
living, viz.: Charles C, Eliza J., Elisha H., 
Rebecca A., Ira K., Laura A., John E., Mary 
N. Member I. 0. 0. F., Beecher City Lodge, 
No. 690; Greenbacker. 

W. H. JENNINGS, merchant, Beecher City. 
Among the leading business interests of this 
township is that carried on by the above-men- 
tioned gentleman, who was born in this county 
in December, 1838, son of Isom Jennings, a 
native of Warren Count}', Tenn., who emigrated 
to this State in the fall of 1829. He was born 
in March, 1805 ; died in October, 1877. His 
wife was Frances Smith, a native of North Car- 
oHna, daughter of Peter Smith. William Hay- 
den was raised on the farm; began for himself 
at twenty -one at farming. Made his father's 
house his home until the summer of 1861, when 
he left home. June, 1861, he enlisted in Com- 
pany K, Thirty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infan- 
try, and served until September, 186-4. During 
this time, he participated in all the engagements 
that his company was engaged in. Served in 
Pea Ridge, Stone River, Chickamauga, Resaca, 
and in all the battles up to Atlanta. Upon his 
return home, resumed farming, which he con- 
tinued until 1871. That fall he came to this 
township and engaged in the mercantile busi- 
ness with J. D. Jennings & Brother, which con- 



tinued four years. He then sold out his interest; 
then returned to Fayette County and went to 
Holliday and resumed the mercantile business 
there, continuing until May, 1880, when he 
came to this place and set up in business with his 
brother Noah, who built the business house he 
now occupies, and continued together about 
eighteen months, when he purchased his broth- 
er's interest and has since continued alone. 
Building, 24x60 feet, well stocked with a gen- 
eral assortment of goods. Married in 1866 to 
iMary J. Musser, born in Knox Count}-, Ohio, 
daughter of William and Mary Musser. Mem- 
ber of the Universalist Church. Member of 
the A., F. & A. M., Greenland Lodge, No. 665 ; 
Democrat. 

T. L. D. LARIMORE, retired farmer, P. 0. 
Beecher City, was born October 25, 1808, in 
Stokes County, N. C, and when a lad removed 
with his parents to Fayette County, Ind., where 
he lived until twenty-five years of age. His 
father was Thomas J. Larimore, a native of 
Virginia, and when a young man removed to 
North Carolina, where he married Nancy 
Wright, a daughter of John Wright, who came 
from Ireland and settled in North Carolina. 
The paternal grandsire of our subject was 
James Larimore, who was a Revolutionary 
soldier, and for many years afterward drew a 
pension. He married Katie Daniels. Thomas 
J. Larimore removed to Rush County, Ind., in 
1815, and was a pioneer of that locality, and 
remained here until his death in 1852. Thomas 
L. D., our subject, was raised to farming, and 
received but a common school education, and 
very common at that. He married Mary J. 
Hubbard, a native of Fayette County, Ind.i 
where she was born January 31, 1814. Her 
parents were Charles Hubbard and Lillie Hol- 
land, the latter a daughter of Laban Holland 
and Elizabeth Hales, of English ancestry. 
Charles Hubbard was a native of Maryland, 
his wife Lillie of Virginia. One year after Mr- 
Larimore's marriage he removed to Hancock, 



LIBERTY TOWKSHIP. 



203 



Ind., where he entered hind and settled in the 
woods, remaining there about nineteen years 
when he sold out and came to this State, locat- 
ing in this township September 20, 1853, where 
he has since lived. His first purchase was 520 
acres, some of which he entered. The piece 
he located on had a small cabin thereon and a 
few acres broken. He has now IfiO acres left 
after dividing out among his children, of which 
he has eight in number, whose names are as 
follows : Charles T., born July 19, 1834 ; p]liz- 
abeth, born Februarj- 14, 1836 ; John L., born 
January 6, 1840 ; Louann, born October 3, 
1847 ; Albert, born November 3, 1849 ; Aza- 
riah, born June 3, 1852 ; Sarah C, born Jul}- 
23, 1854; William F., born August 15, 1857. 
Children deceased are Nancy E., Mary I. and 
William H. Elizabeth, wife of Thomas HoUi- 
da3', resides in Fayette County ; Louann, wife 
of Noah Jennings : other children are residing 
at or near the homestead. Mr. Larimore is a 
member of the Universalist Church and a 
Democrat, and cast his first vote for Andrew 
Jackson. 

S. D. LORTON, farmer, P. O. Beecher City, 
was born January 17. 1822, in the State of 
Arkansas, and came with his parents to Madi- 
son County, this State, in 1823, and the follow- 
ing 3-ear came to Fayette Counti", where he 
lived until 1843, when he came to this count}-, 
and has since been a resident of this township. 
His father's name was Henrj-, a native of Henry 
County, Va.; son of Robert Lorton'and Tabitha 
Ganaway, both natives of Virginia, and re- 
moved with their family at an early day to 
Cumberland Countj-, Ky., about 1813, where 
they remained until 1819, when they located in 
Green County, near White Hall ; here Robert 
Lorton died about 1833, in his eightj-sixth 
year. He served all through the Revolutionar}- 
war. Henrj', the father of our subject, was the 
sixth son of Robert, and was born August 4, 
1799, and was raised a farmer, and while in 
Madison Countj-, now Bond, about 1820, he 



married Sarah Carson, a native of South Caro- 
lina, daughter of James and Elizabeth (West) 
Carson. After the marriage of Henry Lorton, 
he moved to Arkansas in 1821, and the follow- 
ing }-ear returned to IMadison County; stayed 
one j-ear, and in 1824 located in Fayette 
County, where he purchased land and engaged 
in farming, and remained here until his death, 
which occurred October 11, 1851. His wife 
died September 20, 1866. He served in the 
Black Hawk war, and was a life-long Whig. 
He raised to maturity four children — Samuel 
D., Greenup, John and Sarah, all now living. 
The boys, John and Greenup, reside in Fayette 
County and are engaged in farming. Sarah re- 
sides in Shclbj- County, wife of James Askins, 
Samuel D. being the only one of the family re- 
siding in the county. At the age of twenty he 
began for himself, which was in 1843. His 
father gave him 100 acres, upon which he lo- 
cated and has since remained. In 1843, March 
28, he married Lucj- A., born in Fayette Coun- 
tj', 1824, December 12, daughter of Isaiah and 
Eliza (Reed) Nichols. He was born in Mason 
County, Ky., July 6, 1800; son of Thomas 
Nicholas and Dulcibela Berry. Eliza was born 
1800, August 3, in Randolph County, this State, 
daughter of Oliver and Sllizabeth (Doyle) Reed. 
After Mr. Lorton married, he located in a cabin 
which he built, which was burned in the spring 
of 1845. He then built a cabin where he now 
lives, in which he lived about six years, when 
he built a frame house, in which he lived until 
1874, when he built the brick house he now 
occupies; has five children living — James K., 
Samautha, Elana J., Sarah and Henry; de- 
ceased — Julia A., who died at seventeen; other 
died in infancy. James K., resides in London 
Township, Fayette County; Samantha resides 
in this township, wife of C. W. Larimore; Elana, 
wife of Harmon Buzzard, of Fayette County; 
Sarah and Henry, unmarried. Has 200 acres 
and the same amount in Fayette County. Had 
at one time 660 acres before dividing among 



SO-1 



blOGRAPHICAL: 



his children. Democratic, and served as Col- 
lector several terms — now Assessor. Is Uni- 
versalist in doctrine, and a Mason since 1856; 
now of Greenland Lodge, No. 665; always been 
a temperate man. 

J. P. ROBERTSON, stock-dealer, Beecher 
Citj-. The resident stock-dealer of this town- 
ship is James Polk Robertson, who was l)orn 
in Todd County, Ky., March 28, 1843, third son 
and fifth child born to Jesse B. Robertson and 
Harriet Key, he born in Virginia, and removed 
with his father, David, to Tennessee when 
twelve years old. In 18-t2, he (Jesse B.), 
located in Todd Count}', Ky., where he 
lived until 1861, and came to AVashington 
County, this State, and, 1870, removed to Ef- 
fingham County, this State, where he died in 
1876. Harriet was born in Tennessee, daughter 
of William Key. James P. was raised on a 
farm, and located in Todd County until 1878, 
when he came to Washington County, this 
State ; remained here until February, 1880, 
when he came to Beecher Citj' and since re- 
mained; was in Kentuck}' during the war; in 
1874-75, was selling goods in Todd Count}-; in 
1875-76, was Constable; 1877-78, was engaged 
in the leaf tobacco business. From there to 
Washington County, this State, 1878, where he 
engaged in farming two years. Then acted as 
foreman for Osgood & Kingman (railroad con- 
tractors), for twelve months. Went to the Hot 
Springs; stayed one year for his health, when he 
came here and engaged in butcheriug. Since 
August, 1882, been engaged in stock business, 
buying and selling cattle, sheep, hogs, etc. 
Married, June, 1863, to Rebecca Starks, a native 
of Simpson County, Ky., daughter of Aquilla 
Starks. Has three children — Martha J., Jesse 
F. and Mary S. Member of A., F. & A. M., 
Dayville Lodge, Ky., No. 587; of I. 0. 0. F., 
Beecher Lodge, No. 690. He was formerly 
Democratic, politically, but having seen and 
experienced the evil effects attending the liquor 
traffic, he is now a Prohibitionist, in the strong- 
est sense the term implies. 



AMAZIAH SPARKS, deceased, Beecher 
City, was born August 9, 1826, in Indiana, 
son of John Sparks and Mary Campbell. He 
from Pennsylvania, she from Virginia, and 
were early settlers in Indiana. Subject was 
raised a farmer, and lived with his parents 
until twenty-seven years of age. February 23, 
1854, he was married to Amanda Steele, a na- 
tive of Rush County, Ind., born September 17, 
1834. She was the eighth child of James 
Steele and Sarah Recives. He was born in 
Pennsylvania November 6, 1799. She was 
born in Kentucky July 29, 1798, and removed 
to Indiana in an early day. He died January 
30, 1839; she January 12, 1884. He was of 
Presbyterian, she of Christian Church. After 
the marriage of Mr. Sparks, he lived nearly 
ten years, and in the fall of 1 855 moved to 
Illinois, lived two years in the northwest pari 
of the township; removed then here, north 
half of southeast quarter of Section 22, bought 
of railroad eighty acres ; no improvements on 
same. He remained here until his death, April 
4,1871; was a member of the Christian Church; 
Republican. Since war, was a man highly re- 
spected in the community in which he lived. 
Surviving him are his widow and six children 
—Sarah M., James W., George B., Ha U., Will- 
iam H., Charles F. They have 110 acres. 

WILLIAM R. SPIVEY, farmer, P. 0. 
Beecher City, was born in Butler County, Ohio, 
May 3, 1828, to John and Hannah (Frazey) 
Spivey. He was a native of Pennsylvania, 
born on November 25, 1800. She was born 
December 25, 1802, in New Jersey. He came 
to Ohio in 1813, and settled in Butler County. 
He carried the mail for seven years, from Cin- 
cinnati to Xenia, carrying out of Cincinnati the 
first paper that was ever published there. In 
1839, he moved to Fayette County, Ind., and 
remained there till his death, November, 1878. 
She died there also in September, 1874. Our 
subject received his education in the common 
schools of Indiana. He was raised on a farm, 
and that has been his occupation through life- 



LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 



205 



He remained at home till he was twenty-five 
years old, working on the farm, and then went 
to the then far northwest, Wisconsin, Iowa and 
Northern Illinois, and was gone for three years, 
farming one season while gone, and for two 
years was railroading, being with an engineer- 
ing party. On November 17, 1856, in Milwau- 
kee, Wis., he was married to Harriet Williams. 
She was born in Ohio, near Cleveland, to Abrain 
Williams; both her parents died when she was 
small. Mr. and Mrs. Spivey had ten children, 
nine living^Ida, Jessie, Charles, Susan, Har- 
riet, Georgiana, Omer, Everett, Dolly. After 
his marriage, he went back to Indiana, and 
farmed on his father's farm, for twenty years, 
and then came to Effingham County in 1875, 
to his present farm, which he had bought be- 
fore coming. His farm consists of 120 acres; 
about 100 being improved. He is a life-long 
Democrat. The next year after coming to Illi- 
nois, he was elected Justice of the Peace, but 
not liking it soon resigned. 

DAVID SWEAZY, farmer, P. 0. Beecher 
City, was born in November 12, 1833, in Hock- 
ing County, Ohio, the third son of Rev. An- 
thony Sweaz}- and Susana Clark. He (Rev. 
Anthony), was born November 20, 1800, in 
New Jersey; son of Henry, whose wife was 
a Cramer. Subject is of German descent. 
Henry "Sweazy removed with his family at an 
early daj' from New Jersey, and settled in Hock- 
ing County as earlj- as 1814, where he died. 
He raised a family of eleven children, who set- 
tled in Ohio and Indiana. David came West 
to this locality in the fall of 1853; his father 
had been out the year previous and purchased 
400 acres in this township; cost $4.50 per acre. 
He remained here until his death, September 
2, 1864. He was for many j-ears a member of 
the United Brethren; he first united with the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, afterward joined 
the United Brethren Church, and in 1840 was 
licensed as minister in same, and was ordained 
in 1844. On account of ill health, could not 



travel, and worked in a local way, and for one 
of his advantages was past the mediocre of 
his profession. In early life, was a Democrat; 
later in life was a stanch Republican. His 
wife died in June, 1861. To them eleven chil- 
dren were born, ten grew up — Henr}', William, 
David, Henderson D., Anthony, Louis C, Jane, 
Melinda, Hannah, Susanah. William, Hender- 
son D. and David lives in this township. Sub- 
ject came out here and engaged in making im- 
provements; remained with his father about 
eighteen months, when he began for liimself, and 
in March, 1856, married Mary E., daughter of 
John Miller, and Susan Wantland, of Knox 
Count}-, Ohio. After marriage he located 
where he now lives, and since remained. Has 
190 acres. Has eleven children born, eight 
living — Charles M., Amanda J., Alverda V., 
Jessie W., Eliza J., Emma F., Mary A. and 
Louis E., deceased, died j'oung; he has been a 
member of the United Brethren Church since 
nineteen years old; Trustee of church and 
Class-leader, and Superintendent of Sunda}- 
school. 

H. D. SWEAZY. farmer, P. 0. Beecher City. 
The subject of this sketch was born in Hocking 
County, Ohio, Maj' 8, 1835, to Anthony and 
Susannah (Clark) Sweazy (see sketch of David 
Sweazy). His early life was spent on his 
father's farm, and in attending the common 
schools of his native count}'. In the spring of 
1855, he left the old home, and, in company 
with his father, came to Effingham County, set- 
tling in Liberty Township, and since that time 
his fortunes have been cast with this township. 
Although farming has always been his occupa- 
tion, still he has had enough practice to make 
him handy either with the carpanter's square or 
the mason's trowel. He remained at home 
with his father till his marriage in the spring 
of 1861, when he was married, in Hocking 
County, Ohio, to Miss Jhiry B. Wilson; she was 
born in Perry County, Ohio, February, 1836, to 
Hiram and (Tucker) Wilson. They 



206 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



were both born in Ohio. He is still there, but 
she is dead. Mr. and Mrs. Sweazy have two 
children — Nancy Ellen and Henrietta. As soon 
as he was married, he moved to his present 
farm, and has since been actively engaged in 
farming. His farm consists of 175 acres, of 
which he inherited sixty, but the remainder he 
has made by his own energy and industiy. Be- 
sides his farai, he has a number of town lots in 
Beecher City. He and wife are members of 
the United Brethren Church, and each has been 
connected with that church for over thirty 
years. His first vote was cast for John C. 
Fremont, and he has kept by the part}' ever 
since. Up to the time the railroad passed 
through, his house was opened to any in the 
count}-, and never charged a cent for lodging 
or a meal of victuals to any one belonging in 
the count}'; but after the railroad was built, he 
was soon over-run, and so had to change his 
way and go to charging. He boarded the 
hands as they were laying the track for the rail- 
road, also as they were building the depot and 
laying out the town. Part of Beecher City is 
laid out on his farm. The first twelve years 
after his marriage, he ran a threshing-machine 
in its season, and made quite a success qf it. 

T. D. TENNERY, farmer, P. 0. Beecher. 
Among the old settlers of Liberty Township is 
Thomas Douthad Tennery, who was born in 
Greenup County, Ky., December 22, 1819, the 
sixth son of a family of twelve children. There 
were eight sons and four daughters, T. D. be- 
ing the ninth child in order of birth. His par- 
ents were Thomas and Jane (Wilson) Tennery, 
both natives of East Tennessee. His father 
was Zophar Tennery. In the fall of 1820, our 
subject removed with his parents to Edgar 
County, this State, and located on land south 
of Paris, which he afterward entered from the 
Government. He remained here until about 
the year 1845. He removed to Jasper County, 
where he laid out the town of Granville, after- 
ward deceased in that county about the year 



1867. Thomas D. remained with his father 
until he was twenty-two years of age ; had fair 
school advantages for that time. After leaving 
home, he engaged in farming, where he contin- 
ued until April, 1846, when he came to this 
township, locating on Section 30, on land he 
had purchased in 1845 of Christopher Arms, 
at about $1.33^ per acre; no improvements on 
the same. In June, 1846, he went out in the 
Mexican war. Company E, Fourth Illinois 
Volunteers, under Col. E. D. Baker. He 
served one year ; was wounded at the battle of 
Cerro Gordo, and was at the taking of Vera 
Cruz, and was left in the hospital, and returned 
home June 31, 1847. Soon after his coming 
home, he purchased forty acres on Section 31 ; 
cost, $2.50. Began improving this, and after- 
ward, in 1851, located on the land owned by 
T. L. D. Larimore, which he had 'first bought. 
Here he lived until the fall of 1853, when he 
sold his land to Mr. Larimore and purchased 
(where he now owns) 120 acres ; cost, $400. 
Afterward added forty acres for $75. Located 
here in the fall of 1853, and since lived here. 
Has now 200 acres. Was married, February 
7, 1850, to Sarah E. Allsop, born in Belper, 
Derbyshire, England, on February 5, 1826, 
eldest child of John Allsop and Mary Slaterr 
who came to America in 1845. Mrs. Tennery 
came out to this State in the spring of 1848- 
Mr. Tennery has had eleven children born to him, 
seven living : Sarah A., Julia E., John H., Rich- 
ard W., Samuel C, Thomas C, Flora. Deceased, 
Mary J., Adelaide, George W., Mattie C. Mat- 
tie C. died Jlarch 1, 1880, aged twenty-four; 
Mary J. died aged ten ; others died young. 
Julia E. resides in Beecher, wife of Dr. John 
Cook ; John and Samuel are in Kansas ; 
Thomas C. in Menard County ; member Uni- 
versalist Church; member of the Masonic Order; 
Greenland Lodge, No. 665 ; charter member of 
the same. Been a Mason since 1857. In 
politics, he is Democratic ; has served the 
township several terms in important offices of 



LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. 



207 



trust, as Justice of the Peace, Supervisor and 
others, with satisfaction to the people. 

CHARLES WHATELY, farmer, P. 0. 
Beecher City. Among tlie self-made men of 
this township is Charles Whately, who was 
born in 1837, September 18, in Warwickshire, 
England, and emigrated to America in his 
eighteenth year. His father's name is Charles 
Whately, sou of Kichard. Subject's mother's 
maiden name was Hannah Sharp. To sub- 
ject's father and mother were born three chil- 
dren — Richard and Charles ; one sister died in 
infancy. Subject was raised ou a farm and 
emigrated to Wisconsin, and he remained here 
a short time and then came to this State the 
same fall. Stayed in Stephenson County about 
two years. Worked here by the month. Then, 
in September, 1857, he came to this locality, 
and at once hired out by the month to Stephen 
Riggs, with whom he lived about fourteen years. 
During the time, he worked by the month and 
•'cropped." Saved his means and made Ij' 
first purchase in 1859 in this township of forty 
acres, where he now resides ; cost, $320. 
About 1867, he purchased sixty acres, forty 
here where he now lives and twenty in Shelby 
County, at $15 per acre. In 1876, he added 
tiftj- acres more, costing $20 per acre — fortj* 
acres in Liberty Township, ten acres in Shelby. 
Has now 120 acres in this township, and thirty 
acres in Shelby County, all of which he 
has earned himself, never having a dollar 
given him, and assisted in supporting his 
father in the meantime, and lost money 
through others. Was twice married, first in 
1869 to Priscilla, born in Ohio. She died one 
year after ; no issue. February, 1872, he mar- 
ried Susan dinger, born in Ohio, daughter of 
Peter Olinger. By this marriage he has four 
children — Stella J., John E., William H. and 
Mary L Member of Beecher City Lodge, No. 
690, L 0. 0. F. 

JOHN WILLS, physician, Beecher Citj'. In 
all professions, and more especially the 



medical, we find men of different qualifications. 
There are those who claim the title of M. D., 
upon the fact of a diploma having been granted 
them, and others who iiave earned this by 
years of hard, comprehensive study. Included 
in the latter class is Dr. John Wills, whose 
portrait is in this work, and who isathorough- 
h' educated gentleman in literary lore as well 
as in the science of medicine. He is a native 
of Charles Cit}' County, Va., and was born 
November 20, 1825. He is descended from an 
ancient English ancestry. He is a son of 
Robert C, born February 16, 1792, in Charles 
City Count}', Va.; was a farmer and died Au- 
gust 4, 1878, ' a Elizabeth T. Rock, born 
January 2^^ j2, and died February ,13, 1881. 
The par' were blessed with ten cliildrcn. 
Dr. W' obtained a good academic education 
an^ iy learned the art of farming. January 
T .848, he left his native State, and located 

J Ohio, where he clerked in a general store 
for about one year. Here he began the study 
of medicine. He graduated at the Cleveland 
Medical College in March, 1853. He at once 
began practicing at West Bedford, Ohio, and 
soon after transferred to West Carlisle, where 
he remained until July, 1857, at which time he 
came to Fayette County, 111., settling in a little 
village, a short distance from his present farm 
residence. Here he built up a lucrative prac- 
tice. In 1873, he located where he now resides, 
in Liberty Township, where he possesses a 
fine farm under excellent cultivation. He also 
owns good laud in Fayette County and !Mis- 
souri, all of which fortune he is the artificer. 
August 10, 1854, he married Josephine E. 
Metham, a daughter of P. and Kliza (Bowman) 
Metham. The former was born May 26. 1785, 
in England, and the latter November 11, 1789, 
in New Jersey. Mrs. Wills was born Ma}- 12, 
1855, in Coshocton County, Ohio. The Doctor's 
union has given him nine children, four of 
whom are living, viz.: Clarella E. V. E., Robert 

P. K., Walter P. C, Eolia C. and Ida E. He 



208 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



is a member of the Greenland Lodge, No. 665, 
A., P. & A. M., and Beecher City Lodge, No. 690, 
I. 0. 0. F. He holds to the Protestant religion. 
He has been identified with the Republican 
party since its organization, and adheres strict- 
ly to the principles of the same. He has 



always been averse to office, and has attended 
to his profession, which he likes, and con- 
sequently is successful. He has for a long 
time given some of his personal attention to 
rural pursuits, and ranks among the very best 
as a farmer and stock grower. 



WEST TO 

JAMES BECK, farmer, P. 0. Welton, was 
born in Harrison County, Ohio, January 11, 
1818, to William and Amelia (Ford) Beck. 
His father was born in Delaware; after his mar- 
riage, removed to Ohio, and settled in Harrison 
and afterward Knox County, and in 1850 re- 
moved to Effingham County, III, where he died 
in 1857, aged seventy-eight years. He was a 
farmer. He served in the war of 1812. The 
mother of our subject was born in Delaware, 
and died in Effingham County, 111., in 1861, 
aged eighty-eight years. She was the mother 
of twelve children, of whom John was the fourth 
child. His earlj- life was spent in assisting to 
till the soil of his fiither's farm. He left home 
when he was twent3--two years old, and spent 
four j'ears in boating on the Mississippi, Mis- 
souri and Ohio Rivers. In 184.3, he married, 
and settled down at farming in Ohio. In 1850, 
came to Effingham County, 111., where he is 
still actively engaged in farming. He is the 
owner of about 500 acres of good land in the 
county, and is considered one of the most practi- 
cal farmers of the county. He first married Miss 
Maria Van Winckle, who died in 1852, leaving 
three children as the result of their union. 
Sarah, wife of John Leonard is the only surviv- 
ing child. In July, 1853, he married Miss 
Susan Hardsock, who has borne him six chil- 
dren, of whom five are now living, viz., William, 
Maria, Margaret, Hester L. and Susan A. Mr. 
Beck is an active member of the Masonic order 
at Altamont. Politically his sympathes are 
with the Democratic partj'. 



WI^SHIP. 

HENRY BESING, deceased, Altamont, was 
born in Hanover, Germany, June, 1822; when 
quite young, went on a sailing vessel as cabin 
boy, and followed the same for some time. 
His education was principally received while 
on the ocean. In 1852, he married Miss Louise 
Votmer, a native of Hanover, Germany. She 
is the mother of five children — Charles, Frank, 
William, Rosa and Alvina. Mr. B. after arriv- 
ing in America, made his first settlement in 
Cook County, 111., in 1852, where he remained 
until 1865, when he came to Effingham County, 
and located on 240 acres of prairie and twenty 
timber. He died November 18, 1872. He com- 
menced life poor, and by hard work and econ- 
omy succeeded in accumulating a good prop- 
ert3\ He was a member of the German 
Lutheran Church, and an active worker for the 
Republican party. Mrs. B. and family are all 
members of the German Lutheran Church. 

JOHN BIRCH, farmer, P. 0. Edgewood, 
was born in Lancashire, England, 1843, to 
Henry and Alice (Houth) Birch, both natives 
of England. He was a teamster and engineer 
in his younger days, and is now farming in 
West Township. His wife, and mother of our 
subject, died in 1879, aged fifty-nine years. 
She was the mother of two children — John, 
our subject, and Marj' Ann, wife of I. Flahar- 
t}', a farmer in Mason Township. John was 
brought to America by his parents in 1856 ; 
they located in Rhode Island, where he attend- 
ed the common schools. In 1859, he was 
brought to Effingham County; his parents lo- 



WEST TOWNSHIP. 



309 



cated in Mason Township. John left home at 
the age of twenty-seven, and embarked on his 
career in life as a farmer upon a portion of his 
present farm. lie llion boiigiit forty acres, 
and he has made all necessary improvements. 
In Effingham County, 1868, he married Mary 
E. Gillmore, a daughter of J. L. Gillmore 
They have had seven children, of whom four 
are now living, viz.: Roy, William, Jennie, 
Ada. Politically, he is independent, and in 
county offices he votes a Democratic ticket. 
In 1861, he enlisted in Fifty-fourth Illinois In- 
fantry, under command of Col. Harris (Com- 
pany D). He served three years and six 
months. 

WILLIAM COLWELL, deceased, was born 
in Devonshire, England. December 13, 1834 ' 
He left his home at sixteen years of age 
and came to America and worked as a 
farm hand in Ohio. In 1852, he went to 
New York City and drove a four-horse 
stage on Broadwaj', and remained one year. 
In 1853, he returned to Ohio, and in 1858 
came to Illinois and settled on Section 13 
West Township, Effingham County, upon forty 
acres of land, and continued to add to it until 
at the time of his death he owned about 200 
acres. He commenced life poor, and worked 
hard in England to earn enough money to pay 
his passage to the New World. He served in 
the office of Justice of the Peace for ten j-e.ars. 
In 1864, he was married to Miss Frances Fur- 
neaux. She is the mother of four children, viz.: 
Charles, born November 28, 1864 ; Herbert, 
born April 3, 1870 ; Jennette, born September 
2, 1872 ; Winaford, i)orn January 18, 1877. 
Mrs. Colwell lives upon the old homestead, 
surrounded by the comfort and convenience of 
a well-earned competencj'. She is a lad}' of 
more than ordinarj- powers of mind and exec- 
utive abilit}-, and is respected b}- all who know 
her. 

GEOIKiE DUCKWITZ, farmer, P. 0. Alta- 
mont, was born in Prussia, Germany, Maj- 29, 



1833, to George and Dorothy (Duckwitz) Duck- 
wRz. He was born in German}' September 2, 
1796, and died in Effingham in 1865. She was 
born in 1810, and died in Germany in 1843. 
They were the parents of six children, of whom 
George was the third child. His early life was 
spent in receiving such an education as the 
common schools of his native country afforded, 
and assisting in tilling the soil of his father's 
farm. In 1848, he emigrated to America, and 
landed in New York in July. He located 
eighteen miles west of Buffalo, and worked on 
a farm as a hired hand, and remained there 
working for about seven years. In 1859, he 
came to Effingham County and bought forty 
acres. In September, 1861, he enlisted in the 
war, and served until June, 1865, with the 
Fourteenth Illinois Cavalr}', under command of 
Col. Kapin, After the war, he returned to his 
home in Effingham County and began farming, 
at which he is still actively engaged. He is 
now the owner of 120 acres prairie and fifteen 
acres timber land. He was married in Effing- 
ham County, January 18, 1366, to Louisia 
Stumke, a native of Prussia, Germany, born in 
1840. She is the mother of eight children — 
William, August, Agusta, George, Alvina, 
John, Rosaua and Otto. Self and family are 
members of the German Lutheran Church. In 
politics, his sympathies are with the Republican 
part}'. 

GEORGE W. DURRIE, deceased, a na- 
tive ot Germany, was born August, 13, 1826. 
He came to America in 1851, and located 
in Pennsylvania, wliere he remained until 1860, 
when he came to Effingham County, being 
among the first Germans who located in West 
Township. By trade he was a machinist, 
and worked at the same until he came to 
Effingham County, where he took upon himself 
the duties of a farm life, and remained actively 
engaged until he died. In January, 1856, >he 
was married to Miss Mary Sencil, a native of 
Germany, who was brought to America by her 

N 



210 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



parents. She is the mother of thirteen chil- 
dred, of whom nine are now living, viz.: Charles 
C., Herman, Anna, Willie, Frank, Edward, 
George, John and Oscar. Mrs. Durrie is now 
living on the old homestead farm, which con- 
sists of 160 acres of well improved land. 

JOHN FURNEAUX, merchant and Post- 
master, Welton, was born in Devonshire, Eng- 
land, July 27, 1812. He attended school but 
a short time, he having received the most of 
his education from traveling and observation. 
His parents died when he was quite young, and 
being thrown on his own resources, he began 
working by the montli as a farm laborer, which 
he continued about ten years, and then engaged 
in a seal hunt in the north on a sailing vessel- 
In 1835, he went to New Fouudlaud, and spent 
five years in fishing and doing general work. 
In 1840, he went to Boston, where he remained 
two years. In 1842, came to Illinois, and set- 
tled first in Kane and afterward De Kalb Coun- 
ty, where he engaged in farming. In 1858, he 
first came to Effingham County, and settled in 
West Township, where he engaged in farming, 
and continued the same until 1874, when he 
was appointed station agent of the Ohio & 
Mississippi Railroad at Gillmore. In 1879, he 
opened a store at Gillmore and was appointed 
Postmaster, which office he is now holding. In 
Albany, N. Y., in 1842, he married Bliss Jen- 
nette Schoolcraft, who was born in New York. 
She has borne him seven children, of whom six 
are now living, viz.: Frances, John, Robert, 
Frederick and Anna, twins, and George. Mr. 
Furneaux has been around the world, and ex- 
perienced many adventures that would be very 
interesting to our readers if space permitted us 
to embody them in this work. He and wife are 
connected with the Methodist Church. He is 
a Republican. 

JAMES L. GILLMORE, farmer, P. O. Edge- 
wood, was born in Morgan County, Ky., April 
30, 1827, to Jeremiah and Mary (Lansaw) Gill- 
more. His father was born in Alabama Novem- 



ber 7, 1802, and was brought to Kentucky 
when young, where he was raised on a farm. 
Here he married and removed to Illinois, and 
settled in Marion Count}' and subsequentlj' in 
Fayette County, where he died in 1802. He 
was a farmer. His wife and mother of our 
subject was born in Kentuckj' in 180G, and died 
in Effingham County, 111., in 1878. She was 
the mother of thirteen children, all of whom 
lived to be grown. Our subject was the second 
child. He was born on a farm, and received a 
limited education from the schools held in the 
old log houses, common in Illinois when he was 
a boy. He remained at home till he was twen- 
ty-one years old, when he embarked on his ca- 
reer in life as a farmer upon the same farm he 
is now residing on. ■ He is now the owner of 
760 acres of well-improved land. He com- 
menced life poor, and bj' his economy and in- 
dustry he has acquired a good property and an 
honorable name and reputation. In Effingham 
County, in 1848, he married Cynthia Seales, a 
daughter of Solomon Seales, deceased. Mrs. 
G. was born in Shelby County, 111., January 3, 
1825. She is the mother of ten children, of 
whom eight are now living, viz.: William H., 
John P., Mary E., Margaret A., Jennie, Allen, 
Uriah and Nettie. Mr. Gillmore has held the 
office of Supervisor for fourteen years, and is 
now elected to the office of County Clerk, which 
office he is capable of filling to the satisf;iction 
of all. He and family are members of the 
Baptist Church. 

J. P. GILLMORE, farmer, P. 0. Edgewood, 
was born in Effingham County, 111., to James 
L. Gillmore October 14, 1849. His early life 
was spent in receiving such an education as 
the common schools afforded, and assisting in 
tilling the soil of his father's farm. He 
remained at home until he was twenty years of 
age, when he removed to his present farm, a 
present from his father, consisting of 170 acres. 
He came on the farm in 1869, and he is now 
actively engaged in farming. In Effingham 



WEST TOWNSHIP. 



311 



County, June 5, 1869, he married Miss Jose- 
phine Marion, a native of New York. She is 
the mother of six eliildren, five of whom are 
now living — Rosa, Nellie, Eurasa, Henry :"h1 
an infant. He is now School Director. Politi- 
cally, he is a Democrat. 

JOHN HAWKEY, farmer, P. 0. Edgewood, 
was born in Allen County, Ind., January 28, 
in 1840, to John and Gertrude (Nirider) Haw- 
kej\ He was a native of Germany, and is now 
living in Indiana. He is a farmer. His wife 
is also living. They had ten children, of whom 
John was the oldest child. His early life was 
spent in receiving such an education as the 
common schools afibrded, and assisted in tilling 
the soil of his father's farm. He left home at 
twenty-three years of age and embarked on his 
career in life as a carpenter ; he_ apprenticed 
himself at the trade at the age of twenty. In 
1866, he came to Illinois and settled in Bladi- 
son County, III., where he worked at his trade 
for three years and began farming, and. in 
1875, came to Effingham County, III., and 
bought a farm of eight}- acres, upon which he is 
actively engaged in farming. He has made all 
improvements on it. In Wells County, Ind., he 
married, in 1866, Miss Fredrica Rapp, a native 
of Wells County, Ind. They are the parents of 
eight children, of whom seven are now living 
— Louisa, John A., Lasetty, Hcnrj-, Emma, 
Mena, Rosana. Self and famil)- of the Catholic 
Church. In 1876, he was elected School Direc- 
tor six years. In 1878, was elected Road Com- 
missioner, now holding office. 

CHRISTOPHER HETH, farmer, P. 0. 
Edgewood, was born April 4, 1825, to Mitchel 
and Christine (Disten-Haven) Heth, who were 
natives of Prussia, Germany. He was rai.sed 
on a farm, and educated in the common schools 
of his native country. At eighteen years of 
age, he was drafted as a soldier, and served 
eight years. At the expiration of that time, 
he returned home and engaged in farming as a 
hired hand. In 1856, he came to America and 



located in Calhoun County, 111., where he 
remained six 3-ears. In 1862, removed to 
Effingham County and made his first purchase 
of land, it consisting of forty acres. He has 
continued to add to this, until now his farm 
consists of 365 acres. In Effiughain County, 
in 1865, he married Miss Margaret Cincel, a 
native of Germany. They have throe children 
— George, Charley and Rosa L. Mr. Heth is 
now holding the offices of Road Commissioner 
and School Director. He is an active member 
of the Masonic order, a stanch Democrat, and 
a man of considerable prominence in^he town- 
ship in which he lives. 

THOMAS E. HOLLIS, farmer, P.O. Welton, 
was born in the State of Delaware September 
15, 1827, to Noah and Catharine (Hardister) 
Hollis. He was born in Delaware in 1807, 
removed to Ohio, and subsequently to Illinois, 
and settled in Effingham County, where he re- 
mained actively engaged in farming to the time 
of his death, which occurred February 17, 1879. 
He, with his two sons, Willard and William, 
served in the war, the former being killed. His 
wife and mother of our subject was born in 
Delaware March 22, 1807, and died in Effing- 
ham County September 1, 1881. They were 
the parents of four children, of whom our sub- 
ject was the fourth child. His early life was 
spent in receiving such an education as the 
common schools of Ohio afl^brded, and assisting 
in tilling the soil of his father's farm. At an 
earlj'age, he apprenticed himself at the cooper's 
trade, and after completing his trade was ac- 
knowledged to be a first-cl.iss workman. At 
the age of twenty-two he left his home and set- 
tled in Effingham County, III,, where he cm- 
barked on his career in life as a cooper, con- 
tinuing at his trade until 1864, when he bought 
a farm and gave his attention to agricultural 
pursuits, at which he is still activelj- engaged. 
He commenced life a poor man, by his own 
efforts succeeded in accumulating a good farm 
of 140 acres. In Jul\-, 185G, he married Miss 



213 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Catharine Bailie, who has borne him nine chil- 
dren, of whom eight are now living, viz. : 
Joseph F., Frank A., Edward N., Willie E., Ora 
S., R. Adalas, Eva B. and Flora M. Mr. Hol- 
lis has served the people in the following offices : 
Constable, Town Marshal of Mason City, and 
United States Deputy Marshal. He and fam- 
ily are religiously connected with the Method- 
ist Church. In politics, he is identified with 
the principles of the Republican party. In the 
possession of Mr. Hollis are relics in form of 
petrified fish, turtles, etc., taken from the wa- 
ters of Brocket Creek, a complete description 
of which may be found in another part of this 
work. 

ISHAM MAHON, farmer, P. 0. Welton, a 
native of Pittsylvania County, Old Virginia, was 
born January 6, 1819. His grandfather, John 
Mahon, was a native of France, and served in 
the Revolutionary war. His father, Benjamin, 
was born in Virginia in 1832: removed to 
Fayette Countj% 111., where he remained to the 
time of his death, which occurred about 1867, 
aged eighty years. He was a carpenter by 
trade, but followed the occupation of a farmer 
in the latter part of his life. He was in the 
war of 1812. Dora Lansford, the mother of 
our subject, was born in Virginia, and died in 
1858, aged about seventy-three year's. She was 
the mother of ten children, of whom seven lived 
to man and womanhood, Isham being the fifth 
child. He was raised on a farm and received 
a common school education in Fayette County, 
111. When twenty-two j'ears old he left home, 
married and began farming iii Fayette County, 
on Government land. In 1848, he removed to 
his present residence in Effingham County, 
where he has accumulated 333 acres of good 
land. He was married in Fayette County, 111., in 
1842, to Miss Mary Loveless, who died January 
27, 1851, leaving four children, of whom two 
are now living, viz.: Martha, Mrs. John McCloy 
and James. In 1851, Mr. Mahon married a 
second time, Mrs. Nancy McCoy, widow of 



John McCoy. This union has been blessed 
with one child — Robert. Mr. Mahon is an ac- 
tive member of the order A., F. & A. M., at 
Mason. He is a Democrat. 

JAMES B. MAHON, farmer, P. 0. Welton, 
was born in Fayette County, 111., March 31, 
1847, to Isham and Mary^ (Loveless) Mahon. 
His early life was spent at home, receiving such 
an education as the common schools of Effing- 
ham afforded, and assisting in tilling the soil 
of his father's farm. He remained at home 
until he was twenty-seven years oC age, when 
he began farming on his own account near the 
old homestead. His farm consists of eighty 
acres of good land. In Effingham County, 
October 5, 1873, he married Miss Matilda 
Holmes, a native of Allen County, Ind., the 
daughter of George and Hanna Holmes. Mr. 
and Mrs. Mahon have had four children, of 
whom two are now living, viz. : Elwin D., 
born December 31, 1879, and Lovella, born 
May 25, 1881. Mr. Mahon is an active mem- 
ber of the Masonic order. In politics, is a 
Democrat. 

JOHN A. NIRIDER, farmer and insurance 
agent, Edgewood, was born in Germany August 
11,1 832, to George and Elizabeth (Harchenritter) 
Nirider. His father was a farmer, and came to 
America in March, 1834, and located in Allen 
County, Ind., and died there January 13, 1860, 
aged seventy-two years. His wife and mother 
of our subject died in Allen County-, Ind., in 
1874, aged seventj'-two. They were the parents 
of six children, of whom subject was the fifth 
child. His early life was spent in receiving 
such an education as the common schools of 
Allen County, Ind., afforded, and assisted in 
tilling the soil of his father's farm. When but 
four years of age, he was taken from home by 
his sister, and lived with her nine years ; he 
then returned home and attended the German 
school two years, walking ten miles a day. At 
fourteen, he was bound out to Judge Allen 
McLain, acting as chore-boy, and, as he says. 



WEST TOWKSIIIP. 



213 



he washed dishes, baked, ironed, washed and 
scrubbed. He remained with the Judge until 
he was twentj--two years of age ; then entered 
a store and clerked, and worked on a farm 
some. In 1856, he went to Central Iowa, and 
worked on a farm for tlic summer of 185G, 
and in the fall returned to Indiana, and went 
to school. In 1857, came to Madison Count}', 
111., and worked for S14 per month on a farm 
until 1861, when he bought seventj^-two acres ; 
began farming on his own account for the first 
time. In Fehruar)-, 1871, he bought his pres- 
ent farm and removed to the same in the fall of 
the same year. His purchase was of eight}' acres ; 
his farm consists now of 100 acres. In 1858, 
Whitley County, Ind., he married Sophia Ober- 
lin, a descendant of the family from whom tiie 
town of Oberlin, Ohio, was named. She died 
November 26, 1878. In February 22, 1880, he 
married Miss Jane Kepner, a native of Faj-ette 
County. By first marriage, six children, viz., 
Flora E., Clara L., Hettie S., Elmer C, Lucy A., 
and I. (}. In April, 1880, he was elected to the 
otfiee of Justice of the Peace, to fill a vacancy 
of G. W. Colwell. He was also School Trustee. 
He is a member of the order A., F. & A. M., 
dimitted from Marion Lodge. In politics, he 
is a Republican. In 1882, he engaged with 
Messrs. Faulk Bros., in the fire, lighting and tor- 
nado insurance business. 

HARTMAN NIRIDER, farmer, P. 0. Farina, 
was born in Allen County, Ind., to George and 
Elizabeth (Harchenritter). His early life was 
spent in receiving such an education as the com- 
mon schools aflTorded, and assisting in tilling the 
soil of his father's farm. At sixteen, he left 
home and hired out as farm laborer, working 
for one Hartman Smith one year and a half, 
and then worlvcd Ijy the day for different men, 
and continued the same until he was twenty- 
one years of age, when he married and com- 
menced in woods in his native county to make 
a farm out of his forty acres, and remained on 
the same ten years, and after that had increased 



it to 130 acres for $2,600, and removed to Illi- 
nois and located in Madison County in 1866, 
and bought forty acres of prairie and twenty of 
timber, for which he paid $3,500; he remained 
on this farm for eighteen months, and sold it 
for $4,000, and came to Effingham County in 
the fall of 1867, and bought 120 acres for $4,- 
000, where he now resides, in West Township, 
and has since added to it until now he is the 
owner of 650 acres, and is now renting a por- 
tion of it. He is making the raising of stock a 
specialty — cattle, mules and horses. In 1857, 
in Allen County, he married Mary Emrick, a 
native of Wayne Count}', Ohio, and a daughter 
of George and Elizabetli (Silar) Emrick, both 
natives of Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Nirider 
are the parents of six children, five of whom 
are now living — Allen, who died in 1877, aged 
nineteen years; Hiram, Lucetta, Cinda, Lily 
and Esly, all at home. Sulyect and family are 
religiously connected with the Methodist 
Church, at Farina, and Steward of the same. 
He is an active member of the Masonic order 
at Edgewood, In politics, he is Democratic. 
His start in life consisted only of $80, and by 
his honesty, industry and economy he has 
succeeded in accumulating a good property, all 
by farming, and dealt some in stock, in which 
he has been very successful. When he com- 
menced in Effingham, he bought his farm and 
only had $2,000 to pay down on it. He has met 
with several losses, and can now say that he is 
free from debt, and has money ahead. 

THOMAS B. PETTYPOOL, farmer, P. O. 
Altamont, was born in White County, 111., No- 
vember 7, 1840, to Bracksten B. and Celia 
(McGehee) Pettypool. His father was born in 
Tennessee in 1815, and is now farming in Jef- 
ferson County, III, upon his farm of 400 acres. 
He is a son of Thomas Pettypool, a native .of 
Old Virginia, and was in the war of 1812. The 
mother of our subject was born in New York, 
and died in 1855, aged about thirty -seven. She 
was the mother of eight children, of whom our 



214 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



subject was the second child. His early life 
was spent at home assisting in tilling the soil 
of his father, and receiving such an education 
as the common schools aflforded. He remained 
with his parents to the age of twenty-one, when 
he left home, married and embarked on his 
career in life as a farmer. He then bought 240 
acres, and in 1867 sold it, and removed to Jef- 
ferson County and rented for about three years. 
In 1870, he bought 170 acres in West Town- 
ship, Etfingham County', and removed to the 
same, where he is now actively engaged in 
farming. On November 7, 1861, in White 
Count}', he married Miss Ellen Aud, who died 
in 1868, leaving three children, viz., Celia, 
Frances and Millia. In 1870, he married Julia 
Teachner, who died in 1875, leaving one child, 
viz., Edson. In 1879, he married Belle Button, 
who has borne him one child — Maud. He is 
an active member of the order of A., F. & A. 
M., at Altamont, holding office of Senior 
Deacon. His wife is a member of the Meth- 
odist Church. Politically, Mr. Pettypool is a 
Democrat. 

WILLIAM QUADB, farmer, P. 0. Edge- 
wood. Charles Quade, the father of this gen- 
tleman, was born in German}- in 1822, emi- 
grated with his family to America in 1854, and 
settled in Lancaster, Penn., where he followed 
the occupation of a stone mason. In 1859, he 
removed to St. Louis, and after sis months' stay 
removed to Effingham County, where he re- 
mained actively engaged in farming to the time 
of his death, which occurred in 1875. He was 
a hard-working man, and knew comparatively 
little of the ease and comforts of life. He was 
an excellent farmer and an honorable, upright 
gentleman. He was a member of the Evan- 
gelical Association at Cleveland, Ohio. Anna 
Tra,isler, his wife, and mother of our subject, 
was born in Germany in 1815. aud is now re- 
siding with our subject. She is the mother of 
five children, William being the oldest child. 
He was horn in Prussia, Germany, November 



10, 1845, came to America with his parents, 
received a good education, and when he arrived 
at his majority engaged in farming. His farm 
is located in Section 26, and consists of 120 
acres of improved prairie land. In 1871, he 
married Miss Louisia Wacker, a native of Ger- 
many. They are the parents of the following 
children: Charley, Willie, Anna, Edward ; 
Charley and Henry, who are dead. Mr. Quade 
and family are members of the Evangelical As- 
sociation. In politics, he is a Republican. 

JAMES SIDDENES, farmer, P. O. Welton, 
a native of Putnam County, Ind., was born 
April 27, 1837. His father, Jesse Siddenes, 
was born aud raised in Kentucky, and removed 
to Indiana, being among the early settlers. In 
1855, he came to Effingham County, where he 
died in 1857, aged forty-five years. He was a 
farmer by occupation. Julia Ann Wilson, the 
mother of our subject, was born in Old Vir- 
ginia, and died in Effingham County, III., in 
1858, aged thirty-nine years. They had nine 
children, our subject being the second child. 
His education was limited to the common 
schools of his native county. He left his home 
when but eighteen years old, and embarked on 
the rugged pathway of life as a hired hand 
upon a farm. In 1856, he came to Effingham 
County, where he commenced farming on his 
own account, and is still actively engaged. He 
commenced life a poor man, and by his hon- 
esty, industry and economy succeeded in accu- 
mulating a good property. He is now the owner 
of 160 acres of land. In 1859, in Effingham 
County, he married Bliss Gillia Cooksey, who 
died in April, 1881, leaving five children as the 
result of their union, viz., Sarah A., Lura B., 
Hiram R., Delia aud Adelbert (twins). He is a 
member of the order of A., F. & A. M. at 
Edgewood. He is a Democrat. 

BENJAMIN SIDDENES, farmer, P. 0. 
WeltjOn, was born in Putnam County, Ind., Jan- 
uary 7, 1841, to Jesse and Julia Ann (Wilson) 
Siddenes. He was brought to Effingham County 



WEST TOWNSHIP. 



215 



by his parents when twelve years of age. 
Here he attended the common schools and re- 
ceived a limited education, caused by his par- 
ents dying when he was young. When a boy, 
he earned his own livelihood bj' working as a 
farm laborer upon a farm with Mr. Isham Ma- 
hoii for one year, and then worked his farm on 
shares. In 1863, he bought his present farm, 
and commenced farming on his own account. 
His farm consists of 105 acres of land. In 
18G3, he married Miss Nancy Patterson, a na- 
tive of Ohio. Thej- are the parents of the fol- 
lowing children, viz., Frances, Charles, Curtis, 
Amy E., Luzetta, Arthur and Thomas. Mr. 
Siddenes is a man of few pretensions, but an 
industrious citizen, who attends to his own 
aliairs in an unassuming wa^". He is a Demo- 
crat. 

CALVIN W. SPRAGCt, farmer, P. 0. Wel- 
ton, was born on Long Island, N. Y., Novem- 
ber 23, 1823, to Edward and Catharine (Place) 
Spragg. His father was born on Long Island, 
N. Y. He was a farmer, and died in 1S2G, 
aged fifty-two 3'ears. His wife, and mother of 
our subject, was born on Long Island, and died 
in January, 18G4, aged seveut^'-three years; 
she was the mother of seven children, of whom 
our subject was the j-oungest child. His early 
life was spent in receiving such an education 
as the common schools aflbrded, and assisting 
in tilling the home farm. At fifteen years of 
age, he was brought to Illinois by his mother, 
who located in Du Page Count}-, and in 1859 
they moved to Indiana, and 1863 came to Effing- 
ham County, and settled near Mason, where 
they remained until 1870, when he came to 
his present residence, and bought 155 acres of 
land. Here he has since remained actively 
engaged in farming. In 1850, in Du Page 
County, 111., he married Miss Catharine Taylor 
a native of German}-, and was brouoiht to Amer- 
ica by her father in 1847. She is tlie mother 
of five living children, viz., S^'lvester, married 
and farming in Effingham County; S^'reno, a 



doctor of Altamont, a graduate from the Rush 
Medical College in 1881, and is now building 
up a good practice; Amanda, at Altamont, 
clerking in Howard's store ; Charley, at home ; 
John Frederick, at home. He and family are 
of the Presbyterian Church. In politics, he is 
dentified with the Republican party. He 
commenced life a poor man, and met a failure 
of several hundred dollars by security debt at 
his first start. 

WILLIAM VOELKER, farmer, P. 0. Alta- 
mont, was born in Prussia, Germany, March 6, 
1835, to Charles and Mary (Ganscow) Voclker. 
They were natives of Prussia, Germany. He 
was a miller, and came to America with our 
subject. He died in 1877, in Effingham Coun- 
t}', aged seventy-nine years. His wife and 
mother of our subject died in 1872, aged sev- 
ent3'-five years. They were the parents of five 
boys, of whom our subject was the fourth 
child. The five boys are all in the United 
States; all active business men. William was 
educated in Germany until he was fourteen; 
attended the common schools, and then entered 
a college. At nineteen, he enlisted in tiie war, 
and served four years. He then returned and 
took charge of his father's flour mill, and re- 
mained thus engaged until 186r2, when he left 
German}-, from Hamburg, by steamer " Sax- 
onia," landing in New York June 5, 18G2, be- 
ing fifteen days in making trip. Spent one day 
in New York in looking at the city, and then 
left for Chicago, and visited liis brother (who 
had previously come to America). He then 
located in Effingham, on his present farm, then 
all unimproved wild (jrairie. He bought there 
160 acres, and has since added to it until now 
he is the owner of 520 acres all improved. In 
Germany, in 1860, he married Louisa Scholwin, 
a native of Prussia, (Sermany, born in 1838. 
She is the mother of eight children, seven of 
whom are living, viz., Anna, wife of Freder- 
ick Burnahl, a farmer in Effingham County ; 
Adolph, at home ; Gustas, at home ; Frank, 



216 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Agnes, Paul, Bertha, at home; Otto, died in 
1882, aged fifteen. Mr. Voelker is School 
Trustee; held for nine 3'ears, and is now Super- 
visor for three years. In politics, a Democrat, 
and he and family are members of the Lutheran 
Church. 

JULIUS VOELKER, farmer, P. 0. Alta- 
mont, was born in Prussia, Germany, March 
23, 1842, to Charles and Regenal (Yauslow) 
Voelker. They were both natives of Prussia. 
He was born March 18, 1798, and died in this 
countj' in 1876 or 1877. He was a farmer. 
She was born February 16, 1797, and came to 
this county in 1873; parents of seven children, 
of whom subject is the youngest child. His 
early life was spent in receiving a common 
school education, and tlien entered a college, 
attending until he was fifteen 3'ears old, and 
then entered the mill and learned the milling 
business of his father until he was nineteen 
years of age. In 1862, he came to America, 
and came to Effingham Count\' in 1862, and 
worked with his brother for eight or nine j'ears, 
and in 1869 he bought 130 acres, and has since 
added to it. In EHingham County, in 1869, 
he married Miss Christ}- Wolf. They have 
two children, viz., Amanda and Sophia. He is 
a member of the German Lutheran Church. 
In politics, he is a Democrat. 

NICHOLAS T. WHARTON, farmer, P. 0. 
Welton, is a native of Spottsylvania County, Old 
Virginia, and was born June 25, 1828. His 
father, Benjamin Wharton, was born in Old Vir- 
ginia in 1790, emigrated with his familj- to Ohio 
in 1837, and settled in Guernsey County. In 
1854, he came to Effingham County, 111., where 
he died in October, 1855. His occupation was 
that of a farmer. He served in the war of 1812. 
His wife, the mother of our subject, was Luc}' 
Chandler. She was born in Old Virginia in 
1794, and is now residing with her children in 
Ohio, enjoying good health in her eighty-eighth 
j'ear. She is the mother of eight children, of 
whom six are now living, viz., Martha, widow 



of Joseph Sperry, living in Muskingum Coun- 
ty, Ohio ; George, a Baptist preacher at Lin- 
coln, 111. ; William A., a farmer in Hocking 
County, Ohio; Nicholas T., our subject; Doctor, 
a Baptist preacher of Guernsey County, Ohio, 
and Lawrence B., Baptist preacher of Pawnee 
City, Neb. Nicholas T. Wharton was educated 
from the common schools of Old Virginia, and 
was raised on a farm. At the age of twenty- 
two, he left his home, and embaiked on life's 
rugged pathway as a farm laborer, working by 
the month. In December, 1853, he came to 
Effingham Couutj", 111., and spent three years 
in teaching school, and working at the carpen- 
ter's trade. In 1855, he removed to his present 
residence in Section 12, and began farming, 
and is still actively engaged. His farm con- 
sists of 208 acres of good land. In 1855, on 
the 30th of March, he married Miss Rebecca 
Jane K^agaj-, a native of Fairfield Count}', 
Ohio, a daughter of Christian and Nancy Ann 
(LanejO Kagay, natives of Fairfield County. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wharton have been blessed with 
the following children, viz., Mary, Richard and 
Nancy (twins), Laura, John, Elraa, Emma, 
Edwin, George, Benjamin and Walter. Mr. 
Wliarton has served the county as Supervisor 
for three terms, and is now holding the office 
of School Treasurer, which office he has held 
for eight years. He and wife are members of 
the Baptist Church. He is an active member 
of the order A., F. & A. M. He is a Democrat. 
HERMAN A. WINKLER, farmer, P. 0. 
Edgewood, was born in Prussia, Germany, May 
13, 1832, to Karl and Johanna (Koppe) 
Winkler. He attended the common schools of 
his native countrj* until he was fourteen years 
of age, and then entered the Goettingen Col- 
lege, where he remained onh' six months. He 
then enlisted as a soldiei', and the third day 
was wounded, being hit on one limb below the 
knee with a bombshell, and shot through his 
left limb. His wounds kept him confined for 
about sixteen months. He then returned home 



WATSON TOWNSHIP. 



217 



and served seven 3'ears at learning the trade of 
a horticulturist, aiid in 1857 emigrated to 
America for the purpose of acquiring a position 
in the world that he considered was beyond 
his reach while in the " Fatherland." Coming 
to Illinois, he passed six months at Chicago, 
and worked at all kinds work he could find to I 
do. He could not get a situation at his trade, 
as he was unable to speak the English language. 
In 1858, he went to Michigan, and worked at 
market gardening for fifteen months, and then 
returned to Illinois, and worked on a farm in 
Whiteside County. In ISCil, he became a 
resident of West Township, Eifingham County, 
where he has since remained engaged in ag- 
ricultural pursuits. His industrious habits, 
coupled with his business integrity, has given 
him a competency, and here has, as it were, 
realized the dreams of his youth. He was 
married in Eflingbam County, November 2, 
1862, to Miss Charlotte Quade. She was born 
in Germany, August 25, 1846. Their happy 
and prosperous union has been blessed with 
nine children, of whom seven are now living, 
viz., Louisa, Anna, Carl, Johanna, Augusta, 
Hulda and Amelia. Mr. Winckler and family 
are members of the Evangelical Association. 
He is a Republican. 

AUGUST WOLF, farmer, P. 0. Altamont, 



was born in Prussia, Germany, September 10, 
1823, to Frederick and Charlotte (Walk) Wolf, 
both natives of Prussia, Germany. He died in 
1829, aged thirty-three years ; was a tailor by 
trade. She is now residing in Mound Town- 
ship, enjoying good health in her eighty-third 
year. They were married in Germany, and had 
four children, subject the oldest child. He 
was educated from the common schools of 
German}- ; was brought to America by his 
parents in a sailing vessel from Hamburg, land- 
ing in New York January 3, 1844, and went to 
Buffalo, N. Y., and worked at the trade of a 
tailor, which he had learned in the old country. 
In 1849, he removed to the country, and has 
run a general merchandise store for about fif- 
teen years. In 18ti5, he came to Illinois and 
settled on his present farm. He bought 120 
acres in 18G0. In New York, in 1846, he mar- 
ried Henrietta Hospfner, a native of Prussia, 
Germany. She is the mother of four children 
— George F. A. (a Lutheran preacher in La 
Grange, Miss.), Augusta (wife of Julius Oelker, 
farmer in township), Ailgust (at home), Bertha 
(single). The family are members of the 
Lutheran Church. Held the ofiice of Jus- 
tice of the Peace for seven years ; Commis- 
sioner for several years ; Supervisor for one 
year. 



WATSOIT T 

W. M. ABRAHAM, merchant, Watson, was 
born Jul}- 2G, 1842, in Clermont County, Ohio, 
son of John and 3Iartha (Barklcy) Abraham, 
who were married in 1836, and unto them were 
born three children, of wiiich the subject is the 
eldest. His mother came to Effingham County 
in 1860, Mr. Abraham following shortlj- after- 
ward. His education was begun in the common 
schools of Ohio, when he entered the Clermont 
Academy at the age of sixteen, after which he 



OWNSHIP. 

came to Illinois and began business. In 1861, 
he entered the army with Company K, Twenty- 
first Regiment Illinois Volunteers, of which 
Grant was Colonel. He was in the march from 
Springfield to Quincy, thence into Missouri, win- 
tering at Ironton, where he was promoted to 
Orderly Sergeant of his company. At Stone 
River. December 31, 1862, he received a wound 
in an engagement, and his mother went to Mur- 
freesboro to care for iior wounded son. and 



218 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



herself took sick and died. After eight montlis 
in the hospital, it was decided that he was per- 
manently disabled, when he received an honor- 
able discharge in August, 1863. Then coming 
home, after partial recover}', he began mer- 
chandising, in which business he has been 
eminently successful and still continues. In 
1879, he was elected to the Legislature on the 
minority Republican ticket, serving one term. 
In November, 1865, he married Miss Eliza 
E.. Wayne, at Shelby ville, Kv.; they have 
three children living — Ida, Arthur and Eva. 
When he settled at Watson, the country was 
wild, with few residents, and all kinds of game 
were abundant. The famil}' was reared in the 
Baptist religion. In 1865, he was initiated in- 
to the mysteries of Freemasonr}', and since 
has several times been elected and presided as 
Master of Lodge No. 602. He is an extensive 
land-owner, holding over 2,000 acres, mostly 
under good cultivation. Mr. Abraham was 
appointed Postmaster at Watson in 1881, in 
which capacit}- he still acts. 

PROF. W. R. AVERY, commercial instruc- 
tor, P. 0. Palmyra, Mo., was born in Harrison 
Count}', Ind., January 2, 1858. 3Ioved with 
his father to this county when about fourteen 
years old. Lived on a farm most of his life. 
Entered a commercial college at Keokuk, Iowa, 
October 10, 1880. Pursued a regular course 
in book-keeping, and all the other commercial 
branches, including plain and ornamental pen- 
manship, graduating September 10, 1881. 
Traveled and taught penmanship up to Sep- 
tember 1, 1882, when he organized a commer- 
cial college in Palmyra, known as Avery's 
Commercial School. Mr. Avery's father. By- 
ram B. Avery, was born in Harrison County, 
Ind., February 25, 1832, where he was married 
in 1857, to Miss Martha Bullington. Settled 
on a farm of eighty acres, of which he afterward 
became the owner. In 1871, he removed to 
Effingham County and purchased a farm of 
eighty acres near Watson, and resumed farm- 



ing. He has a family of three children — Will- 
iam R. (subject of this sketch), James A. and 
Melinda J. 

JOHN BRITTON, Watson Township, was 
born July 2, 1821, in Devonshire, Eng- 
land, near the sea-shore. He was raised by 
his grandmother, on a small farm. Hearing of 
the wonderful land beyond the blue sea, he 
embarked for America the 9th day of April, 
1851, and on the 14th day of May of the same 
year arrived in Mt. Vernon, Knox ,Co., Ohio. 
The first two years of his life spent in Amer- 
ica, he was employed at such jobs as the coun- 
try then afforded. The 1st of March, 1854, he 
was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Beeny 
living a few miles west of Mt Vernon. The 
seven years immediately following his marriage, 
he farmed near Mt. Vernon. In the spring of 
1862, he moved to Illinois, and settled in Ef- 
fingham County, Jackson Township, where, by 
industry and economy, he accumulated suffi- 
cient means to purchase a small farm, but just 
in the moment when his labors would have 
been crowned with success, he was unfortu- 
nately thrown from a horse and crippled for 
the remainder of life. He has since liyed in 
Blason Township, and wherever known, his 
honesty and integrity are never questioned by 
any one. Though his education was exceed- 
ingly limited, yet his mind is stored with many 
useful facts. He is ever ready to lend a help- 
ing hand wherever an opportunity is presented. 
The following are the dates of births of his chil- 
dren: Sarah C, born October 27, 1857; Will- 
iam H., born October 27, 1857; Ida S., born 
October 17, 1859; Edward G., born January 
5, 1862; Charles L., born March 11, 1864; 
Richmond L., born July 26, 1866; Benson I., 
born January 9, 1870; William H., died April 
10, 1876. Mrs. Britton was born Sept. 23, 1827. 

J. W. BRITTON, teacher, Watson. In the 
month of January, 1855, there was born in the 
city of Mt. Vernon. Knox Co., Ohio, a little boy, 
wliose life yet but just begun, is a bright ex- 



WATSO]^f TOWNSHIP. 



219 



ample to us all. He lived in the citj- of his 
birth seven years, when ho reinoveil with his 
parents to Effingham County, 111., settling in 
Jackson Township. Here he attended school 
in an old logschoolhouse during thrcn; winti-ra, 
and worked on the farm through the summer. 
In 1868, he moved with his parents to a farm 
west of Mason, and a few years afterward 
moved north of Mason, where he attended two 
terms of school at North Union Schoolhouse. 
His teacher at this place was Mr. Dunn, and it 
was through his teaching that Mr. Britton at- 
tributes much of the success and character of 
his life. In the summer of 1874, he attended 
a normal term of school of four weeks at Ma- 
son, and the next winter he attended public 
school at that place, and clerked in a drug 
store. In the fall of 1875, he attended a ses- 
sion of normal school south of Edgewood, 
after which term of school he sought and ob- 
tained a teacher's certificate to teach school, 
and the next winter he taught his first school 
at Gilmore, at $25 per month. During 1875, 
he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church 
of West Union at a basket meeting in a grove 
at Wabash. During the summer and winter 
of 1876, he taught school atBricker District in 
Jackson Township. During tlic summer of 

1877, he worked on a farm in Christian Coun- 
tj^ at $20 per month, and the next winter at- 
tended a three months' term of school at Knox 
College, Galesburg, 111. In the summer of 

1878, he worked on a farm and taught school 
in Mason Township. In the spring of this 
year, his oldest brother, William, died, and the 
greater part of the farm work devolved on 
him, his father being crippled. In the winter 
of 1879, he taught school in Union Township, 
at the Woody Schoolhouse. He afterward 
taught two other terms at this place. In the 
winter of 1880, he taught school at the Loj- 
Schoolhouse. Watson Township. In 1881, he 
went to Lebanon, Ohio, where he attended two 
terms at the Lebanon State Normal Universitv. 



He also taught a winter term of school while 
in Ohio. He came back to Htlingham County, 
III., in the spring of 1882. He is teaching 
school at EUiottstown at the present time, 1882. 
Mr. Britton, besides his work as a teacher, has 
been engaged for several years as a minister of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church, yet he has 
never taken any circuit. In 1870, he was 
licensed as exhorter by Rev. Ransom, of 
Mason, and at the Quarterly Conference at Ma- 
son, in 1881, he was recommended to preach. 
Mr. Britton is trnl3- a self-made man, and has 
worked his own way to his present commend- 
able po.sition. Reared on the farm and being 
compelled to work for his living, Mr. Britton 
had but few opportunities for obtaining an ed- 
ucation, but those opportunities he did not let 
pass unimproved. He would often carry his 
books into the field and studj' them while his 
horse was resting in the plow, and while teach- 
ing school he would stud}' on the way to and 
from place of teaching. It was by pursuing 
this studious course and improving all his 
time that he has succeeded in educating him- 
self. 

HERMAN GILLESPIE, farmer, P. 0. Wat- 
son, was born in Wood Count}', Va., April 10, 
1810. His father, John B. Gillespie, was mar- 
ried to Esther James in 1803, and sixteen chil- 
dren were born of this union, of whom the 
subject is the only one supposed to be living. 
Mr. Gillespie married Martha Adams ; unto 
them were born six children, of whom- four are 
living, but this wife d3'ing, he married Margaret 
Field, who was born in Bracken Couutj', Ky., 
Decemljer 4, 1823. They were married No- 
vember 22, 1854, and from this union four 
children were born, of whom Ambrose Gilles- 
pie is the onlj' survivor. This son married 
Alice L03'. Thej- have two children — Catha- 
rine and Charles Edwin. The famil}- have 
been, and are now affiliated with the Baptist 
and Christian Churches. Herman Gillespie, 
while a young man, was at Upper Sandusky, 



220 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Ohio, and was for some time in the employ of 
the Indian traders. His grandfather, John 
James, had an interest in Blennerhasset's 
Island in an earl\- day, and when he sold his 
interest the mother of Herman would not sign 
the deed. The subject remembers when the 
familj' was driven by the Indians from their 
home to the block-house on the Island for pro- 
tection and safety. He came to Illinois, settling 
in Elliottstown, Effingham County, in 1855, 
then moving to Watson Township in 1865, 
where he has ever since lived on a farm of 120 
acres under good cultivation, and a fine orchard. 
In early life, he made over 1,000,000 brick on 
his farm. In those daj's, the country around 
him was thinly settled, and neighbors few and 
far between. He is a Republican in politics, 
and has frequently been elected Road Commis- 
sioner and School Trustee for his township. 
Mr. Gillespie, when the second call for 300,000 
men was issued in 1861, volunteered, and was 
a member of Company B, Thirty-eighth Illinois 
Volunteers ; was mustered in at Camp Butler, 
Springfield, 111., and ordered to Pilot Knob, 
Mo. ; was in the engagement at Fredericksburg, 
Mo., where he was wounded, permanently- dis- 
abled, and in due time honorabl}' discharged. 
He draws a pension for services rendered his 
country. He was mustered out of the service 
March 8, 1863, when he returned to his farm. 
In the fall of 1829, he was employed to guard 
and pilot the Miami and Mississineway tribes 
of Indians from their reservation near Fort 
Waj'ne, Ind., to Chicago, then known as Fort 
Dearborn, after the Government had purchased 
their lauds. All there was of Chicago in those 
daj's was a few French trading posts. He was 
quite familiar with the Indians, and they under- 
standing some English, and he a little of their 
language, was the cause of his being selected 
to escort them to Fort Dearborn. Mr. Gilles- 
pie claims that he is the first one in Illinois 
that made the molds from which slap sand 
brick was made ; the old method was b3' roll- 



ing in sand ; his plan was sanding the molds. 

JAMES B. GILLESPIE, farmer, P, 0. 
Watson, is a son of Joseph Gillespie, and was 
born in this county June 3, 1830. He was 
married, March 3, 1859, to Miss Cynthia Ann 
Wilson, daughter of Theophilus Wilson, and 
settled on a farm of eighty-six acres in Section 
21, Watson Township, on which he has made 
his home and followed the avocation of farm- 
ing. He is a member of the Masonic and Odd 
Fellows fraternities. He has a family of six 
children — Clinton (a well and favorably known 
teacher of this county), Franklin P., James 
Alfred, Oliver T., Samuel B. and Ida Bell. Mr. 
Gillespie's father came to this county in 1828, 
and settled in Ewington. He filled the office 
of County Clerk, and was a prominent man of 
the county. We are not able to give the dates 
of his birth, marriage, etc. 

ISAAC B. HUMES, wagon-maker, Wat- 
son, was born October 17, 1818, at Reading, 
Hamilton Countj', Ohio. His father, John 
Humes, was married twice, and bj' the first wife 
he had three children — Elizabeth, Jane and 
John. His second marriage was to Maria Voor- 
hees, bj' whom he had several children, our 
subject, Isaac B. Humes, and Bridget LaRene, 
are the only survivors. The father was a Cap- 
tain of a company in the war of 1812, in which 
he was permanently disabled, and helpless for 
twelve years prior to his death. He built the 
first frame house erected in Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Isaac, at the age of eight years, began to at- 
tend the common school at Reading, the place 
of his birth, which he continued until his four- 
teenth year, his father dying in 1829, leaving 
his mother with seven children. He was then 
hired b3' his mother to a farmer for the period 
of nine months, at $50 for full time. During 
the time, Albert Courtelow, the farmer, pur- 
chased a summer hat for Isaac costing 25 cents. 
He' had not drawn any part of his pay. When 
the time was up, the farmer was feeding some 
hogs, which he intended to dress for the Cin- 



WATSON TOWNSHIP. 



231 



cinnati market. Isaac volunteered to go with 
him and drive one team, which took two days. 
When the farmer returned to Reading, he paid 
Isaac's mother the $50, and remarked to her, 
" When j'ou pay me 25 cents for life's hat we 
will be square," which his mother did. The 
boy, while holding in high respect the general 
character of the farmer, has never forgotten 
this singular act of generosity. His mother 
soon after this bound him out to Thomas Will- 
mington, of Warren County, Ohio, for a period 
of four years and eight months, to learn the 
trade of wagon and plow making, which period 
he served in full, his mother clothing him, and 
he to receive $36 per year while learning the 
trade. He then returned to Reading and es- 
tablished a shop of his own, which he carried 
on for three years. He then sold out and went 
to Xenia, Ohio, and started a livery stable, re- 
maining there three years. Then he sold out 
and went to Dayton, Ohio, where he became 
road agent for J. & P. Voorhees' stage com- 
pany, remaining with them until railroads su- 
perseded stage coaches in Ohio, in 1850, when 
he came to Effingham Countj', and engaged 
in railroading with John F. Barnard, con- 
tractor, on the division of the Illinois Central 
Railroad, Chicago branch of the Central, from 
five miles south of Mattoon, extending seventy- 
two miles, to junction with the main line. 
The contractors' headquarters were at Ewing- 
ton, then the county seat of Effingham County. 
All the supplies and material for living and 
construction of the railroad had to be hauled 
by teams from St. Louis, Mo., and Terre Haute, 
Ind., at great labor and expense, over bad 
roads, and with much exposure. Fortwo3'ear3 
Mr. Humes was stationed at Terre Haute, spe- 
cially employed in pur«(hasing and forwarding 
supplies to the contractors and men. He then 
came to Ewington, and took charge of the con- 
tractors' store at Ewington until 1855, about 
the time of the completion of the railroad, when 
he went to farming and trading until 1861, 



when he was nominated on the Democratic 
ticket for Sheriff, and was elected, serving two 
years, attending to his farm jointly with the 
duties of his office. Mr. Humes was in full fel- 
lowship with the Whig party until it was dis- 
banded in 1856, when he joined the Demo- 
cratic party, with which he has since acted. 
September 1, 1874, I^Ir. Humes was married to 
Hattie A. Hoff, who was the widow of John 
Irwin. She was born in Montgomery County, 
Va. Her father. William Hoff, and mother 
Artemisia Fergerson, were born in Virginia and 
there married, and unto them were born four 
children, of which Mrs. Humes is the only sur- 
vivor. Mr. Humes' family was reared in the 
Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. Humes in the 
Methodist. Since their settlement in Effing- 
ham County, thej' have witnessed many changes 
in the growth of the country, and various vi- 
cissitudes in the lives of the early settlers. 
Mr. Humes, after a long period of bachelor- 
hood, claims that he was at last captured, but 
is contented and happy in his personal and 
public relations 

LUCIEN W. HAMMER, physician, Watson, 
was born in Clark Countv, Ky., November 12, 
1819. He came to Sangamon Count3', 111., in 
1828, with his parents, where he grew up on a 
farm, and received a common school education. 
The parents first settled on what is now Lick 
Creek, and after a few years moved to what is 
now Ciiristian County, 111., and subject be- 
gan the study of medicine at Moweaqua, 
Shelby County, 111.; first in a drug store, and 
he took up the study of books on medicine, 
and in time began a successful practice in 
1855, and practiced there at Moweaqua for nine 
years, and was also engaged in other business 
until 1871, when he removed to this count}', 
and for one year located in Funkhouser, and 
two years in Effingham. In May, 1874, he 
located in Watson, where he has since enjo3-ed a 
large practice, being the only resident physician. 
He was married, in 1852, to Miss Elizabeth H. 



222 



BIOGBAPHICAL: 



Courtney, who died in 1874, leaving five eliil- 
dren, four of whom are living — Bettie J., May 
B., Fred and Carrie. The eldest daughter — 
Annie, died in 1876. 

WILLIAM T. JAYCOX, merchant, Watson, 
was born in Worthington, Franklin Co., Ohio, 
June 11, 1843. He left in 1851 with his par- 
ents for Illinois, where he settled in Jackson 
Township, Effingham County, where he lived 
until 1861. He enlisted in August, 1862, in 
Twenty-sixth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and 
served three years in the Sixteenth Army Corps 
under Gen. Logan. Fought in battles of Island 
No. 10 and Corinth, after which subject was 
transferred to the Reserve Corps, until the close 
of his term of service on account of ill-health. 
After the war, subject engaged in farming until 
1868. In 1868, he bought a stock of goods of 
F. Lloyd & Co., at Watson, and has since been 
engaged in merchandising, keeping a well-se- 
lected, general stock. In 1875, he erected the 
present store fronting on Railroad street, two- 
story frame, 24x52 feet. Mr. Jaycox was the 
second Postmaster at Watson, 111., and served 
ten years from July, 1872, to November, 1881. 
He built a grain warehouse on the I. C. R. R., 
July, 1882, and is at present buying grain. 
Politically, a Republican. Subject married, in 
1868, to Miss Lenora E. Bail, of Watson; have 
two children — Anna, born October, 1869; Willa, 
born November, 1879. The father of our sub- 
ject was born in New York State May 3, 1817, 
and came to Ohio when a boy, and worked at 
coopering at Columbus and Worthington, Ohio. 
At the latter place he owned a shop. He 
farmed after coming here. He was united in 
marriage with Mar}' Clark in August 20, 1840. 
To them were born eight children, respectively, 
Adelia, William T., Cynthia, Mary Ellen, Jer- 
aldine, Henriette, Richard C. and John M., 
December 27, 1841; June_ll, 1843; May 7, 
1845; January 1, 1848; December 22, 1848; 
May 14, 1852; May 6, 1854; January 1, 
1857. ■ Mrs. Hammer was born at Rich- 



mond, Ohio, March 25, 1822. Mary Ellen, 
died September, 1856; Adelia, died August, 
1864; Jeraldine, October 26, 1869. Removed 
from Worthington, Ohio, to Effingham County, 
111., in the year 1851, and settled in Jackson 
Township, at which place he resided until his 
death in April, 1869. 

J. A. McCALLEN, farmer, P. 0. Effingham, 
was born in the month of December, 1837, in 
Harrison Count}', Ind. His father, Robert Mc- 
Callen, was one of the first settlers of Southern 
Indiana, having moved there from Kentucky in 
the year 180G. The boyhood of James was 
spent like that of most other farmer lads of 
that pioneer day; his summers, after he was old 
enough to work were given to labor on the 
farm, and during the winter season be attended 
public school. The schoolhouse in which he 
took his first lessons and where he was taught 
to read, write and " figer " was the conven-' 
tional " old log cabin." The fire-place reached 
half waj' across the room, the loading of which 
was the principal work of the " master," during 
the long, cold days of winter. For text books 
some brought Bibles, some old copies of news- 
papers, and others such books as they could 
obtain. James relates that one of his teachers 
made it a rule to hear his pupils recite in the 
order in which they arrived at school. The 
first who came was the first to recite, and in 
their endeavors to get there first, pupils would 
often be at the schoolhouse before sunrise. 
But, notwithstanding all their irregularitj', 
and the inadequate facilities of the early 
schools which he attended, James obtained a 
fair education, more from his own exertion and 
aptness than from his teachers, the most of 
whom were illiterate themselves. In 1859, he 
was married to Miss Mary J. Ryan, of Harri- 
son County, Ind., and for five years afterward 
he was engaged in farming. In 1864, he en- 
tered the Forty-second Indiana Infantrx', and 
marched with his regiment under Gen. Thomas 
through parts of Georgia, Alabama, Keutucky 



WATSON TOWNSHIP. 



323 



and Tennessee, and took part in the bloody 
fight of Nashville and the lively skirmishes be- 
fore Franklin, in both of which engagements he 
exhibited the courage and firmness of the true 
soldier. He remained with his regiment under 
Thomas until near the summer of 18Gr>, when 
the Southern Confederacy having fallen, he, 
with his regiment, was marched to Louisville, 
Ky., and mustered out. He then, in partner- 
ship with his'father, engaged in the dry goods 
and grocery business at Palmyra, Ind. In this 
business the^' built up a good trade and were 
very successful, running a peddling wagon to 
Louisville, Ky., weekly for goods, and to dis- 
pose of procluce, etc. In about 1867, they sold 
out their store, together with their stock of 
goods and town propertj-, and bought a farm 
of 100 acres north of town, where thej' farmed 
until 1808, then sold out to a Mr. Avery for 
$1,600. They then a second time bought a 
farm in partnership, which they farmed until 
the fall of 1871, when James, who had long 
entertained a desire to emigrate to Illinois, and 
having visited and looked out a location in 
Effingham Count}-, sold his farm and, in com- 
pany with his father-in-law and two brothers- 
in-law, came to the " Sucker " State, settling in 
Watson Township. Here he bought lands of 
the Illinois Central Kailroad. and engaged in 
farming. In March, 1874, he was called to 
mourn the loss of his wife, who died, after an 
illness of ten days, of pneumonia. Slie was a 
kind and affectionate wife and mother, and a 
true Christian, and her death was more than 
usually grievous to husband and children. 
Four children survive her, and one is dead. 
Those living are Florence, the wife of J. C. 
Loy ; Albert D., a young school teacher and 
law student ; Alonzo and Manson, school boys. 
James A. McCallen is a man of good busi- 
ness qualifications, and is noted for his indus- 
trj'. Since coming to Illinois, in 1871, he has 
improved two farms, clearing up fort3'-five acres 
of timber land, and building one dwelling 



house and two barns. In the summer of 1881, 
he married Mrs. Charlotte L. Avery, a lady of 
means and in good social standing. Mr. Mc- 
Callen is at this writing (1882), living on his 
farm on Salt Creek, in Watson Township, en- 
gaged in farming and stock-raising. 

CHARLH:S E. MILLER, farmer, P. 0. Wat- 
son, 111., son of Anson S. Miller, was born Feb- 
ruary 20, 1841, in Franklin, Delaware Co., N. 
J. He engaged in clerking at the age of fif- 
teen, for Edward Douglass Meredith, which he 
continued about four years, when he went to 
merchandising, which he followed with good 
success for several years in Franklin, N. J. 
Mr. Miller was married, October 26, 1863, to 
Miss N. Josephine Mann, daughter of Oliver 
Mann. In 1877, he sold out his store. busi- 
ness and removed to Effingham County, and 
settled on a farm of 100 acres. Sections 16, 17 
and 21, erected a first class dwelling and is 
making farming a decided success. He has 
three children: Frank C., Lula J. and J. Stew- 
art. He is a member of the Kpiscopal Church, 
also a member of the Masonic fraternity, and 
is a t3-pical Democrat. Subject's father, Anson 
S. Miller, was born in Delaware County, N. J., 
-July 18, 1818. He was married, November 26, 
1838, to Lucinda A. Chamberlain. The issue 
of his first marriage is one child, Charles E. 
Subject's wife died October 3, 1858. 

WILLIAM PITKIN, deceased, was born at 
East Hartford, Conn.. May 9, 1790, and went 
to Albany, when aj'oung man, and engaged in 
the drug trade. In 1820, he removed to 
Rochester, N. Y., and there commenced a trade 
in drugs and medicines, in a wooden building, 
which gave away in later years to a finer struct- 
ure known as the Pitkin Block. He prose- 
cuted his business till 1854, a period of thirty- 
four years. In 1839 and 1840, was an Alderman 
from the Fifth Ward. In 1845 and 1846, he was 
Mayor of the citj'. He was one of the Com- 
missioners appointed by State to erect the 
Western House of Refuge, and became a mana- 



224 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ger of the institution. He was one of tlie 
founders and managers of the House of Truants. 
He was one of the founders and manager of the 
City Hospital. Was one of the first trustees of 
the Rochester Savings Banjj, an office he held 
till his decease, and was for many years Presi- 
dent of that institution. He was a member of 
St. Luke's Episcopal Church. He had four 
children, viz., Alfred H., James M., of Roches- 
ter, N. Y., Mrs. McKnight and Sarah M. He 
died May 4, 1869. The father of subject, Sir 
William Pitkin, was a Governor of Connecticut 
Colony, 1766. Alfred H. Pitkin, eldest son of 
subject, was born in Rochester, N. Y., Decem- 
ber 28, 1834. Went to Chicago in 185.3, and 
engaged in hardware and general mercantile 
business in the firm name of Pitkin Brothers. 
Continued the business with fair success till 
1866, closed out on account of the death of his 
brother, and the decline of his own health, and 
moved to Effingham County, 111., and settled 
on a farm of 160 acres, in Section 29, Watson 
Township. In 1872, he sold and moved on a 
farm of 120 acres, in Section 16, Watson Town- 
ship, where he follows farming with good sue 
cess. Subject was married in Bridgeport, 
Conn., December 4, 1855, to Miss Mary Louisa 
Thompson, daughter of John Thompson. 
Subject has four children living: William 
Theodore, was born August 26, 1858; Grace 
E., was born February 28, 1862; Alfred 
H., was born September 4, 1867; Sarah Ida, 
was born Januarj- 12, 1873; Mr. Pitkin's wife, 
Mrs. Sarah L. Pitkin, died September 20, 1873; 
Fannie L., was born May 6, f857, and was 
married to James M. Parkhurst September 24, 
1877, died May 4, 1882. 

ELAM R. RINEHART, farmer, was born in 
Ewington. this county. May 17, 1849. He was 
fourteen j-ears of age, when his father came to 
the place where our subject lives at present, who 
became owner of the old homestead at the death 
of his father January 9, 1877. Our subject has 
alwajs been engaged in farming ; the farm 



consisting of one quarter section, all in cultiva- 
tion, and devoted principallj* to the raising of 
grain. He was married, March 16, 1876, to 
Miss Victoria Carpenter, of this county, and 
has three children — Daniel B., Walter I. and 
William B., twins. Our subject has served on 
the Board of Supervisors of this county ; his 
father, Daniel Rinehart, was born September 15, 
1812, in Fairfield County, Ohio, where he re- 
ceived a common school education, and mar- 
ried, February 8, 1837, Barbara Kagay, of 
Fairfield County, Ohio. In June, 1841, he 
came by team to this county, and first settled 
in a cabin in what is now Watson Township, 
wliere Michael Sprinkle now lives, where he 
had entered a one quarter section previous to 
coming. He lived there until 1847, and 
opened up quite a farm, but the prevailing 
disease of chills and fever induced him to 
leave the farm and move to Ewington ; he had 
been elected County Clerk by the Democrats, 
and had served as County Assessor before this 
for two years. He served as County Clerk of 
Effingham Count}- for eighteen yeafs continu- 
ously, except an interim of two j'ears, when the 
office was filled by Thomas Loy, in probably 
1849-50. _He retired in 1873 to his farm ; he 
was one of the best known men in the county ; 
he exerted a large political influence in the 
county and district. He was a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church for man}' years ; 
he had four sons and two daughters, as fol- 
lows: Jemima, was wife of W. C. Wright (de- 
ceased, see sketch) ; Emma E., Mrs. Edward 
Upton, of Watson Township ; Thomas Benton, 
farmer of this county ; William Allen, of Leeds 
City, D. T.; Brastus N., see sketch; Elam R., 
subject. 

CAPT. FIDELES B. SCHOOLEY, mer- 
chant, Watson, is a son of Palemon and Sarah 
Schooley, and was born in 1843, in Clay County, 
111. He first engaged in millwrighting, a trade 
he learned under his father. In 1861, he en- 
listed in the war, Company G, Eleventh lUi- 



WATSON TOWXSHIP. 



235 



noia, being first in the three montlis' call, and 
re-enlisted in November, 1861, for a term of 
three years in Compan}- D, Fifty-fourth Illinois. 
Mr. Schooley went out as a private, and was 
promoted as follows : First Sergeant, Second 
Lieutenant, First Lieutenant and Captain, a 
position he held to the close of the war (or 
about twelve months). At first the command 
was stationed on duty to guard a railroad near 
Columbus, K}'. It was in the siege of Vicks- 
burg, afterward endured several marches in 
Gen. Steele's command in Arkansas ; was at bat- 
tle at Clarendon, another near Little Rock, and 
at the capture of the latter place August 24, 
1864. Subject was taken prisoner in a fight at 
Jones Station, and was taken to Batesville, 
Ark.; was paroled and sent to the barracks at 
St. Louis, Mo., where he remained till in 
December, 1864, when he was exchanged, and 
was at Fort Smith, Ark , when the great peace 
conference was concluded with the Indians. 
Subject was discharged November 1, 1865, and 
returned home. He was married August 11, 
1866, to Miss Pauline Thompson, daughter of 
Robert Thompson, and followed milhvrighting 
till 1869 when he engaged in clerking in a 
store for A. J. Vance, in Watson. In 1871, 
began to clerk in the store of Barkley & 
Abraham in Watson. Mr. Schooley's wife 
died in June, 1875, and he was married to 
Miss Frank E. Claar, daughter of Jacob and 
Sarah Claar, December 25, 1875. In 1878, he 
purchased an interest in the store of Milton 
Abraham. In February, 1880, sold out in 
Watson and engaged in merchandising in Elli- 
ottstown, Januar}^ 1, 1882, sold a half-interest 
of his store in Elliottstown, to Mr. Abraham, 
and bought a half-interest of Abraham's store 
at Watson, and the two stores were run under 
the firm name of Abraham & Schooley till 
October 1, 1882, when our subject sold out his 
interest in the store business to Mr. Abraham, 
and purchased a half-interest in a furniture 
store, and runs business under the firm name 



of Schooley Bros. Subject has a family of 
three children — Elsworth B., Sarah B., Clara 
E. Subject's father, Palemon Schooley, was 
born February 17, 1821, near Salem, Ohio; 
moved with his parents to Maysville, Clay 
County, 111., and was married in that county, 
May 3, 1840, to Miss Sarah Sitler, daughter of 
Samuel and Christina Sitler. The father was a 
millwright ; moved from Clay County, 111., in 
1846, to Vermont, Fulton County, 111., where 
he remained about six j-ears, and after a few 
removals to secure work at his trade, he set- 
tled at Elliottstown, Effingham County. In 
1861, he enlisted in the war in Company D, 
Fifty-fourth Illinois, in the same company with 
his son F. B. Schooley, and served till the 
spring of 1865, when he returned home, and 
moved to Watson, 111., where he remained till 
his death, which occurred October 21, 1871, 
after which his widow, Mrs. Sarah (Sitler) 
Schooley, lived with her son F. B. Her chil- 
dren consists of two living, one of whom is 
the subject of this sketch, the other, Salathiel, 
who also served a long term in the war. He mar- 
ried, and runs a furniture store in partnership 
with his brother, under the firm name of 
Sciiooley Bros. 

ELISH A W. SCOTT, farmer, son of Dr. John 
0. Scott, was born near Freemanton, this count}', 
October 12, 1838, and was raised on a farm, and 
educated in public schools of this county-. He 
began farming for himself in 1863, in which 
year he was married. He enlisted in tlie army 
in 1862, in the Seventy-first Illinois Volunteer 
Infiintry, and served three months, when his 
time expired. In 1863, he enlisted in tiie One 
Hundred and Thirtj-fifth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry' for one hundred daj's, and served for 
about five months, on guard dutj', under Gen. 
Rosecrans. He has farmed in this township 
since 1863. He, that year, married Miss Livo- 
na McCann, daughter of James McCann, of 
Jackson Township, and has four children living, 
Vista, Ella, Nora and Edward. Our subject 
has served his township as Assessor. 





226 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



W. F. SCOTT, farmer and teacher, P. 0. 
Watson, is a son of Dr. John 0. Scott, and 
was born in this county, April 20, 1841. In 
1860, he began teaching. In 1862, he enlist- 
ed in the United States Arm}-, Company E, 
Seventy-first Illinois Volunteers. His com- 
mand was forwarded to Columbus, Ky. Af- 
ter some time spent in the service, he was 
sent to the marine hospital, at Chicago, on 
account of disability for service. After his 
recover3', he was placed in charge of a Govern- 
ment corral, where he bought Government 
supplies, and was foreman of the men who 
took charge of horses brought in for service. 
After about six months of this kind of service, 
he returned home and resumed teaching. He 
was married in Jasper County, 111., August 28, 
1870, to Miss Melissa Blackford, daughter of 
I. M. Blackford. Since then, he has followed 
the avocation of farming, alternately teach- 
ing in winters and farming during the summer. 
He has gained a first-class reputation as a 
teacher, and proven a success at farming, and 
is the owner of a good farm. He i.s an ardent 
supporter of the principles of Democracy, has 
held the office of Justice of the Peace, is School 
Treasurer, and a member of the Masonic fra- 
ternity. He has five children — Lawly, Ninta, 
Emmett R., Ethie E. and Worley. 

IRWIN A. SPRINKLE, druggist, Watson, 
son of John Sprinkle, was born in this coun- 
ty July 17, 1859. He was raised on a farm, 
lu 1876, he engaged in clerking in a dry goods 
and grocery store in Teutopolis, which he 
followed about seven months. August 22, 
1879, he was matriculated in the Northern In- 
diana Normal, which he attended three terms. 
He returned home and engaged in clerking in 
Effingham a short time ; then purchased a drug 
store in Watson, and engaged in his present 
avocation. In this business, he has met with 
good success. He carried a first-class assort- 
ment of drugs and notions. Politically, Mr. 
Sprinkle is a stanch Republican. Is School 



Treasurer of Watson Township. Mr. Sprinkle 
was married at Mason, 111., February 26, 1881, 
to Miss Nelia Rankin, daughter of Robert and 
Mary Rankin. He has one child, Clyde 
Sprinkle, born March 26, 1882. 

EDWARD N. UPTON, traveling salesman, 
was- born in Auburn, N. Y., September 27, 1837, 
and learned the printer's trade in Columbus, 
Ohio. He came to St. Louis, Mo., in 1857, 
and in 1858 came to Ewington, this county, 
as a journej-man printer, and worked for 
Col. Filler a year and on the old Pioneer, and 
then went to Henderson, Ky., where he 
joined his brother-in-law in putting in gas 
works there, remaining six months, when 
he returned to Ewington and again worked in a 
printing office for six months, and went to St. 
Louis and worked as compositor till 1861, when 
he went to Columbus, Ohio, where he helped 
to raise a company and went out as First 
Lieutenant, mustered September 10, 1861, 
which was a part of the Forty-sixth Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantr}-. He served until close of war, 
being mustered out in July, 1865, at Louis- 
ville, Ky.; served three years nine months. He 
served in Fifteenth Army Corps of Gens. Sher- 
man and Logan, and fought in thirty-two 
battles. He was promoted to rank of Cap- 
tain, Company G, dated April 6, 1862. He 
was commissioned August 19, 1864, Major of 
the Fort3'-sixth Regiment. He was made 
Lieutenant Colonel of Regiment December 22, 

1864, and rose to rank of Colonel July 16, 

1865. He was married, March 21, 1864, to Miss 
Emma E., daughter of Daniel Rinehart, of 
Effingham County, 111. After leaving the array 
in fall of 1865, he settled on present farm in 
Watson Township, where he has since resided, 
and followed farming for about ten years. In 
1875, he entered the employ of Haydens & 
Allen, manufacturers of saddlery hardware, of 
St. Louis, and has for past seven years been 
traveling salesman for Southern Illinois. He has 
three sons and two daughters living — Hayden 



WATSON TOWNSHIP. 



227 



R., Mattie R., Edward N., Daniel N., Mary L. 
One died in infancy-, Cotton Allen. Our sub- 
ject has served as Town Clerk of Watson, and 
Collector. 

REV. DAVID WILLIAMSON, deceased, 
whose portrait appears in this worlf, was not 
one of fortune's petted ones, " born with a sil- 
ver spoon in bis mouth," but being one of seven 
children of a family in moderate circumstances, 
has known what it is to figlit life's battles single- 
handed, only inspired by native ambition and 
a desire for usefulness and position among men. 
The rudiments of his education were received 
at the district schools. Was a very attentive 
student and became a deep thinker. He was 
born on the "Williamson plantation," near Ab- 
ingdon, Va., May 6, 1827. His father, George_ 
was born in County Armagh, in the Province 
of Ulster, Ireland, and emigrated to Vir- 
ginia when quite young. His mother, Susan 
Myers, was born in Pennsylvania, and died 
near Gosport, Ind., in 1837. In the early 
part of his life, he united with the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. At the age of sev- 
enteen, he entered the ministry, which he 
continued most!}- the remainder of his useful 
life, and the result of his efforts will only be 
known in that day when the secrets of all hearts 
shall be revealed. In 1846, he was with the In- 
diana Conference, and in 1853 he united with 
the Southern Illinois Conference, where he 
made known his strength until 1869, when he 
was superannuated at his own request, on ac- 
count of physical disability. He soon settled 
with his family on a farm a short distance east 
of Watson. Here he gained some strength, and 
applied himself to teaching. He was a man of 
scrupulous integritj-, generous impulses and 
boundless hospitality. As a minister, he 
preached strong doctrinal sermons, but his 
modesty led him to evade debate as much as 
possible. However, wiien pressed, he would 
accept, and his adversarj' found in him a strong 



opponent. He was united in marriage, October 
14, 1852, with Mary J. Brown, of Gosport, Ind. 
Siic was liorn Februarj- 5, 1829, near Gosport, 
Ind. Her parents, F. and Sarah (.Manser) 
Brown, were natives of Kentuckj\ The former 
was born January 21, 1803, and tlie latter Feb- 
ruarj' 10, 1805. Mr. Williamson's marri,age 
gave him six children, viz.: Frank, engaged in 
railroading in Mississippi; Sarah L. A., de- 
ceased; J. D. D., Mary E. E., Frederick T. B. and 
Rosa. The last four are efficient teachers. J. D. 
D. was born in McLeansboro, 111., Nov.l4, 1858. 
He began carlj' to improve his mind, and com- 
pleted a course in the Graj'ville and Southern 
Indiana Colleges, and attended other noted edu- 
cational institutions. He entered the school- 
room as a teacher early in his teens, and his 
services have become so desirable that he is 
pressed into actual labor aside from his regular 
emplo3'ment as a general agent for a school fur- 
niture and supply establishment. In tlie latter 
avocation, he is as proficient as in the former. 
He was married at Marshall, Clark Co., III., 
March 11, 1881, to Libbie Hillis, a native of 
Watson, 111., born September, 1859. He resides 
in Watson, is teaching, and at the close of the 
term he will devote his entire time in the em- 
ployment of the firm mentioned above. He is . 
a stanch Democrat, and a member of Watson 
Lodge, A., F. & A. M. The future is 3-et before 
him, and he promises to be a type of the old 
block. Rev. Williamson died September 30, 
1878, from an attack of typhoid fever, wliich 
lasted only one week. He had often expressed 
himself as willing to meet death, and when he 
breathed his last it was in the full faith of his 
Savior. He was a kind father, a devoted, lov- 
ing husband, and commanded the highest es- 
teem of all who knew him. His widow, Marj- 
J., resides with three of the younger children, 
on the farm where thej- located when first 
coming to this count}'. He was a lifelong 
Democrat. 



228 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



MOCCASIN 
JOSEPH P. CONDO, merchant, Moccasin, 
was born in 1848 in Penn Hall, Center Co., Penn., 
and lived there till he was twenty years of age, 
and then was married and came to this county, 
and has been in Effingham County ever since. 
He was married to Marj' A. Motz. She was 
born in Center County. She Is the daughter 
of Samuel Motz, who was born in Center 
County, Penn.: also her mother. Her mother is 
dead, but her father still lives in the same 
countj^ Mr. Condo's parents both were born 
in Center Count}', but his father, Jacob Condo, 
came West, and died here; also his moth- 
er. The first four years after coming, Mr. 
Condo farmed, and in 1872 he went into the 
mercantile business in Moccasin, and has been 
in the same business ever since, and is at pres- 
ent the only merchant in the village. Mr. 
Condo carries a stock of about $7,000, includ- 
ing everything to be found in a general 
store. Mr. Condo has been contracting for 
railroad ties to different roads, and for the last 
five years has handled over 100,000 ties each 
year, and for the last two j^ears has been hav- 
ing the ties mostly made on his own land, but 
still bu^-s. Mr. Condo made his start by sell- 
ing steel plows, in 1870 and 1871, selling over 
300 while on the farm in the two 5'ears. He 
has 770 acres of land, 140 in Shelby County, 
370 in Effingham County, and 260 in Fayette. 
Of this, 300 acres are in cultivation, 300 acres 
of good timber, and 170 stump land. Besides 
his land, he has his store building in Moccasin 
and resident property' in Effingham. Mr. 
Condo has been one of the most successful 
business men in this part of the count}'. In 
1880, Mr. Condo was one of the three delegates 
from this count}' to the Republican State Con- 
vention at Springfield, 111. He has three chil- 



TOWIfSHIP. 

dren living and four dead — Sallie, Florence and 
Lulu. He is a member of the Republican 
State Central Committee. 

MOSES DOTY, farmer, P. 0. Moccasin, was 
born in Wayne County, Ohio, 1816. He is the 
son of Thomas and Rosa (Sowards) Doty. His 
father was a native of Kentucky, and his 
mother of North Carolina. They were married 
in Kentucky, and moved to Ohio — at an early 
date — while the Indians were still in the State. 
Both of his parents died, and are buried in 
Wayne County, Ohio. Mr. Doty was educated 
in the early schools of Ohio— a split log for a 
bench, a log cut out for a window, with paper 
stTetched over it, etc. In spring of 1845, he 
came to Moccasin Precinct, and settled on 
Moccasin Creek ; lived here nearly two years, 
and then went back to Ohio, and lived there 
till fall of 1852 ; they returned to Effingham 
County, and this has been their home ever 
since, except one season he rented a farm in 
Fayette County. When first coming here, there 
was no flour to be had, and their way of get- 
ting their meal was to grind it by horse-power ; 
aud the first meal he got he had to go to Van- 
dalia for it. It was an insult to offer paper 
money or coppers in pay for anything. Once, 
while on the road, he bought a loaf of bread, 
and not having the exact change in silver, he 
offered to make the change in coppers ; but for 
his trouble he received a cursing. Their first 
voting was done in an old barn, and each one 
had to go up and tell the name of the one they 
wished to vote for, as there were no tickets. 
When first coming here, there were but few per- 
manent settlers ; most were what they called 
squatters. He bought a number of good year- 
ling steers for $1.50 per head, and kept them 
till they were two years old, and sold them for 



MOCCASIN TOWNSHIP. 



239 



|3 per head ; there was no market for any- 
thing: good corn could be bought for 8 cents. 
Schools were an unknown thing when he first 
came, but the second summer the}' got up a 
little school, and kept it for three months. 
Old Ewington was their post office, a distance 
of about twelve miles. He was married, 1835, 
in Wayne County, to Mary Jane Cavenee. -She 
was born in Harrison County, Ohio, the daugh- 
ter of William Cavenee, a native of Pennsj-1- 
vania. Her mother was born in New Jersey. 
On Mr. Dot3''s father's farm was an old block- 
house, built by the Americans in the war of 
1812. Mr. Doty used it as a eider house for 
a number of years. In his famil}- there were 
twelve children (nine now living); four boj's and 
five girls living. In 18G9, he sold out his farm 
on Moccasin Creek, with the intention of going 
West, but instead bought his present farm, 
which is one mile north of the old place. His 
farm now consists of 121 acres. He is Demo-, 
cratic in politics, and has been one all his life. 
When first moving here, there were but two 
Whigs in this precinct — the rest all Democrats 
— and the Whigs did not turn out to vote. 
Farming has been his business all his life. The 
way they made their living at first was to raise 
a small patch of corn, and then hunt for game ; 
all kinds of game was quite plentiful then ; 
deer would be seen in herds of from fort\- to 
fiftv; turke3-s and chickens were also numerous, 
and many wild hogs in the woods. 

MARTIN V. DOWTY, farmer, P. 0. Moc- 
casin, was born in Rush County, lud., 1841, 
March 12, to Thomas and Deborah (Wood) 
Dowty. He was born in Pennsj-lvania, and 
she in Buffalo, N. Y. They were married in 
Ohio, and settled in Indiana, 1835. He died 
in Rush County, and she in Jasper County. 
Our subject was educated in Rush County, 
Ind., in common school. He was raised on a 
farm and has followed that business all his 
life, except for five 3-ears he was quarrying 
stone in Decatur County, Ind. March, 1879, 



he came to Effingham County, and bought his 
present farm of 104 acres, all but six of which 
is prairie land. He was married in Indiana, 
1863, to Emma Mason, she was born in Deca- 
tur County, Ind., to John and Sarah Mason. 
They have six children — Clara Lizzie, Theo- 
dore, Edith, Katie and Arthur. Mr. Dowty 
entered Company B, Eleventh Indiana In- 
fantry-, Col. Hacelman ; for four months he 
was in the Eleventh, and then eight months in 
the Sixteenth. He and wife are Methodists in 
religion. He is Republican in politics; is also 
a member of the Masonic fraternity. 

ANTHONY GRANT, deceased, was born 
in Harrison County, Ohio, near Athens, on 
Stillwater River, February 10, 1825, to An- 
thony Grant and Rebecca (Sloan) Grant. In 
1849, he was married in Knox County, Ohio, to 
Margaret Lybarger; she was born in Knox 
Count}', 1826, March 7, to Daniel and Nancy 
Ann (Gary) Lybarger. In 1851, Mr. and Mrs. 
Grant moved from Ohio to Effingham County, 
and settled on the present fiirm in 1852, and 
have remained here since. Mr. Grant was 
raised on a farm, and followed that for his oc- 
cupation till his death, April 26, 1875. When 
first coming, he entered 160 acres of timber 
land, and at the time of his death had about 
460 acres. The\' have six children living — 
Maranda, Francis Marion, Charles Anderson, 
Sophronia, Emma and George Ulysses. Mrs. 
Grant is member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church of Pleasant Grove. Mr. Grant was a 
member of the JIasonic fraternitj', and was 
Democratic in politics, and held different town- 
ship offices, Commissioner, etc. In moving 
from Knox Count}', Mr. Grant and family came 
in company with his brother, James Grant, 
who is now in Mound Township, and Robert 
Stewart, who settled in Fayette Count}'. When 
they settled here, this was a wild country. 
There were no settlers on the prairies at all, 
and but few along the timber near here. Their 
trading point when first coming was old Free- 



230 



BIOGRAPHICAJ. : 



maiiton, and their milling was done in horse 
mills, Vmt finally they got tired of that kind 
of flour and so went to Shelbyville. The Qrst 
season here, Mr. Grant farmed with his brother 
in Fayette County, and would go away from 
home Monday morning, and stay most of the 
week without getting to come home ; so Mrs. 
Grant and her one little girl would stay at 
home all alone, and frequently not see any one 
from the time he left till his return. In fall of 
1853, he bought out a squatter who was living 
on the present homestead, giving him $100 for 
the claim ; he then entered the land. When 
first moving here, there were a good many 
threats made that they would run them out, 
but they had come to make a home here, so 
they held their own ; and after a time the old 
settlers here became reconciled to have Ohio- 
ans remain. Mr. Grant's life was quite a suc- 
cess, but he was generous almost to a fault, 
ready to help when he knew there was no 
chance for a return, when he saw any one in a 
difficulty, especially the poor or to the widows. 
Mr. Grant's father was born in New Jersey; 
came to Penns3'lvania at an early date, then to 
Harrison County, Ohio, about 1825, and in 
1826 to Knox County, where he remained ac- 
tively engaged in farming till the time of his 
death January, 1866, aged eighty-three years. 
Subject's mother was born in New Jerse}', and 
died in Knox County, Ohio, 1869, aged eighty- 
six years. 

J. W. HOTZ, Sr,., farmer and grain buyer, 
P. 0. Moccasin, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, 
Germany, 1823, June 1; came to Penns3'lvania 
in 1839, and then to Washington County, and 
there learned his trade of blacksmithing, and 
followed his trade for thirty-one years in dif- 
ferent places. From Penns3'lvania, he came in 
1845 to Wayne Count}', Ohio, and lived there 
for fourteen j'ears. While there, he was mar- 
ried, on October 6, 1851, to Miss Lovina Jane 
Knox. She was born in Pennsylvania Janu- 
ary 19, 1835. She died March 11, 1878. They 



have seven children — Mary Ellen, Florence R., 
William H., Theresa A., Albert H., Charles E. 
and George F. Since coming to Illinois, he 
has carried on a farm and blacksmith shop. 
He quit the shop in 1870, but still carries on 
the farm, and for the last six years has been 
bnying grain in Moccasin for Jennings & 
Minor, of Effingham. His farm consists of 200 
acres, 160 on the prairie and 40 in timber, 
and besides has town property-. He has 
always been Democratic in politics. He has 
been a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church for forty-four years, and has filled the 
place of Steward and leader ever since joining 
the church. The first year he came to this 
county, he helped to build the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church, and helped wear it out, so they 
built another church on the same site in 1881. 
Mr. Holtz is a strict temperance man, and for 
the future temperance will enter in his politics. 

JOHN HURDELBRINK, farmer, P. 0. 
Moccasin, was born in St. Clair County, 111., 
September 13, 1849, to Diedrich and Mary A. 
(Bossa) HiH'delbrink, both born in Hanover, 
Germany; came to America in 1842; settled 
in Buffalo, N.- Y., afterward moved to St. 
Clair Count}', 111., and he died there of the 
cholera, aged about fift3'-four. B}' trade he 
was a blacksmith. She is now Mrs. Henry 
Niehoif. Our subject was educated in St. 
Clair County in an English school. He has 
always followed farming. In 1865, he came to 
this count3- with his mother and step-father, and 
has been here ever since. He was married in 
this cuunty in 1877 to Hannah Huelskoetter. 
She was born in St. Louis in 1855 to Henrj' 
and Mary A. (Piel) Huelskoetter, both now 
living in this county. They were both born in 
Prussia. He and wife are both members of 
the German Lutheran Church. He is Repub- 
lican in politics. His farm consists of 80 acres, 
all prairie. 

J. S. JONES, physician. Moccasin, was 
born in Harrison County, Ohio, in 1827. 



MOCCASIN TOWNSHIP. 



231 



He was educated in Ohio and attended lectures 
in Cincinnati at tlae American Medical Col- 
lege. He began his practice in 1854, commenc- 
ing practice in Millersburg, Iowa, remaining 
there till 1858, and then returned to Ohio and 
practiced at Bladensburg, Knox County, for six 
years, and then came to Effingham County, in 
1865, and has been here ever since, with the 
exception of two years he was in Missouri, go- 
ing for his wife's health. Dr. Jones belongs 
to the eclectic school. He was married in 
Holmes County, Ohio, to Elizabeth Johnston, 
in 1850. His wife died in January, 1873. He 
was married in Effingham County, 111., in 1876, 
to Tena Piper. He had seven children bj' his 
first wife (five are now living) and has one 
child b}^ his present wife. He has always 
been Republican in his politics. He is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternity. He is the son 
of William Jones, a native of Pennsylvania, 
who died in 1850. Dr. Jones' mother died 
about 1840. 

JOHN H. LUHRMAN, farmer, P. 0. Blue 
Point, was born in Hanover, Germany, April 19, 
1820. He is the son of Herman H. and Marj- 
(M3-ers) Luhrman. His father was born in Han- 
over, German}-, 1790, and emigrated to America, 
1844, and settled in Cincinnati. Ohio, where 
he remained till his death, about 1855. He 
followed his trade of shoe-maker. The mother 
of our subject was also born in Hanover, Ger- 
many, and died in Cincinnati, 1877, at forty- 
eight years of age. They were the parents of 
seven children, of whom John H. was the old- 
est. He received his education in the common 
schools of his native countr}-. When he was 
twenty-three j-ears old, he left home and emi- 
grated to America, coming on a sailing vessel 
from Bremen to New Orleans, and landed 
there December 19, 1843. On account of the 
ice in the river, he could not make St. Louis, 
the point of his destination, till Januarj-, 1844. 
For fifteen 3-ear3 he remained in St. Louis, 
working the first nine years for George P. Plant, 



in a flouring mill. He then worked six years 
for Joseph Powell, also in a flouring mill. In 
1859, he located in Wennidc, 111., where, in com- 
pany with J. F. Brocksmith , he built a large flour- 
ing mill at a cost of $40,000. A few years after 
this, his daughter was killed in the mill, and 
that caused him to sell out his interest, and re- 
move to a farm. His daughter had gone into 
the mill to call the miller to dinner, and in pass- 
ing up stairs to where he was, her dress caught 
in an upright shaft that was making sixt}- revo- 
lutions per minute. She was immediately 
killed. After selling the mill, he bought a farm 
of 160 acres near Wennide, and remained there 
till 1869, when he sold out and came to Effing- 
ham Couutv, and bought 320 acres in Moccasin 
Township, and has added to it till now he has 
a farm of above 500 acres of well-improved 
land, except forty, which is timber land. Jan- 
uary 6, 1845, in St. Louis, he married Mary 
Foldenfeld, a native of Hanover, Germany. 
The}' have four children living, Louisa (wife 
of W. F. Lange), Charles, "William and August 
(at home). He and familj' are members of the 
German Lutheran Church — his son, William, 
being organist. He is Democratic in politics. 
While farming in Washington County, he was 
appointed Postmaster at Livel}- Grove, and held 
that till he left the count}-. July, 1871, while 
driving a reaper, the seat broke and he was 
thrown down in front of the knives and had his 
right band cut so badly that he lost the use of 
it. His head was also badly bruised. 

W. B. METHAM, farmer, P. O. Altamont, 
was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, 1825. 
He remained in Ohio till 1855 ; he came to Illi- 
nois, and the first winter stayed in Fayette 
County, and in the spring of 1856 came back 
into Effingham County, and has made this his 
home ever since. He is the son of Pren Met- 
ham, who was born in England. In his youth, 
he was a sailor, but came to America before he 
j was married. Eliza (Boman) Metham, Mr. W. 
B.'s mother, was the second wife of Pren Met- 



233 



BIOGRAPHICAL. 



ham, and was born in Pennsj-lvania, and was of 
the Pennsylvania-Dutch origin. His father was 
one of the earl}- settlers in that part of Ohio. 
His place was thirty miles from Zauesville, and 
as they had no roads at first, everything had to 
be done on horseback. His parents both died 
in Coshocton County, Ohio. When Mr. Met- 
ham came to Effingham County in 1856, he 
bought his present farm of Pricket Doty, pay- 
ing $10 per acre for what he bought of Dotv, 
and is now one of the best improved and most 
valuable farms in this p&rt of the township. 
His farm consists of about 600 acres, mostly 
l3'ing along Big Moccasin Creek. Mr. Metham 
has always voted the Republican ticket, voting 
first for Fremont, and has never missed an 
election since his first vote, and has been one of 
the leading Republicans in Moccasin Township. 
When Mr. Metham came to his present fiirm, 
there was not a settler out in the prairie ; it was 
allgrown up to prairie grass. John H. C. Smith 
put up the second house in the prairie, and 
Peter Campbell the first, but soon after the 
Germans came in and began settling it. Mr. 
Metham was married in Coshocton County, 
Ohio, 1851, to Rebecca Anderson. She was 
born in Ireland. She is the daughter of John 
and Mary Anderson. Her father died in the 
old country, but her mother came to Coshoc- 
ton Count}', Ohio. They have two children 
living and six dead — Mary E., Artincy, Al- 
vira, Anderson, Clara, Alice, and an infant, all 
dead ; Adda and Laura are the only two liv- 
ing. Mr. Metham is a member of the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church. 

WILLIAM OWENS, farmer, P. 0. Alta- 
mont, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, 1819. 
From Wayne County he moved to Knox Coun- 
ty, Ohio, about 1844. He remained in Knox 
County till about 1858, when he came to his 
present farm in Effingham County, 111. He 
is the son of John and Phoebe (Spake) Owens. 
His father was a native of New Jersej-, and his 
mother of Pennsylvania. His father died and 



left six children, four boys and two girls. Mr. 
Owens is the oldest of the sons ; the daughters 
are both dead, but the boys living. He was 
onl}- a small boy when his father died, and his 
mother being fooled out of what property was 
left to the family, the four oldest children were 
bound out, and the result was, their chances 
for an education were very limited. He was 
married in Wayne County, Ohio, 1842, to Cath- 
arine Stahl. She was born in Ohio, Wa3'ne 
County, but her parents had come from Penn- 
sylvania. She died in Knox County in 1846 
or 1847. B}- this wife he had four children, 
all living. About 1848, he was again married, 
to Rebecca Jane Grant, born in Harrison 
County, Ohio. Her parents were from Vir- 
ginia. Bj' this wife he has five children, 
three boys and two girls. His children are 
Elizabeth, Frederick, Salome, Catharine, An- 
thony, Rebecca, John, Sarah and William. 
Mr. Owens' occupation has been that of farm- 
ing most all of his life, but he started with 
nothing. His farm now consists of 460 acres. 
He has al\va3's been Democratic in politics. 

PHILIP PETZING, P. 0. Moccasin, was 
born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, December 
24, 1823, to Peter and Kathrina (3Iachemer) Pet- 
zing ; both were born in the same place as our 
subject. In 1853, they came to America, taking 
passage at Havre, France, making the trip to 
New York in a sailing vessel in twent3-seveu 
days. They settled in Buffalo, N. Y., and his 
father lived there till his death, in 1863. In 
the old country he was a farmer, but after 
coming to America he invested his money in 
city property, and lived on the rents. Mrs. 
Potzing, the mother of our subject, died when 
he was onlj' four years old, in the old country. 
Our subject was educated in the common 
schools of his native country. In 1847, he first 
came to America, and settled in Buflalo, where 
he remained for seven years, and where he fol- 
lowed ship-carpentering. He learned his trade 
after coming to Buffalo. Before coming to 



MOCCASIN TOWNSHIP. 



233 



America, he had been at work on the farm with 
his father. In 1852, he returned to German j-, 
and came back in 1853, as his father was com- 
ing. In 1854, he left Buffalo, and came to 
Chicago, where he remained till 1863. Daring 
the nine years at Chicago, he followed various 
kinds of business ; first working at his trade 
awhile, then went into a brewery, but sold that 
out after three 3'ears, and then went into the 
I. C. R. R. car shops for some time, but on 
account of sore eyes he quit the shops and 
went into a butcher shop, and the last two years 
while there he was farming southwest of Chi- 
cago, in Cook County, but in 1863 he came to 
Effingham County,, and has been farming here 
ever since. When first coming here, he bought 
railroad land, buying 220 acres at first, but 
has since added to it till now he has 620 acres, 
all but SO of which are in the prairie. In 1861, 
he was married, at Chicago, to Mine Henning. 
She was born in Prussia, in 1834, to William 
and Caroline Henning, Mrs. Petzing came to 
America in 1854, but her parents did not come 
till 1858. Her father is dead, but her mother 
is still living. Mr. Petzing has seven chil- 
dren — William, Philip, Julia, Hermon, Anna, 
Edward and Ida. He and family belong to 
the Lutheran Church. He is Democratic in 
politics. He has held various township offices, 
being Justice of the Peace, School Trustee, 
and now is Road Commissioner, and also has 
been Supervisor for two terms. 

DAVID RUDY, farmer, P. 0. Moccasin, 
was born near Harrisburg, Penn,, 1846. His 
parents moved from Pennsylvania, when he 
was small, to Indiana, where they remained for 
seven years, and then came to Illinois, settling 
in Slielbj' County. His father, William A. 
Rud}', is still living in Shelby County, but 
his mother died February, 1878. He received 
his education in Shelby Count}', and was mar- 
ried in Fayette County, 111., 1870, to Harriet 
A. Musser. She w.as born in Ohio, Knox 
County. Her father, W^illiam Musser, is now 



living in Shelby County. February, 1874, they 
moved to Effiugham County, to their present 
place, and improved it. It was all timber and 
thickets when moving here. His farm consists 
of forty acres here and eight}- acres in Fayette 
County. Mr. Rudy and wife are members of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is Demo- 
cratic in politics. Most of his life he has fol- 
lowed farming, and has run a threshing machine 
for a number of years, and when a young 
man was engineer in a saw-mill for quite a 
time. 

J. H. C. SMITH, farmer, P. O. Altamont, was 
born in Franklin County, lud., April 26, 1831, 
to Summers G. and Sally (Bulkley) Smith. He 
was born in Kentucky. He was a cooper by 
trade, and moved to Cincinnati at an early 
date, and was one of the first coopers that ever 
made a barrel in Cincinnati. He died in 
Effingham County, 1872, at the age of eighty- 
four. He was for over fifty years a citizen of 
Indiana. She was a native of Connecticut. 
She died in 1876, at the age of sixty-four. 
Our subject was educated in Franklin County, 
Ind., in the common schools. He was raised 
on a farm, and that has been his occupation 
through life, although he has done consider- 
able work at the carpenter trade. In 1853, he 
came to Effingham County, III., settling in 
Summit Township first. In spring of 1862, 
he came to Moccasin Township, and bought a 
farm of eighty acres, but has since added to it 
till he has 210 acres — all but ten acres 
under fence. In 185 I, he was married, in this 
county, to Mary Ann Devore. She was born 
in Ohio, in 1832, to James and Elizabeth 
Devore. Both her parents are dead. He was 
Judge of the County Court of Effingham County 
for some time, and was one of the first Method- 
ist preachers in this part of the country. Mr. 
Smith has four children, all living — William 
H., Elizabeth R., Nathan A., and David M. 
He and wife are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church of Dexter. Mr. Smith has 



234 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



been class-leader for about twenty-five 3'ears. 
He is Republican in politics, and has been since 
the party started ; is a member of the A. 0. 
U. W. He has held diflFerent township offices. 

HENRY SOLTWEDEL, Blue Point, was 
born in Meckleiiburg-Schwerin, Germany, March 
20, 1848, to Christian and Louisa (Bruhn) Solt- 
wedel. He was born February 5, 1805, in the 
same place as his son. He was a cow-herder 
in the old counlrj', being main overseer of the 
herd of cattle on one of the ranches of the 
Dobberton circuit. In 1856, thej' came to 
America, settling first to make a permanent 
home in Effingham County, 111., in Bishop 
Township. The three }'ears previous to this 
settlement, the\- had lived at different places, 
first at Buffalo, N. Y., then in Indiana, in La 
Porte County, where they lived for a time, but 
this county was their first permanent settle- 
ment. August 28, 1882, Mr. Soltwedel's mother 
died here, and his father is still living with 
him. Mr. Soltwedel received most of his edu- 
cation in this county ; was raised on a farm, 
and that has always been his occupation. He 
is the only son living, but has two sisters 
living. He was married in this county, 1876, 
to Louisa Ziegler. She was born in Baden, 
Germany, 1849, to Jacob and Christina Ziegler. 
He is living, but she died May 26, 1870. Mr. 
and Mrs. Soltwedel have three children living — 
Louis, William and Emma. He and family 
are members of the Evangelical Lutheran 
Church, St. Paul congregation. The principles 
of the Democratic party are his. He has held 
different township offices — Township Clerk, 
Constable, and now is serving second term as 
Assessor. His farm consists of eighty acres, 
all in prairie. March 28, 1873, he moved to 
this place, but had purchased the farm in 
1871. 

W. H. ST. CLAIR, M. D., Moccasin, was 
born in Cincinnati, Ohio, May 23, 1828, in the 
Governor's mansion. He is the son of John 
St. Clair and Ann (Crooker) St. Clair. John 



St. Clair was born in Cincinnati, and died in 
Peoria, 111. Mrs. John St. Clair died in this 
county. She was a woman well versed in his- 
tory, that being her main study. The house in 
which Dr. St. Clair was born is said to be the 
first brick house built west of the Alleghany 
Mountains. The glass for it was carried in 
pack-saddles across the mountains. It is now 
part of the Methodist Book Concern. Dr. St. 
Clair and family, and Mrs. Dr. Charles Pad- 
dock, of Richmond, Ind., are the only descend- 
ants of Gen. Arthur St. Clair, who was appointed 
Governor of the Northwest Territory b^' Gen. 
Washington. Dr. St. Clair, the great-grandson 
of Gen. Arthur St. Clair, still has a letter writ- 
ten by George Washington, 1798, to " His Ex- 
cellency, Gov. St. Clair," soliciting his influence 
in behalf of Edward Tiffin, who was afterward 
Governor of Ohio. In 1856, the Cincinnati 
papers stated that there were, including inter- 
est at six per cent from date, $3,000,000 due 
the St. Clair famil}' from the Government of 
the United States for money loaned to it by 
Arthur St. Clair during the Revolutionary war, 
but they never have received a cent. In 1839, 
Dr. St. Clair moved to Effingham County, with 
his parents, located at Ewington. His life till 
he was nineteen was spent in Effingham County. 
In 1847-48, he attended the Asbury University, 
at Greencastle, Ind., taking the scientific course. 
In 1849, he joined the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. In May, 1850, he was married to Mary- 
Jane Jackson, daughter of Mrs. T. J. Gilleuwa- 
ters, of Effingham. The only child bj' this mar- 
riage is now 3Irs. W. T. Pope. August, 1856, his 
wife died. In 1857, he was married to Eliza Ann 
Jackson. By this marriage he had four sons and 
four daughters; two sons are dead. For eight 
years he traveled in the Southern IllinoisConfer- 
ence, beginning in 1851, and six j-ears he trav- 
eled in the Minnesota Conference. In Richland 
County, 111., he commenced the practice of medi- 
cine in 1864. In 1865, he located at Effingham, 
and practiced till April, 1871, and then came to 



MOCCASIN TOWNSHIP. 



235 



Moccasin Township, and has been bere ever 
since. William and Charles are tiie Doctor's 
sous; May, Laura, Carrie and Bellfore are the 
daughters. Gov. Artluir St. Clair lauded at 
Cincinnati when coming to the Northwest, and 
as there was a kind of village there he asked 
the name of it, and was told it was " La Can- 
terville," a French name meaning the " ville" 
on the opposite side, or the ''ville" opposite 
Covington. He asked them why in h — 11 they 
did not call it by some Christian name, and 
said, " let us call it Cincinnati," and so it went 
bj- that name from that on. 

WILLIAM STOPPELMANN, farmer, P. 
Moccasin, was born in Hanover, Germanj', 

March 18, 1838, to Eibost Henry and 

(Niwenir) Stoppelmann. Thej- were both na- 
tives of Hanover, Germany. She died about 
1842, in Germany. He is still living in the old 
country, and is over seventj' jears old. His 
occupation has always been that of a merchant 
and trader. Our subject was educated in the 
schools of his native countr3^ At the age of 
nineteen, he left home and came to America. 
He settled in Washington Count}', 111., when 
first coming. While there, he followed farming, 
first two years working for a farmer, and then 
rented land and farmed for himself He re- 
mained in Washington County for seven years, 
and then came to Effingham County in 1863. 
When first coming, he bought eighty acres of 
improved land, paying $12 per acre. His farm 
now consists of IGO acres prairie and twelve 
acres timber land. His farm is well improved. 
In 1880, he built a large and liaudsome resi- 
dence, 18x38, and two stories high, and the 
kitchen 16x18, one story. He was married in 
Washington County, in 1858, to Wilhelmina 
MoUinbrock, born in Prussia, June 15, 183-1, 
to William MoUinbrock. He died in the old 
country in 1880. Our subject has two children 
dead and three living — Caroline, William and 
Charlotta. He and family are members of the 
German Lutheran Church. Blue Point. He is 



a Republican in politics. He is Township Su- 
pervisor at present. He has made his own 
way since coming to America, and his success 
has been made by his own energy and perse- 
verance. 

GRIFFIN TIPSWORD, farmer, P. 0. Moc- 
casin, was born just across the line in Shelby 
County, III., 1831. lie is the grandson of old 
Griffin Tipsword, and the son of John Tips- 
word. Mr. Tipsword's life has been spent 
mostli[ in Effingham County, and being raised 
in this country before there was scarcely any 
civilization, he knows what pioneer life is. His 
early training was that of a pioneer, and took 
his first lessons in hunting and trapping under 
his grandfather's care. His first schooling was 
obtained in a five cornered schoolhouse, the 
house being built so that the fifth corner was 
open, and used as a fire-place, and poles and 
logs could be burned without chopping. He 
was married, 1853, to Elizabeth Banning, in 
Shelby County. She was born and raised in 
Shelby County ; she is the daughter of 
Machac Banning, a native of South Carolina, 
but her mother's people were from Tennessee. 
Thej- have nine children, six boys and three 
girls — John, Merida, Hester, Sarah Ann, Isaac 
Christopher, Joseph, Walter, Minda. In 1855, 
Mr. Tipsword moved to the prairie, there being 
only one house in the prairie at the time; the 
others were all in and around the woods. In 
1876, he sold out and went to Kansas, but re- 
mained onl}' for the one season and then came 
back, and bought his present farm, which con- 
sists of 140 acres. He is Democratic in poli- 
tics, as all by the name are. 

ISAAC TIPSWORD, fiirmer, P. O. Moc- 
casin, was born across the line in Fayette 
County, III., in 1835. He is the grand- 
son of old Griffln Tipsword, and the son 
of Thomas, and the only one of the sons 
now living in this county. His fiither was 
killed accidentally in Kansas in 1857. Mr. 
Tipsword's opportunities for an education were 



236 



BIOGRAPHICAL; 



very limited, going two and a half to tliree 
miles, and then had to sit on a bench in a log 
house, which did not have a floor in it part of 
the time, and the window was an opening made 
by cutting out part of a log, and then stretch- 
ing a greased paper over the hole. He was 
married in Shelby County, 1854, to Agnes 
Dowty, a daughter of J. P. Dowty; she was 
born in Wayne County, Ohio, 1833, and were 
early settlers in Effingham County, coming 
about 1840. They have nine children living 
and two dead — Thomas P., Breckeuridge, Da- 
vid M., Mary Ann, Valandingham, Ida May, 
Margaret Viola, Isaac W., Columbia Agnes. 
Mr. Tipsword has been on his present farm 
since 1865. His farm consists of 223 acres, 
about 140 in cultivation. He has always been 
Democratic in politics. He and wife are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church South ; 
he is a member of the Masonic fraternity ; 
farming has always been his occupation ; Mr. 
Tipsword's mother is still living, and is about 
seventy years old ; her name before marriage 
was Annie Waller ; she was born in Tennessee 
but was married on the Okaw, to Thomas Tips- 
word about 1839. One incident that Mr. Tips- 
word remembers of his father's hunting, was, 
that he went out one day and killed seven 
deer, and that night came home with six of 
them all on one old horse, and Mr. Tipsword 
also riding. 

G. W. TIPSWORD, farmer, P. 0. IMoccasin, 
born in Moccasin Township, in 1849, is a 
son of Ashby Tipsword, an old settler of this 
county. He was born in Coles Countj-, 111., in 
1827, and then came to this countj-, with his 
parents, when three years old, and lived here 
till his death, in 1877. After he was married, 
he bought a squatter's claim, and afterward 
pre-empted the land, and this old homestead 
was his residence till his death. Mrs. Tips- 
word still lives on tlie old place. She was 
born in Tennessee, daughter of S. R. Powell. 
Mr. G. W. Tipsword is one of nine children. 



seven of whom are living, and all but one in 
Effingham County. Mr. Tipsword was edu- 
cated in the common schools of the township. 
He was married, in January, 1873, to Mary 
Ellen Hotz. She was born in Ohio, and is a 
daughter of J. W. Hotz, Sr., also an old settler 
here. They have four children, all girls — Lil- 
lian A., Sedalia M., Sarah J., Bertha G. His 
farm consists of eighty acres, but he is farm- 
ing part of the old homestead also. He has 
been Town Treasurer of Schools since April, 
1877. He is Democratic in politics, and is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity. He and 
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. Griffin Tipsword, his great grand- 
father, was the first white settler in Effingham 
County. (See sketch of Griffin Tipsword in 
the General History of the County.) Ashby 
Tipsword was the son of Isaac, and Isaac 
Tipsword was the son of Griffin. Ashby 
Tipsword, the father of G. W., was the first 
Supervisor after the township was organized, 
and was elected a number of times in succes- 
sion. He was one of the foremost men in the 
organization of the township and was one of 
the leading men in the township. Although his 
education was quite limited, he was often called 
on to write wills, administer on estates, and 
was the referee in man}' cases of litigation, but 
never got into lawsuits himself For a num- 
ber of years he was School Treasurer of the 
township, and was succeeded at his death by 
his son, G. W. Mr. Tipsword started in life 
with nothing, but at his death had about 550 
acres of land besides personal and town prop- 
ert}'. He was a veterinary' surgeon, and was 
called in all directions and at all times, and 
with his love of hunting he became known to 
all the settlers for many miles around. He 
was a man with many peculiarities, but the 
friend of all. He was a great lover of fun, but 
not such as would injure any one. He was 
married, in Marcb, 1849, to Sarah J. Powell. 
He was buried with Masonic honors in the 



MOCCASIN TOWNSHIP. 



237 



cemetery near Moccasin, and a good stone, 
erected b}- his famil}-, marks his resting 
place. 

W. F. WOHLFORD, farmer, P. O. Altamont, 
■was born in Knox Countj', Ohio, May 15, 1848, 
to Joiin and Catharine (Kremer) Wohlford. 
He was born in Center County, Penn. ; she, also, 
in the same count}-. They were married in 
Wayne County, Ohio, May 19, 1865. They 
landed in Freeport, 111., and lived in Stephen- 
son County, within four miles of the State line, 
until the time of their death. He died in 
Stephenson Count}- in the winter of 1872. His 
occupation was that of a farmer. She died in 
1876, in Richland County, Ohio. Our subject 
was raised on a farm and was educated in the 
common schools of Ohio. November 25, 1868, 
he came from Stephenson Count}- to Effing- 
ham County, and since that time P]ffingham 
County has been his home. He was married 
here, October 30, 1870, to Elizabeth Perry. 
She was born in Effingham County, 111., Janu- 
ary 21, 1853, to Thomas and Emeline (Balch) 
Perry. He was born in Kentucky and she in 
Indiana. Both died in this county. Mr. 
Wohlford has two children living — John F. 
and Olive Alma. Mr. and Mrs. Wohlford's 
home now is the old home of her parents. The 
farm consists of seventy-five acres, all under 
fence. Mr. and Mrs. Wohlford are members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Crum's 
Chapel. He is Republican in politics and is 
the only one by the name that holds to that 
party. Mrs. Wohlford's parents were among 
the earliest settlers here, but Mrs. Wohlford is 
the only one of the family now living in this 
county. 

JOSEPH YARN ALL, farmer,N P. 0. Moc- 
casin. Mr. Yarnall was born in Coshocton 
County, Ohio, October 18, 1830. He lived in 
his native county till October, 1851, when he 



came from his old home and spent the first 
winter in Fayette County, 111. ; but in March, 
1852, he moved to this county and lived for. 
two years on Wolf Creek, and then came to 
his present farm, which he entered from the 
Government. Almost the entire prairie was 
vacant land when he first came, and the land 
office was closed for about two years, waiting 
for a division of the railroad lands from the 
Government lands. Mr. Yarnall's parents 
moved here at the same time, and lived in 
this township till their death. His father. 
Mordecai Yaruall, was born near Brownsville 
Penn., March 3, 1790, and died January 22, 
1871. His mother, Providence (Walraven) 
Yaniall, was also born at Brownsville, Penn., 
September 15, 1798, and died August 12, 1877. 
Mr. Yarnall received his education in the early 
schools of Ohio. His father had moved there 
in 1822. Mr. Yarnall has always followed 
farming. That was also the occupation of his 
father. He was married, August 11, 1851, in 
Ohio, to Mary McNeely. She was born in Greene 
County, Penn., but her parents had moved 
to Ohio when she was seven years old. She died 
December 9, 1881. In his family there were 
eight children, seven still living — Harriet 
Zelma, Mordecai, Emma Elizabeth, Provy 
Victoria, Joseph James and Mary Jane (twins), 
William Thomas, John Benton (deceased). 
Mr. Yarnall has always been a Democrat. 
His farm consists of 100 acres, 80 in the 
prairie, and adjoining the village of Moccasin. 
Mr. Yarnall has always been an active worker 
for the good of schools, and also for the town- 
ship. On his father's side, Mr. Yarnall's an- 
cestors were Euglish, they having come to 
America with William Penn, and his father 
was a Quaker till th'rty years old, when he 
became a Methodist. Mr. Yarnall's ancestors 
on his mother's side were Welsh. 



238 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



BISHOP T 
JAMES C. BEARD, farmer, P. 0. Dieterich, 
111., was born in Vigo County, Ind., November 2, 
1829, near the State line. His motlier dj-ing 
when he was two years old, he spent the 
greater part of his youth in the family of an 
uncle, going to school when he could, j'et 
applying himself so industriously to his studies 
that, despite his meager opportunities, he ac- 
quired a better education than was common 
among his cotemporaries. He was early in- 
terested in public and national affairs, and 
became a close analyzer of political issues, 
identif\"ing himself with the Whig — afterward 
the Republican — party. In 1858, he came 
West to Illinois, and bought 120 acres of wild 
prairie land in Bishop Township, this count3', 
where he has since resided. This was several 
years before the township was organized, and 
there were only four or five families living in 
what is now School District 2. Wild deer 
roamed over the prairie in herds of fifty or a 
hundred, or lay hid under the tall grass, which 
was in places ten or twelve feet high. But 
Mr. Beard, then young and strong, was equal 
to the situation, and he soon had his fai-m 
fenced and a part under cultivation. He has 
since added to this fiirm forty acres, making in 
all 160 acres of prairie land, beside fifty- acres 
in the Island Grove, which furnishes fuel, 
fences, etc. He served two terms as Super- 
visor of Township and is serving a third term 
as School Trustee, and has served, also, a great 
niimber of terms as School Director. Mr. 
Beard is a man who loves a good joke, and can 
tell one admirably. For acute penetration 
and wisdom on points of law, many of our 
lawyers have found it to their advantage to get 
his opinion and counsel, which is seldom 
wrong and always logical. Mr. Beard was 



OWN SHI P. 

married, in the spring of 1860, to Miss Rebecca 
Layton, of Bishop Township, Effingham Co., 
111. They have two sons and one daughter 
living — John, James and Clara. James Beard, 
father of James C. Beard, was born in Blount 
County, E. Teun., in 1799. He was engaged in 
farming and teaching school until 1822, when 
he went to Indiana, to look at the country 
with a view to moving there. He returned to 
Tennessee, where he soon after married Miss Jane 
Ewing, of Blount County, October 14, 1823. 
In the same year, he took his \"Oung wife to live 
in Vigo County, Ind., where he purchased land 
and engaged in farming on the Wabash River 
until 1858, when he moved to Bishop Township, 
111., and bought land, which he farmed until his 
death. Before coming to Illinois, his wife died in 
Vigo County, 1831. Of his first marriage there 
were four children — Margaret I., William H., 
John and James C, the latter being the only 
one now living. Mr. James Beard was mar- 
ried a second time in 1835, to Mrs. Jane 
Caldwell, of Vigo County, Ind. For many years 
Mr. Beard filled the office of Justice of the 
Peace, also that of Township Supervisor. He 
died on his farm, in Bishop Township, March 
3, 186-1. 

HERMAN CREMER, farmer, P. O. Teutop- 
olis, was born in Bishop Township, this county, 
March 19, 1852, son of John D. and A. M. 
(Zurliene) Cremer, natives of Hanover, Ger- 
many, he, born in 1811, was a farmer, and died 
in Bishop Township, December 29, 1870 ; she, 
born in 1821, and is living with our subject. 
They were the parents of two children, both 
boys. Our subject received his early educa- 
tion in District No. 2, Bishop Township, and 
commenced life at the plow. He was mar- 
ried in Bishop Township April 27, 1880, to 



BISHOP TOWNSHIP. 



239 



Elizabeth Hoelsher, born July 28, 1800, in 
St. Francis Township, this county, (laughter of 
Frank and Elizabeth (Fechtrup) Hoelsher, 
natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Cremer 
have one son, Joseph, born October 5, 1881. 
Our subject lives on the old homestead, and 
has a farm of 190 acres, about sixty acres of 
which are in timber. lie carries on general 
farming. He has filled the office of Justice of 
the Peace, is a member of the Catholic Church, 
and in politics is a Democrat. 

MICHAEL DIETERICH, farmer, P. 0. 
Dicterich, the founder of Dieterich, now a pros- 
perous town on the S. E. & S. E. R. R., was 
born in Bavaria, Germany, July 23, 1826. 
When fifteen 3'ears old, he came to the United 
States with his parents, and settled on the 
Muscooten, in St. Clair County, 111., where he 
helped to clear and subdue the wild lands 
which his father had settled upon ; but that 
father was not destined to long survive the 
labor and hardships incident to pioneer life, 
and young Michael was, at the early age of 
sixteen years, left fatherless and dependent in 
a new unsettled country. Tet undaunted and 
with strong hope, he hired out to work upon a 
farm, and continued to work b_v the month 
and year until 1849, when he went to Clinton 
County, 111., and with the money he had saved 
while working as a farm hand, entered 280 
acres of land, the greater part of which he put 
in cultivation. Upon this farm Mr. Dieterich 
built all the necessary buildings, and otherwise 
improved it. At one time while living upon 
this farm, he engaged in the culture of grapes, 
having a vineyard of about seven acres, and 
making, some years, 4,000 gallons of native 
wines. In July of 1853, Mr. Dieterich was 
married to Miss Barbara AVingard, of Clinton 
County, 111., but a native of Bavaria, Oermanj'. 
In 1870, Mr. Dieterich sold his Clinton 
County farm at $65 per acre, and came to Ef- 
fingham County, when he at first bought one 
half section of prairie land in Section 13. 



Bishop Township. He has since acquired the 
remainder of the section, and also owns forty 
acres of timber land. This section of land 
was wild and unshorn, and had never known a 
plowshare, yet Mr. Dieterich. by his great indus- 
try, has fenced, and has under cultivation every 
foot of this land at this time. Mr. Dieterich's 
buildings and farm accommodations are all 
first-class. He is extensively engaged in stock- 
raising, and the baling and shipping of bay, 
besides raising vast crops of wheat, corn, oats, 
etc. He gave the right of way for the S. E. 
& S. E. R. R., which crosses diagonally the 
north half of his section. At the completion of 
this road, in 1880, a station was located on his 
land, and named in his honor, Dieterich, which 
was surveyed by County Surveyor A. S. 
Moffitt, in the fall of 1880. The town is plat- 
ted in nine blocks, of twelve lots each, 50x100 
feet. There is, at present, ten residences, one 
store, two groceries, two saloons, two black- 
smith shops and three warehouses. Mr. Die- 
terich was appointed first Postmaster of Dieter- 
ich, by Postmaster General James, April 9, 
1881. He has served three years as Road 
Commissioner, and has filled other public trusts 
at different times, all of which have proven 
him to be a man of great integrity and good 
ability. He has a large warehouse, and buys 
and ships grain, in which business he has been 
very successful. Mr. Dieterich has seven chil- 
dren living, and one dead. Those living are 
Henry, Lizzie, Minnie, Barbara, Michael, Caro- 
line and John. 

L. J. FIELD,'M. D., EUiottstown, whose por- 
trait appears in this work, was born in Ken- 
tuckj', on the 12th day of August, 1821, son 
of Ambrose and Elizabeth (Reeder) Field, he 
a native of Virginia, and died in this county, 
in 1855, of the cholera; she a native of 
Maryland, and died in 1874; they were 
the parents of twelve children. Our sub- 
ject was taken bj- his father to Edgar Coun- 
ty, 111., when ten years old. He worked for 



24U 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



his father on the farm in the summer time, 
and in the winter attended school until seven- 
teen years old, when he engaged in school 
teaching, teaching one term in Edgar County, 
then went back to Kentuckj', and taught one 
term of school there. In 1840, he returned to 
Edgar Countj' and engaged in school teaching 
until 1849, when tie came to Effingham County, 
and taught three terms of school here; during 
the time he was teaching in Edgar County, he 
was also engaged in the study of medicine, 
having commenced the study of medicine when 
seventeen years old, and he made it a special 
study; he came to this county for the purpose 
of practicing medicine, and in 1852 he gave up 
teaching and went to practicing ; when he first 
caine here the people were verj' few and there 
was no other doctor in the vicinity for some 
time afterward. He has an extensive practice 
extending over the greater part of Effingham 
County. In the fall of 1861 (about the 1st of 
November), he enlisted in Company D, Fifty- 
fourth Illinois' Volunteers, and was Hospital 
Steward until about the 1st of July, 1862, 
when he resigned and came home on a fur- 
lough ; went back about the 1st of October, 
remained there until about the last of Novem- 
ber, 1862, when he was discharged for disabil- 
itj-; he came back to Elliottstown and contin- 
ued his practice. He was married, February- 3, 
1843, to Frances T. Courey, of Edgar County, 
III., born February 14, 1825 (same age as Gen. 
Hancock), in Kentuckj', daughter of Abraham 
and Elizabeth (Riie^-) Conrey, he of New 
York, she of North Carolina. The parents 
had nine children. Mr. and Mrs. Field 
are the parents of eleven children, seven of 
whom are living — Melinda, wife of Cicero 
Quillin; Mary F., wife of T. J. Dunn, of Elli- 
ottstown; Susan, wife of B. B. Williams, liv- 
ing in Elliottstown, 111.; Abraham A., living 
ifl Collinsville, Madison Count}'; William D., 
lives in Effingham, 111.; Henry, at home; John, 
at home. Our subject owns a nice residence 



in Elliottstown, and is comfortably situated; 
he has been Township Clerk and School Trust- 
ee. In politics, he is a Democrat, and is a 
member of the Elliottstown Lodge, A., F. & 
A. M. Mrs. Field is a member of the Baptist 
Church. 

SAMUEL FIELD, farmer, P. O. Veni, was 
born March 1, 1833, in Edgar County, 111.; he 
lived on the farm until he was eleven }-ears old, 
when his parents moved to Effingham County, 
and settled in Bishop Township, near Elliotts- 
town. In 1844, his father bought a small im- 
provement of a man by the name of Thomas 
Walls, but afterward entered 180 acres of Gov- 
ernment land. The first school taught in this 
section of the county was taught by his 
brother. Dr. Louis Field, on John L. Batty's 
place; Samuel attended this school two terms, 
after which he went several terms to a school 
south of Elliottstown. When he became of 
age, he bought land of the Illinois Central 
Railroad Company, and began farming on a 
part of his present farm. He nows owns 180 
acres, 160 of which are prairie, all in cultiva- 
tion; he has lived upon this farm for twenty- 
five years, and raises both grain and stock; he 
also has a large saw mill. Mr. Field has held 
various township offices for nine years; he was 
Justice of the Peace, being elected before the 
township organization. He has served eight 
terms as Supervisor of Bishop Township, be- 
ing chosen by the Democratic party, with 
which he has always acted. He has been 
prominentl}- named for the first office in the 
county. He was married in 1856 to Miss Ma- 
tilda Lay ton, of Bishop Township, this county. 
They have living seven sons and three daugh- 
ters ; the sons are William P., John R., Clark, 
Edward, Charles, Layton and Frank ; the 
daughters are Mary, Rebecca and Ella; three 
of their children died while young. 

FREDERICK G. HABING, merchant, Die- 
terich, was born in Oldenburg, German}-, in the 
year 1848. He came to the United States with 



BISHOP TOWNSHIP. 



241 



his parents when he was less than a j^ear old. 
He settled with his parents on a farm near 
Teutopolis, where he grew up working on the 
farm and attending school until his twentj'- 
fifth year, when he began buying produce and 
continued in business in Teutopolis until 1881, 
when he went to Dieterieh, buying four lots and 
erecting the first business house built in that 
new town. He opened his store at that place, 
consisting of a well-selected stock of dr}' goods, 
groceries, etc., the 14th da^- of January, 1881, 
where he has since done a good business. He 
is also engaged in buying grain and burning 
brick. He is the first and only Station Agent 
of the S. E. & S. E. R. R. Co., and is also agent 
for the Pacific Express Companj'. He was 
married in 1872, to Miss Mary Taphorn, of 
St. Louis. Two children of this marriage 
are living, John and Frank. His wife died in 

1878. Was married second time to Mar}- 
FLiek, of Teutopolis, who died in September, 

1879. Married third wife, in 1881, Sophia 
Meyer, of Jasper County, III. John G. Hab- 
ing, the father of our subject, was born in Old- 
enburg, German}- ; lived there as a farmer un- 
til 1849, when he came to tiie United States 
and settled in Illinois, in Effingham County, 
near Teutopolis. He was married to Engle 
Robe, of Oldenburg, by whom he had a family 
of four sons and three daughters. He died 
November 12, 1865; his wife is still living. 

HENRY HELMBRECHT, farmer, P. 0. 
Elliottstown. Henr}- Helrabrocht is a native 
of the Stale of Hanover, Germany, born in 
1834, and resided in his native country, working 
on a farm and attending public schools until 
1853, when he emigrated to the United States. 
Landing at New Orleans, he then went to 
Louisville, Ky., via the Mississippi and Ohio 
Rivers. At Louisville, he stopped but a few 
months, when he went to Jackson County, 
Ind., and bought a farm near Seymour, which 
he farmed three years, and then, in 1856, came 
to Jasper County, 111. For the next three years 



he worked as a common farm hand in Jasper, 
Coles and Cumberland Counties. In 1862, he 
came to Bishop Township, Effingham County, 
and bought eighty acres of prairie land, upon 
which he has since resided and farmed. As a 
farmer, Mr. Helrabrecht has, by his industry 
and attention to business, been very successful. 
His early education was thorough and practi- 
cal, and has been greatly enlarged by extensive 
reading and by an interchange of thought with 
leading men upon the various issues and ques- 
tions of the day. He was married, in 1862. to 
Miss Mary Diesler, of Effingham County. Seven 
children have blessed their wedded life, whose 
names are Caroline, Anna, Mary, William, 
August, Henr}' and George. 

THOMAS A. JACKSON, farmer, P. 0. 
Montrose, 111. 

" Hope springs eternal in the human Vireast ; 
Man never is, but always to be ble.st." 

Such seem to have been the actuating princi- 
ples with Thomas A. Jackson, in a very marked 
degree, for he has roamed about nearly all his life 
seeking blessings, yet never stopping long 
enough to receive them. He was born in Kent 
County, Del., in the year 1824, where he 
lived until he was sixteen j'ears old, working 
on a farm and attending to school. In 1840, 
in company with his uncle, George W. Jack- 
son, he went to Logan County, Ohio, where 
he worked three j-ears at the wagou-makcr's 
trade. In 1843, ho went to Maryland, and 
from thence went in company with his 
father to Philadelphia, where he finished his 
trade, working there sixteen months. In 1844, 
he went back to Logan County, Ohio, and 
worked at his trade there until 1850, when he 
went to Clay County, Ind., and remained there 
three j-ears. He came to Cumberland Count}-, 
111., in 1853, and engaged in flvrraing, working 
at his trade only at intervals. In 1866, he 
was burnt out and came to Effingham, where 
he lived six months, then traded town prop- 
erty for a farm in Watson Township, where he 



243 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



farmed with good success for several j'ears. 
He next moved to Lucas Township, where he 
farmed about three years. lu 1874, he moved 
near Montrose, in St. Francis Township, where 
he owned a farm of sixty acres, and lived until 
1876. In that 3'ear, he moved to Montgomery 
Count3', Mo. Again, in 1878, he went back 
to his native State of Delaware, where he re- 
mained about one year, working at his trade, 
when he again returned to Effingham County, 
111. At the close of the year 1878, he went to 
Kentucky and worked at his trade three months ; 
then returned to Illinois, moving on a farm in 
Bishop Township, Effingham Count}', where he 
has since resided. He was married in 1 849 to 
Miss L. J. Westfall, of Ohio. Of this marriage he 
had twelve children. His wife died in 1876, 
and he was married a second time in 1877 to 
Mrs. Martha Tenny. They have two children. 
PETER T. JOHANSElN: farmer, P. O. Veni, 
111. But few men have had a more remark- 
able life, so full of dangers and hardships, as 
Peter T. Johansen, who was born in the east- 
ern part of Denmark, on the Island of Zealand, 
of the Baltic Sea, November 21, 1833. His 
father was a farmer, but Peter loved better the 
wild, venturesome life of the sea, and when a 
mere lad learned to steer a boat and hoist and 
trim the sail. His uncle was harbor master 
and pilot, and Peter would often accompany 
him on short coasting V03'ages to trade with 
the people farther up the Baltic. His very 
, childhood was thus spent on the sea, and it is 
no wonder he grew up to like it better than the 
land. At the age of fourteen, he shipped on a 
coaster which was to trade with Norway and 
Sweden, and his education being better than 
that of the rest of the crew, he did the clearing 
of the vessel at each port. One 3ear later, 
1848, he made a trip to Iceland as sailor -'be- 
fore the mast," and was wrecked on the coast 
of Iceland. After buffeting with the waves for 
several hours, he managed to float ashore, and 
was soon after carried back to Denmark in the 



main vessel. Again, in 1849, during the Ger- 
man war, we find him super-cargo of several 
grain vessels bound for London, England. 
While in the North Sea, lift}- miles out from 
the mouth of the Thames, he fell from 
the topsail-yard, a distance of fifty or 
sixty feet, breaking his right leg in three 
places, and crushing his right ankle and 
breaking his left leg, and causing the re- 
moval of a section of his spinal column. After 
lying several weeks on board ship without 
medical treatment, he was taken to London and 
recovered. He returned home and studied 
navigation with a view of becoming teacher in 
a maratime school. When the Australian gold 
excitement broke out in 1853, he abandoned 
his studies and went as passenger to the new 
El Dorado. He passed around Cape of Good 
Hope and returned five 3'ears later by Cape 
Horn, thus circumnavigating the globe. He 
worked five years in the mines of Australia 
with varying fortune, and returned to Europe 
on Christmas, in 1858. Tired of sea- fiiring and 
discouraged at his failure to realize a fortune 
m the gold mines of Australia, he took passage 
for the United States in the spring of 1859. 
Landing in New York, he pushed on west to 
Illinois, first stopping in Old Ewington, Effling- 
ham County, where he took out his papers of 
naturalization and signed for the county paper. 
In the spring of 1859, he bought lands in 
Bishop Township of the I. C. R. R. Co., which 
he improved and still lives upon. He estab- 
lishedthe Veni Post Office during Lincoln's first 
administration, and has been the first and only 
Postmaster. Besides being Postmaster at Veni, 
he is Town Clerk and Township Treasurer; the 
latter office he has held for twenty years. Mr. 
Johansen is a man of good business capacity 
and has been prominent!}- named for County 
Treasurer. He is now in his forty-ninth year, 
and the earl}' hardships of his sea-faring life 
have left but few traces upon him, except to 
render him a little lame in one leg and slightly 



BISHOP TOWNSHIP. 



343 



stiflf in the back from the terrible fall he received 
in the North Sea. Our subject was married 
in 1870 to Miss Mary J. Layton, of this connt>'. 
They have five children, all living. 

WILLIAM T. MARKS, farmer, P. 0. Die- 
tcrich, was born in Vigo County, Ind., in the year 
1834. At the age of three years, he moved with 
his father to Edgar County, 111., where he 
worked on a farm and attended the public 
school until the spring of 1847, when he moved 
with his parents to Kllingham Countj'. Here 
his father settled on Government land in Bishop 
Township, and William continued to attend 
school and work on the farm. .'Mr. Marrs has 
since bought land adjoining this purchase 
which, with his father's estate, constitutes his 
present farm. ^Ir. Marrs was married in Julj-, 
1857, to Miss Elizabeth Taylor, of Franklin. 
They have five children living — one daughter, 
Isaljell, a school teacher, and four sons, Edgar, 
William, Frank and Archer. Edgar, the oldest, 
is engaged in the profession of school-teaching. 
William Marrs, the father of our subject, was 
born in Virginia in 179G, and came to Terre 
Haute, Ind., in the year 1808, where he farmed 
until 1837, when he came to Illinois. He died 
in Effingham County, in February, 1848. He 
was married to Miss Anna Ussery, in 1817, a 
native of Tennessee, born in 1798. They had 
eleven children, two boys and one daughter 
yet living. 

JOHN HENRY METTE, farmer, P. 0. Teu- 
topolis, was born in Hanover, Germany, De- 
cember 1, 1807. lie came to the United States 
in 1840, and lived seven years in Cincinnati, 
Ohio. He was a farmer in his native country', 
and tliat has been his occupation all of his life. 
He purchased the place where he now resides 
while still in Cincinnati. It consisted then of 
forty acres, having a log house upon it, which 
can still be seen, it having been joined onto 
the new house which was erected in 1860. Our 
subject made subsequent purchases until now 
the farm consists of 284^ acres. He has been 



twice married, his first wife dying in Cincinnati. 
He has six children living. (See names in 
sketch of Joseph Herman Mettc.) One of the 
boys is in Colorado, and Joseph runs the home 
farm. Our subject is the oldest living settler 
in his neighborhood, and though past sevent3-- 
five years of age is still enjoying good health, 
and looks well for his years; though as one of 
the old pioneers, he has been through the many 
trials incident to pioneer life. When he first 
came here, the country abounded in game of all 
kinds, and he has shot many a deer while 
standing in his own dooryard. 

JOSEPH HERMAN METTE. farmer, P. 0. 
Teutopolis, was born in Bisiiop Township, this 
county, March 18, 1850, son of John Henry and 
Maria Katharina (Ossenbcck) Mette, farmers in 
Bishop Townsliip, she born in Oldenburg, Ger- 
many, in 1816. (See sketch of the fother else- 
where.) Our subject received his early educa- 
tion in District No. 2, Bishop Township, and 
started in life as a farmer, which occupation he 
has f(jllowed all his life. He was born and 
raised on the home farm whicii he now man- 
ages. It consists of 284^ acres of good land, 
containing good buildings and an unfailing sup- 
ply of water. 3Ir. Mettc engages in general 
farming. He has two brothers and three sisters 
— ^Mary, Frank, Henr^-, Kate, Barney and Anna. 
Mary and Kate arc married. Our subject is a 
member of the Catholic Church, and in politics 
is a Democrat. He has filled the office of Over- 
seer of Highway's. He is unmarried. 

D. W. RICHARD, blacksmith, Dicterich, 
was born in Brown County, Ind., April 26, 
1838. He lived in Indiana for sixteen years 
working on a farm, and attended public school 
during the time but three months. In 1854, 
he came to Jasper County, 111., with his father, 
where he lived and worked on a farm four years, 
when he married Miss Margaret Gibson, of 
Brown County, Ind., and removed to Richland 
County, HI., where he worked at the carpenter 
trade for one year. In 1859, he came to Eflling- 



244 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



ham County and remained there until Decem- 
ber, 1860, when he joined his fortunes with 
those of the Union and went as a volunteer in 
Thirty-eighth Illinois Infantry, Company K. 
He was sent to Missouri and served in the 
FirstDivisionof the Western Department, under 
Gen. W. P. Carlin, until the summer of 1861, 
when his company became a part of Gen. 
Steele's army, and marched into Kansas. His 
company was again put under the command of 
Gen. Carlin, with whom he marched to Pitts- 
burg Landing, reaching that place a few days 
after Grant's victory. He afterward took part 
in the battles of Murfreesboro, Perryville and 
Chiekamauga, and the last day's fight at 
Nashville, at which place, after having served 
his country three 5'ears, he was honorably dis- 
charged, December 8, 1864, and returned home. 
He then engaged in farming, which was aban- 
doned two years later for the business of saw 
milling, in which he engaged with his father, 
on the Little Wabash River. In 1876, he 
worked at the blacksmith trade, then moved 
into Christian County, 111., and farmed two 
years. He came back to Jasper County in 
1879 and opened a blacksmith shop at Latona, 
where he worked until 1880, when he moved 



to Effingham Count}' and set up a shop at 
Dieterich, where he has since worked at his 
trade. He now has his second wife, to whom 
he was married in 1880. His first wife died 
in 1878. He has three children. 

DR. C. A. VANDRE, Dieterich, son of 
Carl and Mary (Gensch) Vandre, was born 
in Niagara County, N. Y., September 30, 1849. 
When he was twelve years old, his parents 
came to Efflngh.am County, 111., and settled 
in Mound Township. He was educated in the 
common and church schools of New York and 
Illinois. In the year 1879, he entered the office 
of Dr. Yarletz, of Altamont, and began the 
stud}' of medicine. He had, previous to this 
time, been reading while working upon the 
farm. During 1880 and 1881, he attended the 
Bennett Medical College of Chicago. In the 
foil of 1881, he entered the Eclectic Medical 
Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, from which he 
graduated in January, 1882, and located in 
Dieterich, in August of the same year, for 
practice. Dr. Vandre is a man who has en- 
ergj' and ability, and although but recently 
located at Dieterich he has made many warm 
friends and is growing into a fine practice. 



ST. FRA]N'CIS TOWI^SHIP. 



ARNOLD J. BIISSMANN, farmer, P. 0. 
Teutopolis, was born in Teutopolis Township, 
this count}', August 17, 1847, son of A. Joseph 
and Elizal)eth (Buchhorst) Bussmann. (See 
sketch of Barney Bussmann elsewhere.) Our 
subject received his early education in Teu- 
topolis, this count}', and commenced life as a 
farmer. He was married February 8, 1876, in 
Teutopolis, this county, to Mary Shleper, born 
in Teutopolis September 3, 1854, daughter of 
Frank and Kate (Neuhause) Shleper, natives 



of Germany, he born September 18, 1818 ; sho 
April 1, 1831. Mr. and Mrs. Bussmann have 
four children — Anna, born January 13, 1877; 
Joseph F., born January 12, 1879; Mary F., 
born February 4, 1881, and Clemens John, 
born December 10, 1882. Oursubject enlisted 
in 1865 in the Sixth Illinois Calvary, Company 
C, Capt. Robert Bradley, and was engaged 
in many skirmishes, receiving an honorable 
discharge. He now has 145 acres of well-im- 
proved land, part of which is in timber. The 



ST. FRANCIS TOWNSHIP. 



245 



farm is situated two miles from Teutopolis. 
He engages in general farming. He is a mem- 
ber of the Catiiolic Cliurcli, and in politics is 
a Republican. 

BARNEY BUSSMANN, farmer, P. O. Teu- 
topolis, was born in Teutopolis Township, this 
county, April 27, 1853, son of A. Joseph and 
Elizabeth (Buchhorst) Bussmann, both natives 
of Oldenburg, Germany, he, a farmer, born 
October 13, 1801, and died December 3, 
1855, in Teutopolis Township, this county ; 
she, born in 1817, and died in the same 
place as her husband, April 25, 1873. They 
were the parents of four children, three sons 
and one daughter. Our subject received his 
education in Teutopolis, this county, and started 
in life as a farmer. He has lived in this county 
all of his life, and now has a good farm of 105 
acres in St. Francis Township, and forty acres 
of timber in Teutopolis Township. He carries 
on farming in its most important branches, 
lie was married in Teutopolis, thjs county, 
April 29, 1879, to Sophia Frichtel, born July 
12, 1861, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Han- 
deimeir) Frichtel, natives of Bavaria. Germany, 
he, born December 25, 1835 ; she, January 20, 
1841. Mr. and Mrs. Bussmann have two chil- 
dren^William Barney, born September 1&, 
1880, and Mary Josephine, born April 14, 
1882. Our subject is a member of the Cath- 
olic Cluirch, and in politics is a Democrat. 

GKORGE W. EBBKRT, farmer, P. 0. Mont- 
rose, was born in Perry County, Ohio, July 20, 
1841, son of Edward and Sena (Wilkins) Eb- 
bcrt ; he, a carpenter, born in 1807, in Mary- 
land, and died July 3, 1867, in Center Point, 
Clay County, Ind.; she, a native of Ohio, born 
in 1811, and is living in Jasper County, tliis 
State, with L. M. Ebbert. The parents had 
seven children — three sons and four daughters. 
Our subject received his education in Clay 
County, Ind., and at Center Point, same count}', 
he engaged in tlie saw-mill business, which 
was his first occupation in life. He was mar- 



ried in the same county, March 19, 1863, to 
Nancy J. Gibbens, born in Clay County, Ind., 
February 19, 1846, daughter of Nathan A. 
and Mary (Hicks) Gibbens ; he, a native of 
Virginia, she of Clay County, Ind. Mr. and 
Mrs. Ebbert had one daughter, ^Minnie Ida, 
born February 8, 1868, in Clay County, Ind. 
Our subject was married a second time, Novem- 
ber 28, 1878, in this county, to Jlary Frances 
Gibbens, born in Clay County, Ind., November 
11, 1852, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth 
Gibbens, of this county. Mr. Ebbert ran a 
saw-mill for many j-ears, since which he has 
been engaged in farming pursuits. He served 
three months in the United States Army. He 
came to this county in 1875, having purchased, 
in 1872, eighty acres of prairie land, at $18.75 
per acre. He has made manj- substantial im- 
provements on the place, and engages in farm- 
ing in its various branches. He is a member of 
the United Brethren Church, and is a Repub- 
lican in politics. 

HERMAN ENGELBARTS, farmer, P. O. 
Teutopolis, was born in Oldenburg, Germany, 
January 30, 1837. son of Folkers and Gretke 
(Peks) Engelbarts ; he, a farmer, born in Olden- 
burg, Germany, in 1794, and died in the same 
place in 1851; she, born in Hanover, Germany, 
in 1800 and is still living in her native country, 
with Mr. Henry Engelbarts. The parents had 
four children, two snns and two daughters. 
Our subject received his education in Schort- 
ens, Germany. He came to the United States 
May 21, 1863, landing in New York City, 
thence to Indiana, in whicli State he lived a 
year, and was then for six yetxrs engineer in a 
mill west of Effingham. Having purchased, in 
1865, fifty-six acres of land, he moved on to 
it in 1870; improved it, and has made subse- 
quent purchases. He now has a farm of ninety- 
six acres, and he engages in farming in the 
various branches. In 1870, he donated the 
land on which the Lutheran Church now stands, 
this being the first action in the movement 



246 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



seeking the erection of a church of that faith 
Our subject has been married three times ; his 
tirst wife died, the second was accidentally 
killed by a tree falling upon her. His third 
marriage occurred February 26, 1871, in Island 
Grove, this county. He wedded Mina Diekel, 
a native of Mecklenburg, Germany, born in 
1848, a daughter of John and Maria (Steinaker) 
Diekel, natives also of Mecklenburg, Germany. 
Mr. and Mrs. Engelbarts have had six children, 
of whom three are living — Louisa Carolina, 
born November 18, 1877; Johan Fritz, born De- 
cember 29, 1880 ; and Herman Bernhard, born 
October 8, 1882. Mr. Engelbarts has filled 
the office of School Director. He is a member 
of the Lutheran Church, and in politics has 
alwa^-s been a Republican. 

NEWTON W. GIBBENS, farmer and stock- 
man, P. 0. Montrose, was born in Winchester, 
Frederick Co., Va., May 2, 1833, son of Jacob 
and Mary A. (Pierce) Gibbens, he a farmer born 
in Frederick County, Va., in 1782, and died in 
Clay County, Ind., in 1846; she born in Harri- 
son County, Va., in 1790, and is still living in 
this count}'. The parents had seven children 
— five sons and two daughters. Our subject 
received his education in Clay and Vigo Coun- 
ties, Ind., and was a farmer in early life. He 
lived in his native State but three j'ears, hav- 
ing removed with his father to Wayne County, 
Ind., where the family resided for five j^ears. 
They then moved to Claj' County, Ind., where 
they lived for the following sixteen years. Our 
subject came to this county in 1852, and entered 
120 acres of Government land at $1.25 per 
acre. In 1857, he came here to live, and he 
rented a farm for two years, afterward moving 
on to his own place and improving it. From 
time to time he added more land, and now has 
over 1,000 acres, the bulk of which, about 800 
acres, lies in this county, the balance being in 
Cumberland County. He also has property in 
Effingham City. Mr. Gibbens was one of the 
incorporators of the Vandalia Railroad. He 



is now one of the commissioners in this coun- 
ty. Our subject was married in St. Francis 
Township, this county, March 15, .1857, to 
Julia A. Rolph, born in Logan County, Ohio, 
October 21, 1838, daughter of James M. and 
Anna M. (Jump) Rolph, both natives of Kent 
County, Md., he born on Independence Day, 
1814, and she, on Christmas of the same year. 
Mr. and Mrs. Gibbens have six children — 
Maria Isabel, Newton Edgar, Albert S., Percy 
and Earl and Pearl twins, born August 3, 1878. 
Our subject has served his county many times 
in an official capaeitj', having been Township 
Clerk, Road Commissioner, Justice of the Peace 
for about fourteen .years. Supervisor, School 
Treasurer eighteen jears, and also a Trustee 
and a Director. He was also enrolling officer 
and Provost Marshal in this county. He is at 
present engaged in the various branches of 
farming, and handles and feeds stock in the 
winter. He is an A., F. & A. M., Effingham 
Lodge, No. 149. In politics, he is a Democrat. 
THOMAS GILES, farmer, P. 0. Montrose, 
was born in Cambridgeshire, England, in the 
month of June, 1819, son of James and Sarah 
(Maser) Giles, natives also of England; he was 
a farmer and died in Indiana; she died in her 
native country. They were the parents of two 
children, both bo^-s. Our subject received his 
early education in Little Downam, Cambridge- 
shire, Eng. He came to the United States May 
1, 1852, landing in New York City, and lived 
five months in Niagara County, N. Y., where he 
worked on a farm. Shortly afterward he be- 
came a section boss on the Evansville & 
Crawfordsville Railroad, in Indiana, and was 
thus engaged for twelve years. He was mar- 
ried the first time in 1855 to Ann Storton, and 
by her had one boy — Joseph, born June 30, 
1856. His second marriage occurred in 1864, 
in Terre Haute, Ind. He married Mrs. Nancy 
Ryland, born May 2, 1E19, in Bullitt County, 
Ky., daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Brown) 
Clark, he born near Glasgow, Scotland, in 1796, 



ST. FRANCIS TOWNSHIP. 



247 



she in Bullitt County, Ky., in October, 1799. 
Our subject has three children deceased. Mr. 
Giles came to St. Francis Township, this coun- 
ty, in 1875, and purchased 200 acres of unim 
proved land for $2,000. He has made substan- 
tial improvements upon the place and engages 
in general farming. In politics, is a Democrat. 
FERDINAND HATTRUP, farmer, P. O. 
Teutopolis, was born in Westphalia, Germanj^, 
January 24, 1832, a son of B. H. and Katharina 
(Tuenskamper) Ilattrnp, natives also of West- 
phalia, German}', he, a farmer, born April 8, 
1801, and died in 1877, in St. Francis Town- 
ship, this county ; she was born in 1805, and 
died in 1872, in this count}'. They were the 
parents of six children, four of whom are liv- 
ing. Our subject received his schooling in his 
native town, and carpentering was his first oc- 
cupation, afterward giving his attention to 
agricultural pursuits. He came with his father 
to the Uiiitel States in 1852, coming to St- 
Francis Township, where his father purchased 
160 acres of land, remaining on it five 3-ears. 
Our subject then purchased eighty acres for 
$385, the land nearest the timber being the best. 
All kinds of game were plentiful at this time, and 
Terre Haute, Ind., contained the nearest mill. 
Mr. Hattrup afterward added three more 
eighties, and now has a farm of 320 acres 
of good land, containing an orchard and a sub- 
stantial frame house, two-story, 30x36, with 
cellar. Mr. Hattrup engages in farming in its 
various branches. He was married, February 
11, 1857, at Teutopolis, this county, to Anna 
Mary Bcste, born in Germany March 5, 1835i 
daughter of Bernbard and Katharina L. (Boch- 
trup) Beste. natives also of German}' ; he was 
born in 1803. Mr. and Mrs. Hattrup have six 
children — Henry. Katharina, Ferdinand, Hu- 
bert, John and George. Our subject has been 
Township Treasurer for four years, and is now 
Township Tax Collector, and has filled several 
other offices. lie is a member of the Catholic 
Church, and in politics is a Democrat. 



H. B. HEICKEN, farmer, P. 0. Montrose, 
was born in the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, 
Germany, on Christmas Day. 1817, son of H. 
B. and Taike Maria (Pierstick) Heieken ; he, a 
farmer, born in 1763. in Oldenburg, Germany, 
and died in the same place ; she, born in Han- 
over, Germany, in 1778, and died in Schoost, 
Oldenburg, Germany, in 1858. They were the 
parents of eight children, of whom three are 
now living. Our subject received his education 
in Schortens, Oldenburg, Germany, and car- 
pentering was the occupation in which he was 
first engaged. He was united in marriage, 
March 24, 1842, in Schoost, Germany, to Rexte 
Margarcta Willms, born February 10, 1819, in 
Sangewarden, Germany, daughter of Johan and 
Hieme M. (Heieken) Willms, natives of Olden- 
burg, German}- ; he was born in 1789, she in 
1793. Mr. and Mrs. Heieken have had seven 
children, of whom there are four living — Talke 
Maria, Johan Willms. Herman Behrens, who are 
in Washington, and Henry Jurgens Harms, who 
resides in Kansas. Our subject was in the 
Oldenburg army for six years, but was not act- 
ively engaged. He came to the United States 
in June, 1875, landing in Baltimore, Md. Dur- 
ing the first year, he visited his friends and rel- 
atives, and three years following he lived in 
Green Garden, Will Co., 111., and then removed 
to St. Francis Township, this county, where he 
purchased sixty acres of prairie and ten acres 
of timber laud for $1,300, on which he carries 
on general farming. He is a Lutheran in re- 
ligion, and a Republican in politics. Mr. 
Heicken's grandson — Eilert Jansen Reents — is 
living with him. He was born February 27, 
1867, in Wiefels, Oldenburg, Germany, a son 
of Lubbe and Hieme C. (Heieken) Reents 
natives also of Oldenburg, Germany, where the 
father still lives. He was born March 5, 1836 ; 
the mother was born June 14, 1847, and died in 
her native country August 22, 1877. They 
were the parents of two children — Herman 
Behrens, and our subject. Herman was born 



248 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



June 11, 1873. Our subject went to school in 
his native town, and also in Jever and Schor- 
tens. He has also attended school since com- 
ing to America. He arrived in this country in 
October, 1881, landing in New York City. He 
learned to read the English language in four 
months. He is a bright and promising young 
man, and belongs to the Lutheran Church. 

GERHARD SIEFKEN, farmer, P. 0. Teu- 
topolis, ia a native of Hanover, Germany, born 
March 28, 1835, a son of Tobias and Marguer- 
ette (Pierstick) Siefken, natives also of Han- 
over, Germany, where they also died. They 
were farmers, and the parents of eight children, 
six sons and two daughters. Our subiect 
received his education in the old country, 
going to school at Etzer, Hanover, German}'. 
He came to the United States in 1854, landing 
in New York City, and thence to Michigan, 
where he was foreman on the Michigan Central 
R. R. for ten years. He returned to his native 
country in 1860, via New York and Bremen, 
and, after visiting his friends and relatives, he 
came back to this country in the following 
year. In 1863, he came to this count}', and 
purchased 160 acres of land, at $10 per acre, 
in St. Francis Township. His subsequent pur- 
chases have increased his place to 200 acres, 
which contains good buildings, etc., and he 
carries on general farming. Mr. Siefken was 
married in Chicago, 111., in June, 1863, to Mary 
Heicken, born in Oldenburg, German}-, in 1842, 
daughter of H. B. and Rexte Margareta 
(Willms) Heicken, he a native of Oldenburg, 
and she of Sangewarden, Germany. Mr. and 
Mrs. Siefken have seven children — Henry, 
John, Johanne, Helena, Margareta, Friederich 
and Gerhard. Mr. Siefken has filled many 
offices in his county. He has been Commis- 
sioner of Highways six years, Tax Collector a 
year, and is at present filling the office of 
Township Supervisor. He is a member of the 
Lutheran Church, and in politics is an Inde- 
pendent. 



DAVID SPITLER, farmer, P. 0. Montrose, 
was born in Jasper County, Ind., October 22, 
1843, son of Wesley and Ann (Varner) Spitler, 
both natives of Page County, Va., he, a farmer, 
born October 19, 1811, and is now living in 
Jackson Township, this county, where he has 
resided for the past two years ; she, born in 
March, 1811, and died January 29, 1879, in 
St. Francis Township, this county. The par- 
ents had five children, three' boys and two 
girls. Our subject received his early schooling 
in his native county, and began life on his own 
responsibility at farming. He lived in Jasper 
County, Ind., until 1865, when his father came 
to Effingham, lived there three years, when he 
purchased 200 acres of land, near Montrose, at 
$13 per acre, which has since been improved. 
In October, 1807, our subject went to Missouri, 
returning in a year, and has since resided near 
Montrose. His farm now consists of 300 
acres, which is under systematic cultivation 
and is given to farming in its general branches. 
Mr. Spitler was married in Jasper Count}', Ind., 
May 30, 1877, to Mary E. Crews, born in the 
latter county, April 29, 1853, daughter of J. L. 
and Mary A. (Green) Crews, he born November 
14, 1825, in Terre Haute, Ind. ; she near Day- 
ton, Ohio, July 2, 1831. Mr. and Mrs. Snitler 
have two children — Cora Ann, born February 4, 
1878, and a boy, not named, born October 5, 
1882. Our subject is a member of the Board 
of School Trustees, and in politics is a Dem- 
ocrat. 

J. J. TKOELE, farmer, P. 0. Teutopolis, 
was born in Kentucky November 17, 1841, son of 
Andrew and Angelina (Hacklaga) Thoele, both 
natives of Germany, he, a farmer, died in this 
county, she still living in St. Francis Township, 
this county. They have two boys now living. 
Our subject received his early schooling in 
Teutopolis, this county, and began in life as a 
tiller of the soil. He was married in Teutopolis, 
October 23, 1867, to Miss M. Fulle, born in Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio, July 20, 1846, daughter of Jacob 



ST. FKANCIS TOWNSHIP. 



249 



and Antoinette (Grove) Fulle, natives of Ger- 
man)', both born in the same year, 1812. Mr. 
and Mrs. Thoelc liave six children, Joseph) 
Henry, John, Gus, Frank and Lizzie. Our 
subject has a farm of .SOO acres of good land, 
and buildings, a good share of the land being 
in timber. The farm is situated about one mile 
from the center of Teutopolis. Mr. Thoele 
engages in farming in its general branches. He 
has filled township offices, is a member of the 
Catholic Church, and in politics is a Democrat. 

JOHN THOELE, farmer, P. 0. Teutopolis, 
■was born in Douglas Township, this county, 
December 24, 1843, son of Peter and Marianna 
(Stauberman) Thoele, natives of Germany; he 
was a farmer, and died in this county; she is at 
present living in Teutopolis. Thej- were the 
parents of eight children, three of whom are 
living. Our subject received his early schooling 
in Teutopolis, this county, and was afterward 
engaged in various occupations, farming, car- 
pentering and wagon-making, etc. He was 
united in marriage, January 30, 1865, in 
Douglas Township, this county, to Katharina 
Korfage, born in Watson Township, this 
county, November 6, 1843, daughter of G. and 
Franeiska (Dinggrave) Korfage, natives of 
Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Thoele have three 
children, John, born May 24, 18G7, George, 
born April 22, 1878, and Mary, born November 
17, 1880. Our subject lived in Teutopolis for 
fourteen 5-ears, when, in 1879, he purchased 
eighty acres of laud at $17.50 per acre, which 
he has improved. Mr. Thoele has good build- 
ings on the place, and he carries on farming in 
its general branches. He is a man whose all 
represents the result of his own labors. He 
has been Township Clerk, School Trustee and 
Director and Justice of the Peace. He is a 
member of the Catholic Church and votes the 
Democratic ticket. 

HENRY ULHORN, farmer, P. 0. Teu- 
topolis, is a native of Germany, born February 
22, 1844, son of John H. and Maggie (Krone) 



Ulhorn, natives also of Germany, he born in 
1806, and died in 1876, in St. Francis Township, 
this county; she, born in 1808, and in living 
with her only son, our subject. He received his 
early education in Teutopolis, this countj-, and 
made farming his occupation for a start in life. 
He was married in Teutopolis, May 29, 1869, 
to Mary Thoele, born in this county in 1846. 
Her mother, Jlar}- Stauberman, was born in Ger- 
many. The father is dead. Mr. and Mrs. 
Ulhorn have three children — Mary, born July 
20, 1868; Katy, born February 23, 1874, and 
Lizzie, born December 21, 1882. Our subject 
at one time learned the carpenter's trade, but 
has been mostly occupied at farming. He was 
brought to this country when but two years 
old, and has resided in this county ever since. 
He owns a 6ne farm of 240 acres, well im- 
proved, and contains good buildings and a 
health}' orchard. He carries on general farming- 
He is a member of the Catholic Church, and in 
politics is a Democrat. 

H. G. VAN SANDT, physician, Montrose, 
was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, February 
18, 1843, son of J. and Nancy Jane (Bowen) 
Van Sandt, natives of Kentucky, he, a farmer 
and millwright, born September 23, 1791, and 
died May 25, 1847, in Hamilton County, Ohio ; 
she, born April 3, 1804, and died in Danville, 
Hendricks County, Ind., July 18, 1871. The 
father was twice married, and had eight chil- 
dren, six sons and two daughters, our subject 
being his youngest. He received his early 
education in Bloomingdale, Parke County, Ind., 
under Prof Hobbs, and afterward attended 
the St. Louis Medical College, where he re- 
ceived his diploma. He began life as a physi- 
cian and a merchant. He was married Feb- 
ruary 8, 1871, in Jacksonville, Morgan County, 
111., to Henrietta Morton, born July 15, 1849, 
in Keosauqua, Van Buren County, Iowa, 
daughter of G. and Caroline (Barton) Morton, 
he, born in Mt. Sterling, Ky., in 1810 ; 
she, in Overton County, Tenn., June 20, 1822. 



250 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Mr. and Mrs. Van Sandt have had five chil- 
dren, two of whom are living, Guy and John 
Arthur, three bo>-s being dead. Our subject 
responded to the Nation's first call for troops, 
enlisting in the Twelfth Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry, Company I, Captain J. DeodufF, serv-. 
ing the three months, re-enlisting in the One 
Hundred and Twenty-fifth Illinois Volunteer 
Infantry, Company I, and fought with that 
regiment at Perryville and other engagements, 
and was also with Sherman in his " march to 
the sea," and served his country till the close 
of the war, after which he came to this State, 
afterward going to St. Louis, where he grad- 
uated, and then practiced five years in Mis- 
souri. In December, 1870, he came to St. 
Francis Township, where he practiced medi- 
cine, and also kept a drug store, and afterward 
a general toerchandise store. He owns 160 
acres of land in this county, all of which is in 
cultivation, and is put to general farming. Our 
subject's father has a very interesting history. 
He owned a large plantation in Kentucky, but, 
being a strong Abolitionist, he liberated his 
slaves, and afterward became a member of 
the famous " Underground Railroad," on ac- 
count of which he was prosecuted in 1842 at 
Washington, D. C., Messrs. Salmon P. Chase 
and William H. Seward pleading his case, 
which, in 1846, was decided against him. This 
case was mentioned in a popular work entitled, 
" The Ferr}' Boj- and the Financier." He is 
also the person mentioned by Harriet Beecher 
Stowe in her famous "Uncle Tom's Cabin," on 
page 137, under the title of " Honest John Van 
Trompe." Our subject has filled the office of 



Township Trustee to the satisfaction of all 
concerned. He is a Master Mason, and an 
Odd Fellow, and also a member of the Encamp- 
ment of the latter. He is a Republican in 
politics. Mrs. Van Sandt is a member of the 
Presb3'tcrian Church. 

HENRY VORMOR, farmer, P. 0. Teutopo- 
lis, was born in the Grand Duchy of Olden- 
burg, German}', October 28, 1809, son of Joseph 
and Engel (Busse) Vormor, natives also of 
Oldenburg, Germany, and both died in St. 
Francis Township, this county. They were 
farmers, and the parents of eight children, of 
whom our subject is the onl}' living represent- 
ative. He received his education in his native 
country, and farming has been his life occupa- 
tion. He came to the United States in 1831, 
and lived in Cincinnati, Ohio, for six years, 
where he was married to Agnes Lot, born in 
Oldenburg, Germanj', in 1814, daughter of 
Wilhelm and Agnes (Dates) Lot, natives also 
of Oldenburg, Germanj-. Mr. and Mrs. Vor- 
mor have six children — John, Elizabeth, Mary, 
Sophia, Catharine and Caroline. After leaving 
Cincinnati, our subject came to what is now 
St. Francis Township, this county, and pur- 
chased 120 acres of land for S150, making 
subsequent additions, including one of 360 
acres, which he has divided among his children. 
He still has 300 acres left on the home place. 
At one time, Mr. Vormor could have secured 
many hundred acres near his present place, at 
the extremely low price of 12^ cents per acre, 
which is now worth $15 per acre and up- 
ward. Our subject is a member of the 
Catholic Church, and in politics, is a Democrat. 



UNION TOWNSHIP. 



251 



UNION TOWNSHIP. 



GEORGE V. ELLISTON, farmer, P. 0. Eb- 
erle, is an industrious and enterprising farmer 
of Union Township. He was born in Carroll 
Count}', Ky., August 1, 1836. He was brouglit 
by his parents to Jefferson County, 111., in 1842, 
■wlien six years old. They remained there un- 
til 18G6. Subject was reared on his father's 
farm, and attended school in all about one year. 
He was married in March, 1857, to Keturah 
Knox, a native of Jefferson County, HI. In 
1866, he came to Effingham Countj-, Union 
Township, and purchased a farm, where he now 
resides, of 100 acres, in Section 14, of which 
fifty acres were in cultivation. He paid $1,400 
cash for the farm. His main productions are 
grain and grass. In April, 1865, he was drafted, 
and joined Company G, Forty-ninth Illinois 
Volunteer Infantry; was in no battles. He was 
mustered out at Paducah, Ky., September, 1865. 
He has always been a Democrat, and has served 
in various township offices; as Assessor two 
terms and as Supervisor two terras. Mr. Ellis- 
ton belongs to the Grand Arm}- of the Repub- 
lic, organized at Mason. His father, Benjamin 
S., is a native of Kentucky, and is farming in 
Jasper County, 111. His mother, Susan, is a 
native of Kentuck}', and is living in Jasper 
County, 111. They had tea children, namely — 
Mary Catharine (deceased); George V. (subject); 
Robert, living in Slarion Count}-, 111.; Newton, 
Jasper and Thomas (deceased); Franklin, liv- 
ing in Jasper Count}-, 111.; Harvey M., living in 
Jasper County, 111., with his father; Parmelia 
Ann, wife of Willis Shamhart, living in Jasper 
County, 111.; Kliza, wife of Henry Cross, living 
in Effingham County, Bishop Township. Sub- 
ject has three children living and five dead, 
namely: Nancy Jane, Diamie and John William 
are living; Mary Catharine, Allen Olin, Samuel 



J. Tilden, are deceased, and two died in in- 
fancy. Miss Nancy Jane is a school teacher, 
and was born in Jefferson County, 111., Novem- 
ber 30, 1858. She was brought by her parents 
to Effingham County, in 1866. She then com- 
menced attending school at what is known as 
the Trapp Schoolhouse. She attended school 
there until sixteen years old, when she began 
teaching. She taught her first school in Dis- 
trict 5, Union Township. In 1875, she attend- 
ed the County Normal, held at Effingham, and 
has attended there successively six terms. She 
has been teaching for eight years, and during 
that time has taught only in three different dis- 
tricts, in Union Township, namely: Districts 5, 
1 and 2. She is now teaching in District 2, 
called the Hill Schoolhouse. By her economy 
she has saved considerable money. 

WILLIAM EVANS, farmer, P. O. Elliotts- 
town. Among the oldest settlevs in this town- 
ship is Mr. Evans, who was born in Lawrence 
County, Ind., July 23, 1835, eldest son of Ran- 
som and Anna (Morris) Evans, who emigrated to 
this township about the year 1841, settlintr on 
a piece of land that he entered on the east part 
of Section 24. He remained on the land eight 
years, when he returned to Indiana, and stayed 
three years and then returned to this township, 
making his settlement on Section 25, and re- 
mained here until his death, January 1, 1862 ; his 
wife survived him until October, 1864. ' To this 
couple were born six children who grew up — 
William, Kuhamey, Louisa J., Joshua H., Rob- 
ert C, Amanda. Ruhamey resides in this 
township, wife of James Rcntfrow; Louisa, re- 
sides in Clay County, wife of Henry McGhee; 
Joshua, resides in Keokuk Count}-, Iowa; Rob- 
ert C, resides in Lucas Township; Amanda, 
resides in Clay County, wife of John McEnelly; 



253 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



parents were members of the Cbristian Church. 
He was a member of the Democratic party; 
William, our subject, was raised in this town- 
ship, bemg a lad of about six years when his 
parents came here ; what schooling he obtained 
was what he got when back in Indiana three 
years; his early boyhood was spent on the 
farm, and remained at home until he became 
of age; he was married at the age of twenty- 
two, to Minerva, born in this county, daughter 
of John and Mary (Brockett) Trapp. After 
Mr. Evans was married, he settled on Section 
11, where he bought forty acres at $12.50 an 
acre ; remained here about fifteen years ; then 
came to this place on Section 14, where he 
traded for eighty acres, and has since lived and 
been engaged in farming, and at the carpen- 
ter's trade, which he took up himself. His 
wife died, leaving three children — Sylvanius, 
Louisa F. and John H. Our subject's second 
marriage occurred in June, 18G6, to Fannie 
Simmerman, a daughter of Joseph Simmerman, 
and he has six children — Amanda, Charles- 
Joseph E., Anna, Mary F. and Jessie. He is 
Democratic; elected Township Assessor 1882; 
been Town Collector three terms, and one term 
Supervisor; member of the Christian Church. 
NELSON MARSHALL, farmer, P. 0. Elli- 
ottstown, is an enterprising farmer of Union 
Township; he was born in Pike County, Ohio; 
his fiither, Oliver Marshall, was a native of 
Maryland, was a physician and died about the 
year 1848; his mother, Harriet Durham, is a 
native of Virginia, born in the year 1817, and 
is living in Madison County, 111. Nelson is 
one of a family of seven children — Nelson, 
subject; John, living in Union Township; Isaac, 
deceased; Mary, deceased; Martha Jane, wife 
of 0. D. Oberlin, living in Madison County, 
111.; Thomas, living in Madison County, 111. 
Mr. Marshall was reared in the town of Wav- 
erly, Ohio, until fourteen years of age; and 
during that time attended school there about 
six months in the year; after that time he went 



to work in a flour mill for Emmitt & Davis ; 
remained in the mill two years, which time 
he still worked for the same firm, but as 
canal boatman in summer, and in the winter 
drove team; continued in that business until 
1857, which time he was married February 27, 
to Rebecca Davis, of Pike County, Ohio; he 
then engaged in farming. In November, 1859, 
be removed to Missouri, and engaged in chop- 
ping and clearing up timber land for Dr. 
Birch, and later worked some as drayman; 
in October, 1861, he removed to JIadison 
County, 111., and engaged in farming; in 1868, 
he came to Effingham County, Union Township, 
and farmed in different places in the township. 
In 1870, he purchased a farm in Union Town- 
ship, and removed there in 1871; he raises 
grain, principally wheat, corn and oats. He 
has nine children living, and two dead — Ma- 
dora, deceased; Henry, Jane and William, are 
living; Lilian, deceased; James, Clemmeutious, 
Hally Ann, Mattie Bell, Eva, Buhama and 
Nellie are living. 

WILLIAM T. MILLS, farmer, P. 0. Eberle, 
was born in Madison County, 111., March 6, 
1835, the fourth son of a family of children 
born to James Mills, a Virginian, who came 
West to Illinois, locating in Madison County 
about the year 1828, where he remained until 
his death in March, 1848. His wife survived 
him until October, 1873. Of the children born 
to them nine grew to maturit3', of whom four 
arc living. Our subject's mother's maiden 
name was Elsie Watts, born in Kentucky, 
daughter of Gabriel Watts. Mr. Mills had 
eight own brothers and sisters, of whom there 
are but two living, Rachel and Sarah, both liv- 
ing in Madison. Rachel, Mrs. Jonathan M. 
Harris; Sarah, relict of Madison Kerse}-. Will- 
iam was left fatherless at an early age. He 
lived with his mother until grown. At twenty- 
two, he was married to Missouri McDaniel, 
born in Trigg County, Ky., daughter of Jacob 
McDaniel and Rebecca Hensberger. After 



UNION TOWNSHIP. 



253 



marriage, located there in Madison County, 
and farmed tlicre until November, 1863, when 
he located where he now resides, and bought 
120 acres at a cost or average of 813 per acre, 
and has since added 120 acres more, making 
240 in all. He has been twice married. First 
wife died in August, 1875. By her he has 
nine children, six living — Emma R., Lillie E., 
Laura, Julia A., Anna R. and Clara. De- 
ceased are Mary J., died aged twent}-- 
three; James L., died aged two )-ears ; 
Sarah, died aged nearly two j'ears. In 
June, 1877, our subject married Mrs. Hulda 
(Evans) Holt, born in this count}', daughter of 
Younger and Mary (Witzman) Evans, and by 
her has three children — Nellie, Charles and 
William. Mr. Mills is one of the self-made 
men of the township. When he began for 
himself, he began with one horse, and com- 
menced by renting, and continued until he 
came to this county. There were but little 
improvements on the place at the time of his 
purchase. He is a Republican in politics. 

H. N. RUFFNER, farmer, P. O. Mason. 
Among the solid farmers and prominent men 
of this township is Harrison Ruffner. He was 
born January 16, 1834, in Fairfield County, 
Ohio, eldest son of Andrew and Betsey (Leith) 
Ruffner. Andrew Ruffner was born in Vir- 
ginia about the year 1805, and removed to 
Fairfield County, Ohio, with his father, who 
was one of the first settlers in that locality. 
He died in that county in 1842. His wife 
survived him until 1868. having had five chil- 
dren born them that grew up — Harrison N., 
Lucas, Andrew, Margaret and Dorothea, who 
are variously located. Lucas is an attornej' 
at law and resides in Arkansas. Andrew, in 
Prescott, Arizona. Margaret resides in Mason 
Township, this county, wife of Charles Wilson. 
Dorothea resides in Washington Territory, 
wife of Ralph Warren. Harrison was left 
fatherless at the age of eight years, and lived 
with his mother until fourteen years of age. 



when he came to this State with his uncle, 
David Leith, and lived with him in this county 
until he became twenty 3-ears of age. He then 
hired out by the month, continuing four years, 
commencing at $18 per month. July 19, 185!), 
he married Catharine White, a native of Bond 
County, and a descendant of one of the early 
settlers there. She was for several years em- 
ployed as a teacher in that county. After his 
marriage, he located on the farm he now owns, 
his first purchase being fifty-seven acres, at a 
cost of S13 per acre, upon which there were no 
buildings and but little improvements. He 
has since added to his first purchase, until he 
now has 340 acres of land as the result of his 
labor and good management. Of seven chil- 
dren born him six are living, viz.. Alma, 
George, Andrew, Edward, Walter and Flor- 
ence. Ella died, aged seven. Mr. Ruffner is a 
thorough and progressive farmer ; not a mem- 
ber of any church. Is a prominent local 
worker and officer in the Masonic order. Is a 
member of A., F. & A. M., No. 217, and 
R. A. M., No. 76 ; has served as W. M. three 
years in the former, and ten years as High 
Prie'ot in the Chapter. 

JOSEPH SIMMERMAN, farmer, P. 0. El- 
liottstown, was born in Virginia January 11, 
1824. He was reared on his father's farm in 
Virginia, and attended school some little in the 
winter season. In the spring of 1841, he and 
his parents removed to Effingham Count}' and 
settled in Mason Prairie on wild prairie land. 
In 1844, at the age of twenty, ho was married 
to Delia J. Wallace, a native of Kentucky. He 
entered a piece of land adjoining his father's 
farm and remained there twelve years, until 
1856, wliich time he sold out and removed to 
Flemsburg, a place on the little Wabash River. 
He worked some at farming there and also in a 
mill for about two years, until 1868, which 
time he sold out and came to Trapp Prairie. 
He purchased a farm and remained on it about 
ten years. In 1868, he sold out and came to 



254 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



the farm he now occupies. His father, Ahart 
Simmerman, was a native of Virginia. His 
mother, Mahala Kamsey, was also a native of 
Virginia. Thej- had six children, namelj' : 
Oldest died in infauc}'; Joseph, subject; Mary 
Jane, Thomas, Susan, Calvin, all deceased. 
Subject's wife died in 1854, on Mason Prairie. 
He has three children living and two dead, 
namely: Fannie, wife of William Evans, living 
in Union Township; Susan, deceased ; Mahala 
J., wife of George Merr}', living in Lucas 
Townshii^ ; Amanda, deceased ; Ahart, living 
in Union Township. 

UKE STKOUD, farmer, P. O. Elliottstown, 
is a substantial farmer and one of Union Town- 
ship's first settlers. He was born in Orange 
County, Ind., February 20, 1831. He was 
brought by his parents to Effingham County, 
Union Township, in 1840, when nine years old. 
They settled in Lucas Township at a place 
called Bishop Point. He was reared on his 
father's farm, and for the first three j-ears they 
were there, no school existed in the neighbor- 
hood. In 1843, the community and neighbors 
built a log schoolhouse south of Elliottstown. 
And there, at fourteen years of age, was the 
first school subject ever attended. He attend- 
ed school there for two winters about two 
months each winter; during that time he learned 
to read and spell to some extent, afterward 
helped his father improve his farm. When 
they first came to this count}', it was infested 
with wolves. Thej' had a very fine colt about 
three months old, and ou going out one morn- 
ing found that the wolves had killed their pet 
and had about half eaten it. And on another 
time he was sent by his father with a yoke of 
oxen to Ream's mill, in Jasper County. On 
returning home, was walking along and driving 
his team and was attacked by three wolves. 
He managed to get into the wagon box, and by 
beating on the box with his whipstalk, kept 
them awa}'. At the age of eighteen, he com- 
menced working out by the month in this and 



northern counties. At one time, he hired to 
Thomas Steward to help drive cattle to Chi- 
cago. When arriving at a place called " Dead 
Man's Grove," one of the party, John Hartley, 
was taken sick. They did all that was in 
their power to check the disease and to make 
him comfortable, and having their cooking 
utensils with them, they killed a blue crane and 
made him some soup, from which he ate, and 
in a short time was able to go on their trip to- 
ward Chicago. In 1851, he came back to 
Lucas Township and purchased forty acres of 
wild laud and worked on it one year. In the 
fall of 1852, sold out and bought eighty acres 
in Jasper County, 111., now in South Muddy 
Township. On the 3d of December, 1853, was 
married to Sarah Jane Kether's, a native of 
Orange County, Ind. She was born in the year 
1839. He was engaged in farming in Jasper 
Count}' until 1857, which time sold out and re- 
moved to Eureka, Livingston Co., Mo. He re- 
mained there in Livingston and Marion Coun- 
ties, and engaged in farming until February, 
1861, which time he sold out and came back to 
Jasper County, and remained there until the 
spring of 1862, when he sold out and pur- 
chased a farm in Union Township of 160 acres. 
It was nearly all wild land; thirt}' acres were in 
cultivation. Now he has it all in cultivation. 
In fall of 1864, he enlisted in Company H, 
Thirty-second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and 
on the 12th of November was on the raid with 
Sherman through Georgia. He was in the 
siege of Atlanta, which lasted thirteen days, 
and two da3-s and nights in tiie siege of Co- 
lumbia. In the siege of Fatesville, which last- 
ed about three da3'S, and also in the siege of 
Goldsboro two days and nights. There he 
was taken sick with the chronic diarrhoea and 
taken to the hospital at Goldsboro. He lay 
there four days. He then was sent to Buford, 
N. C, was re-examined and sent to a 
hospital in New York City, and remained there 
until May 25, 1865, which time he was dis- 



UITION TOAVNSHIP. 



355 



charged and came back to his farm in Union 
Township, and has been engaged in farming 
ever since. He raises grain — principally wheat, 
corn and oats. His father, Thomas Stroud, was 
a native of Orange County, lud., born 1805, 
and died in Union Township December 31, 
1870. His mother, Eliza Aston, was also a 
native of Orange Countj', Ind., born in the year 
1813, and died in Lucas Township in the year 
1852. His father married again, in 1858, to 
Rena Blakelj-. He had thirteen children by 
first marriage and two bj' last marriage, namely: 
Joseph (deceased), Ure (subject), Isaiah (de- 
ceased), John (deceased), Eliza Vandalia, wife 
of Nelson Tilton, living in Iowa; Lucretia Van- 
dania, wife of James H. Cooper, living in Pike 
County, 111.; Ner, living in Lucas Township; 
Samuel, living in Lucas Township; Ephraim 
Joy, on last hearing from, was in Kansas; Na- 
thaniel Scarlet, was killed in battle of Hickory 
Station, Ark.; Austin and Nails (twins), 
Austin living in Washington Territor3', Nails 
living in Union Township; Cava Lambert (de- 
ceased); those are by first marriage. Helena 
and Irena, by second marriage. Subject has 
two children living and seven dead, namely : 
Clayborne, Cora Ann, Cora Ann again, Mary 
Jane, are dead. Frances Matilda (living), Sarah 
(deceased), Ner (living), Samuel and Thomas 
Stephens are dead. Subject's wife died in the 
fall of 1862. November 9. He was married 
again, February 11, 1863, to Elizabeth Hand- 
ley, a native of Morgan County, Ky., and 
her death occurred March 30, 1 880. He was 
married again, Januar3' 25, 1881, to Elizabeth 
Tucker, of Clay County, 111. She has two 
children, namely : Robert Eli and Stephen 
Uriah. 

MANSFIELD WHITE, farmer, P. O. Eberle, 
was born in Union Township, Effingham Co., 
III., December 7, 1849. He is now thirty-two 
years old and has lived there all his life. Ho was 
reared on his father's farm in Union Township. 
He received- his education in the common 



schools of the neighborhood. The first school 
he attended was at a place called the Evans 
Schoolhouse. It was one among the first school- 
houses that were erected in the Union Town- 
ship. He would attend school about two 
months in the j'ear. At the age of eighteen, 
quit attending school and gave his whole atten- 
tion to farming with his father. His father^ 
Brice White, was a native of Kentucky, and 
died in Union Township in the year 1870. His 
mother, Susan Evans, is a native of Indiana, 
and is living on the old farm in Union Town- 
ship, settled by her husband about the j'ear 
1840. Mr. White is one of a famil3- of twelve 
phildren, namely : Mary Ann, wife of John 
Shumard, living in Kansas; Elizabeth, wife of 
William Cox, living in Union Township; Will- 
iam Younger, is living in Clay Countj-; Mans- 
fiekfl subject; Isaac, living in Union Township, 
Effingham Co.; John, living in Union Township, 
Effingham Co.; Amanda, living with her moth- 
er; Ruhama, wife of John Westfall, living in 
Union Township; J:imes, deceased; Ida, 
deceased; Joshua, deceased. Mr. White was 
married, in the spring of 1881, to Lydia Ship- 
man, a native of Clay Count}'. She was born 
in 1860. They have one child, Mcrtie Edith. 
Our subject has always been successfully 
engaged in farming. 

WILLIAM M. WILSON, farmer, P. 0. 
Mason. Among the old pioneers in this town- 
ship is Mr. Wilson, who was born 1808, March 
25, in Frederick Count}-, Va., eldest son of 
William A. Wilson, of Frederick Countj', Va., 
only son of his father, William, of Scotch ances- 
try. Our subject's mother's maiden name was 
Catharine Hotsenpiilar, daughter of John 
Hotsenpillar, who, and wife also, were from Ger- 
many. William Marshall was raised on a farm 
and remained with his father until he was twenty- 
five years of age. January 30, 1833, he married 
Mary E., daughter of John Snapp; she was born 
January 21, 1813, in Frederick County, Va.; 
after he was married, he located near the home- 



256 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



stead, where he engaged in farming, and 
remained here until the spring of 1835, when he 
moved to Fairfield County, Ohio, but remained 
here a short time, as the country- did not please 
him, and made no purchase. In October, 1846, 
he came to Effingham Count}-, and bought 
eighty acres in Mason Township, paid $3 per 
acre, staj-ed here eighteen months and sold his 
place back to same man he purchased of, and 
entered where he now lives, 200 acres, and 
located on the same, and since been a resident; 
has the same amount of land that he began on. 
He has had six children born him, four sons 
and two daughters, five living, viz.: Charles C, 
Sarah K., Jane, James D., John W. Sarah, 
wife of Nathaniel Turner, of Jackson Township; 
Jane resides in Mason, wife of David Leith; 
Charles C. resides in Mason; John W., in this 
township; James D. resides at home. Demo- 
cratic, and cast his first vote for Jackson. Has 
been for many years a member of the I. 0. 0. F., 
No. 85, Ewington. Served as Justice of the 
Peace in this township from 1849 until 1872, 
and has been one of the substantial men of 
Union Township. 

VOLNEY WILLETT, farmer, P. 0. Hill, 
was bor:i in Columbiana County, Ohio, March 
8, 1837, to George and Elizabeth (Rhodes) 
Willett. He was born in Loudoun County, Va., 
Ma}' 10, 1807, and died in Wayne County, 111., 
in June, 1880. Ho was a farmer and came to 
Illinois in 1841. His wife and the mother of 
our suliject was born in Loudoun County, Va., 
in 1812, and siie is now residing in Wayne 
County, 111. Siie is the mother of nine chil- 
dren, of whom our subject is the j'oungest 
child. His early life was spent in receiving 
such an education as the common schools of 
his da}' afforded, and assisting in tilling the 
soil of his father's farm. He was brought to 
Wayne County, 111., by his parents, in 1S41, 
and remained with them there until 1856, when 
he was nineteen years of age. He then appren- 
ticed himself to the blacksmith's trade at 



Fairfield, Wayne County, where he worked one 
year, and in 1857 he moved to Flora, and 
worked there fifteen months. In 1859, he re- 
moved to California, where he engaged in min- 
ing and farming for about five years. In 
November, 18G3, he returned to Wayne County, 
111., and in the spring of 1864 went to work at 
his trade again, in Flora, for one year. In the 
spring, of 1865, he returned to Wayne County 
and engaged in the mercantile business for 
nearly two years. In the fall of 1866, he came 
to Effingham County and located at Mason, 
and engaged in the hardware business, and 
after a few months traded his stock for a farm 
in West Township, and removed to it in 
September, 1867, where he has remained ac- 
tively engaged in farming. His farm consists 
of ninety-six acres, and in Union Township he 
has a farm of 1 60 acres, upon which he intends 
to remove in December, 1882. In Mattoon, 
111., April 13, 1864, he married Miss Louisa 
Wilborn, a daughter of Willis and Frances 
(Recs) Wilborn, natives of Kentucky. Mrs. 
Willett was born in Fayette County, 111., Decem- 
ber 26, 1841. She is the mother of nine chil- 
dren, five of whom are now living — Volney H., 
Charles Edgar, Frank, Presley, Oscar. In 
1879, our suliject was elected Supervisor of 
West Township, and served one year. West 
Township is strongly Democratic, but he was 
elected to the office, though a Republican. 
While in California, he was a Lieutenant in 
the State Militia for about three years. He 
worked up from a private. He is an active 
member of the order of A., F. & A. M., at 
Altamont. Politically, he is a Republican. 

JOHN Vt OODY, farmer, P. 0. Eberle, whose 
portrait appears in this work, is among the 
prominent farmers and self-made men of Effing- 
ham County. He was born in Lawrence 
County, Ind., August 27, 1829, the second 
child of his father, whose name was William, 
a North Carolinian, from Wilkes County, and 
removed to Indiana, and there settled, about 



BANNER TOWNSHIP. 



257 



the 3'ear 1825, and remained there until his 
removal to W.-ivne County, this State. John's 
mother's maiden name was Sarah Edwards, 
native of Ashe County, N. C. The parents had 
seven children, two of whom are living — 
Amanda, and our subject, who was raised at 
home, and had but three months of schooling, 
all told. His early boyhood was spent work- 
ing out by the month. His father received 
the benefit of his wages up to the time he was 
nineteen years of age. Then he started for 
himself; began farming for himself, renting. 
During the winter season, his time was spent 
working in a mill for other parties. He rented 
for four j'ears, then purchased 120 acres of 
canal land ; cost, S2 per acre ; this he never 
moved on, but sold the same after, and pur- 
chased 240 acres in the same count}' ; cost, $5 
per acre ; some improvements. This he sold 
in 1855, and purchased another tract of 240 
acres at $10 per acre ; after, sold this and rented 
four years, when he came to this State, locat- 
ing in this township October 5, 1862, and 
located on eighty acres that he had previously 
purchased, costing $10 per acre, and located 
where he now resides, and remained here two 
j-ears, when he removed to Trapp Prairie, where 
he stayed one winter, and returned to his former 
place of living, where he has since remained. 
He has been one of the most successful farmers 



in the county. He has accumulated nearly 
1,000 acres of land, all of which are the fruits 
of his own labor. He has been twice married ; 
first, at the age of nineteen, November 29, 1848, 
to Charlotte Cox, born in Martin County, Ind., 
May 15, 1831, daughter of Isaac and Sarah 
(Boone) Cox, the former a native of North Car- 
olina, she of Kentucky, and a descendant of 
Daniel Boone. His wife died March 29, 1875. 
By her he had ten children, nine of whom are 
living, viz.: Minerva J., Granville G., Tillman 
C, H. H., Tabitha E., Sylvanus G. (dead). Davie 
G., Schuyler C, Samuel N. and Edith E. Syl- 
vanus died in infanc}'. Minerva resides in 
Lucas township, the wife of John Merry. Tabi- 
tha, wife of Richard Merry, of Lucas Township. 
Three sons, Granville G., Tillman C.,and H.H., 
are married and doing business for themselves. 
Our subject's last marriage occurred in March, 
1876, to Mrs. Martiia E. Jacobs, born in this 
State, daughter of Mr. Cooper, by which mar- 
riage he had three children, two living, Stella G. 
and Leslie ; James and Melissa deceased. Our 
subject was formerly a Democrat until Lin- 
coln's election, since which he has been a Repub- 
lican. He is not a member of any church or 
society, but lives in harmony with the prin- 
ciples of morality, and enjoys the esteem 
and respect of the community in which he 
resides. 



BANNEE T 

HENRY BERNHARD, miller, Shumway, 
whose portrait appears in this work, was born 
in Ittlingen, Baden, Germany, April 9, 18.S5, a 
son of Henry and Margaret (Ziegler)" Bernhard, 
both natives of Baden, Germany; he, born | 
September 4, 1802, is a retired farmer, living 
now with our subject ; she died in her native 
country in 1837. The father was twice mar- 
ried, his second wife being Anna Eve Ziegler. 
He is the father of four children, two of whom 



OWNSHIP. 

are living — Louis and Henr^'. He (the father) 

came to America in 1879. Our subject received 

his early schooling in the schools of his native 

village, and his first occupation in life was that 

of milling, which trade he commenced learning 

in Ittlingen, Germany, at an early age. He 

came to the United States in 1853, and for 

nine months was engaged in milling in New 

Jersey. He came to St. Clair County, this 

State, where he remained until 1864, when he 

Q 



258 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



came to Banner Township, where he has since 
resided. He was married in St. Clair County, 
this State, October 27, 1858, to Catharine Sinn, 
who was born in the same place as he, Decem- 
ber 2, 1838, the daughter of Michael and 
Rosetta (Lilli) Sinn. Mr. and Mrs. Bernhard 
have had four children, two of whom are living 
— Lizzie and Louisa. In 1872, our subject 
took an active part in securing the establish- 
ment of a post office then called Tolerance, of 
which he was appointed Postmaster, serving in 
that capacity until 1879, when the office was 
changed to Shumway. In 1878, he erected the 
" Tolerance Flouring Mills " in the town of 
Shumway, Banner Township, of which he is 
proprietor, at a cost of $11,000. The mill car- 
ries three run of stone, and handles about 
30,000 bushels of wheat per annum. Prior to 
entering into the milling business, our subject 
was engaged in merchandising for a period of 
eight years, in which business he was very suc- 
cessful. In his present business, he ships 
largely, but is doing principally custom work. 
He is trul}' a self-made man of excellent charac- 
teristics, the artificer of his own fortune, having 
become wealthy by his own enterprising efforts. 
He has served his township as Clerk, School 
Treasurer, and is the present Supervisor. He 
is a member of the Lutheran Church, and in 
politics is a Democrat. 

F. W. GIESEKING, merchant, Shumway, 
was born at Nashville, Washington Co., 111. 
His father, William Gieseking, married Miss 
Caroline Heseman in 1855; the result of this 
union was ten children, of whom eight survive, 
of whom the subject is the eldest son. Mr. 
Gieseking obtained the rudiments of his educa- 
tion at Freemanton, in Effingham County, and 
then entered the Central Wesleyan College, at 
Warrentou, Mo., at the age of eighteen 3'ears, 
taking a course of study for the period of 
three j'ears. He then returned to Effingham 
County, and engaged as clerk in the store of 
George Hilleman, at Altamont, 111., being there 



engaged for ten months. He then began busi- 
ness as a merchant, under the firm name of 
Gieseking & Son, at the town of Shumway, 
where he still continues. On the 26th of Janu- 
ary, 1882, he married Miss Marj* Schroth, of 
Banner Township. He was reared under the 
religious instruction of the German Methodist 
Church. William Gieseking, the father of our 
subject is one of the extensive farmers of 
Effingham County, residing in Moccasin Town- 
ship. The mother is also living. 

IGNATZ HELMBACHER, Postmaster of 
Shumwaj', was born May 28, 1851, in the State 
of Louisiana. His father, Louis Helmbacher, 
and mother, Margaret Helmbacher, were born in 
Paris, France. His mother died in St. Clair 
County, 111., in 1860. His parents left France 
for America, settling in New Orleans in 1847, 
from whence they came to Belleville, 111., in 
1859. In 1873, they went to Teutopolis, 111., 
where his father died in 1880. Our subject 
began his education at the common schools of 
the countj', coming to Shumway in 1862, where 
he has made his home, with the exception of 
three years' travel in the West. Our subject 
has three brothers and one sister, as follows : 
Frederick, John, Alois, surviving, and Hellena. 
Of the half brothers and sisters, there are living, 
Joseph and Ruben, Christina, Mary and Dora. 
Christina married Peter Hutemacher, residing 
at Teutopolis. The second wife of our subject's 
father, whose maiden name was Metcker, sur- 
vives him, and is residing at Teutopolis. Our 
subject was appointed Postmaster in Shumway 
September 26, 1882, which position he still 
holds. The familj' are Catholic in their re- 
ligion. 

MATTHEW M. HEMPHILL, grain dealer, 
Shumway, was born May 10, 1842, in County 
Antrim Ireland, son of Matthew and Matilda 
(White) Hemphill. He came to America with 
his parents in 1850, and settled in Randolph 
Count}', 111., where he remained until 1866. He 
enlisted in the armj- in 1862. being assigned 



BANNER TOWNSHIP. 



259 



to the Eightieth Illinois Infantry, Col. Thomas 
G. Allen. After a short service, he was hon- 
orably discharged on account of physical disa- 
bility, February, 1863. He began life as a 
farmer ; his education commenced in the dis- 
trict school, which he entered at the age of 
eight years. In 1864, he took a course at the 
Commercial College, Kochester, N. Y., gradu- 
ating April 14, 1865, the day President Lincoln 
was assassinated. Returning home, he took 
charge of a school as teacher, which he has fol- 
lowed alternately with farming and grain deal- 
ing. On the 30th day of March, 1869, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Mary Stirrett, of 
Effingham County. There were born unto 
them four children, of whom Andrew Otis, 
Anna KUa, and Katie Etta are surviving. Mr. 
Hemphill was reared in the Presbyterian Church. 
He was elected Assessor of Banner Township 
on the Republican ticket in 1882, and was 
appointed Notary Public in 1879. In 1880, he 
was appointed census taker for his township. 
He is a member of McPherson Post, No. 88, 
Grand Army of the Republic, at Effingham. 

WENDLINE RETS, farmer, P. 0. Shum- 
way, was born December 26, 1836, in Ger- 
many. His father, Lawrence Reis, was mar- 
ried to Eva Weichel (date not known). 
Unto them were born five sons and three 
daughters, of whom our subject is the third 
youngest. His parents came to America in 
1837, coming to Baj'liss Landing, Mo., where 
they settled, at which place the parents died; 
after which subject left that locality, settling 
in Shumway, Effingham County, in 1875. On 
the 18th day of Januarj-, 1857, he was married 
to Elizabeth Underriner. Unto them were born 
ten children, seven sons and three daughters, 
all living — Theodore, Martin. Wilhelm, Joseph, 
John, Wendline, Louis, and Theresa, JIary and 
Josephine. Theresa married Frank Andrews, 
and Theodore married Mary Anna Crupy. The 
famil}- were brought up under the instruction 
of the Catholic Church. Our subject attended 



the Abby Creek Church School for tiiree years; 
then engaged in farming, in which he has been 
very successful. 

THOMAS J. RENTFROW, farmer, P. O. Ef- 
fingham, was born in Maury County, Middle 
Tenn.,in July, 1812. In the fall of 1829, he came 
to Illinois with his mother, who settled in Wayne 
County, near what is known as Fairfield, until 
the spring of 1830, when they came to Effing- 
ham County. Ricliard Cohee and Hickman 
Langford, brothers-in-law, came at the same 
time, and four brothers of our subject — Jesse, 
John, Joseph and Eli — ^joined the party in this 
county in 1860. They settled on the Little 
Wabash, just above Ewington, this county. At 
this time there were more Indians in the county 
than white people. Our subject states that 
there were only two white families within ten 
miles of their home ; these were John P. Far- 
ley and Samuel Bratton. The Rcntfrows 
brought four horses and one ox team. On their 
arrival, they went into a deserted Indian camp 
on the Wabash bottom, near what is now known 
as the old Reynolds place, in the month of 
March, while snow was yet on the ground; 
making their surroundings as comfortable as 
possible, they began to tap the maple trees and 
make sugar. The old camp was made of linn 
puncheons pinned to trees with wooden pegs ; 
they contented themselves as best they could 
in this temporary shelter, until they had time to 
build a house on the hill, near a spring, as the 
Tennesseans in those early days did not know 
what a well was. Joseph was the bread finder, 
and went as far as Paris, in Edgar County, to get 
corn, on horseback. In those days the green- 
head flies were so thick and ravenous that it 
was impossible to travel in mid-day with the 
additional pest of mosquitoes and gnats. They 
cleared off a patch in the bottom and planted 
corn, and also a patch of cotton, but the latter 
was a failure. The corn for bread was pounded 
in a wooden mortar, dug out of a log or stump, 
with a pole attached like a well sweep, with an 



aeo 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



iron wedge as a pounder. Rising early in tlie 
morning, preparing the frugal brealifast, the 
pounding for meal was answered by the gob- 
bling of the wild turkeys, which were very 
abundant in those days. In a few j-ears, the 
convenience of the colony was improved by the 
erection of a horse mill on the Okaw, thirty- 
five miles distant, whither the subject would go 
with his grist, and had to wait four or five days 
for his turn at the grist, living on parched corn 
and sleeping in the mill. The journey on these 
occasions was made with ox teams across the 
prairie at night, driving into the bushes, cutting 
them down, and building " bush harbors " for 
protection, the oxen feeding on the high grass 
so common in those days. When the grist 
haulers arrived and squatted around the mill, 
it had the appearance of a modern camp-meet- 
ing. Deer, wild turkeys and bee trees were 
plentj', and it took but a sliort time to secure 
either to supply their need. A few black bears 
could be encountered, and wolves, big and 
little, were plenty, and at times dangerous. 
The tables of the settlers were furnished with 
wild meat, wild honey and corn-bread. Our 
subject went to school a few months in Tennes- 
see, but never had an arithmatic or a quire of 
paper, and never attended a school after settling 
in this county. He remained a member of his 
mother's family until he was married. Ma}' 18, 
1843, to Miss Eleanor Trapp, daughter of John 
Trapp, of this county, who was at one time 
Sheriff of Effingham County. He had made 
improvements on the first settlement of the 
family, and bought the interest of his mother 
and others, which he sold to Kej-nolds for 
$160, and entered 120 acres in Section 35, in 
1842, afterward entering 280 acres more ; he 
now owns 300 acres, all under cultivation, rais- 
ing principally grain, with good success. Mr. 
Rentfrow is the father of ten children, six of 
whom are living — John C., of this countyj; 
Mary E,, wife of Dennis 0. Keating ; William 
Elijah, of this county ; Sarah, wife of Lee Bur- 



rell, of Effingham ; Stephen A. and Michael, at 
home. Once upon a time, Mr. Rentfrow, while 
hunting with Alexander McWhorter, they 
would lay out all night, Rentfrow placing a 
coon skin under his head for a pillow; the 
natural warmth of his head united with the 
heat from the log-heap, melted the snow and 
frozen ground while he was sleeping ; on awak- 
ening, he found his hair frozen to the ground, 
requiring skill, patience and solid pulling to 
get him loose. Mr. Rentford was elected Sheriff 
of this county in 1843, which he held for eight 
years ; he was nominated by the Democrats, of 
which party h-e has been a life-long member. 
The first revenue he collected in the county 
was $300, on which his commission was three 
per cent ; it was in this line of his duty to take 
it to Springfield, paying his own expenses. 

M. SCHROTH, farmer, P. O. Shumway, was 
born December 13, 1831, at Wurtemberg, Ger- 
many. He came alone to America in 1854, 
landing in New York City. From thence he 
soon moved to Pennsylvania, remaining there 
a short time. He then went down the Ohio 
River, to the city of St. Louis,-Mo., where he 
and a companion engaged in the manufacture 
of a summer beverage, a substitute for stronger 
liquors. In 1855, he came to St. Clair County, 
111., where he married Cathariua Beckman, 
June 2, 1859. They then settled in Washing- 
ton County, 111. In 1861, they came to Effing- 
ham County, and purchased 120 acres of land 
from the Illinois Central R. R., on which he 
began to farm on the raw prairie, where he 
now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Schroth have had 
born unto them eleven children, of whom nine 
are surviving. His mother, Dora Schroth, is 
living with them, at the age of eighty-two. 
The family were Lutherans, to which religion 
they still adhere. His children — Mary E., 
Christiana, Margaret, Michael, Henry, Dora, 
Frederick, Lidda, Lewis — are living ; on the 
4th of May, 1877, their son Phillip was killed 
by falling from a tree. 



SUMMIT TOWNSHIP. 



261 



JOHN H. WALDECKER, cooper, Shumway, 
was born in the kingdom of Hanover, Gorman}-, 
on tl>e StU of March, 1851. His parents, John 
H. Waldecker and A. M. Henrietta Gruetze- 
macher, were married in 1836. Unto them were 
born five children, three of whom are living. 
The subject was the youngest, who came with 
his parents to America in 1854, settling in St. 
Louis, Mo., where he remained until 1872. 
From there he moved to St. Clair County, 111. ; 
thence to Shumway, in Banner Township, III., 
1878, engaging in his trade. Mr. Waldecker 
availed himself of the advantages of the com- 
mon schools until he was fourteen years old ; 
then he entered Roher's Commercial School, at 
St. Louis, Mo., where he took a course at book- 



keeping. He kept books in various lines of 
business for some time ; then concluded to 
learn the trade of coopering, which he is now 
following successfully. In the j'ear 1874, 
October 1, Mr. Waldecker and Miss Diana 
Miller were married, at Belleville, St. Clair Co., 
111. They have one son, Frederick. The 
Waldeckers were Protestants from the begin- 
ning, and the descendants adhere to that faith 
without denominational preference. Mr. Wal- 
decker has held several offices of honor and 
profit, conferred upon him by his fellow-citizens. 
He was first elected Constable in 1879, which he 
held for two years ; then he was elected Justice 
of the Peace, in the spring of 1881, which office 
he still holds, giving satisfaction to the people. 



SUMMIT 

LORENZO D. GLOYD, farmer, was born 
in Prince George County, Md., near Wash- 
ington City, D. C, in 1814. William, his 
father, a farmer bj- occupation, was born 
in the same State, at a date unknown to 
the subject. He died in 1825. Our subject's 
mother's maiden name was Sarah Skeggs. It 
is sup|posed that she was born in Virginia, the 
date of which is unknown. She died in 1827. 
In this family there were five children ; four 
boys and one girl, all of whom are deceased 
but two. Our subject was educated in the 
common schools in Ohio, in which State he 
was also raised to farming, which has always 
been his occupation. He was married in Lick- 
ing County, Ohio, in 1836, to Miss Elizabeth 
Hilderbrand, the date and place of whose birth 
is unknown. Her father was James Hilder- 
brand, who was born in Pennsylvania. Our 
subject's marriage was blessed with the follow- 
ing children, named in the order of their births 
— William, Jane, Elbridge, Ellen, George, 
Percy, Jerome, Magdaline. Mr. Gloyd is a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 



TOWl^SHIP. 

and a Republican in politics. In 1825, our 
subject removed, with his parents, from Mary- 
land, to Licking County, Ohio, where they 
engaged in farming, until 1839, when they 
removed to Indiana, and to Effingham County, 
III, in 1866. On his an-ival here, he bought a 
farm, containing 240 acres, where he now re- 
sides, and which he has improved. He has 
built upon his farm a large dwelling, 40x20. 
His grandmother was German, and his grand- 
father Gloyd was English. He was a soldier 
in the Revolutionary war, going into that war 
as a substitute for his father. 

SAMUEL F. HAN KINS, farmer, P. 0. 
Shumway, was born in Tennessee, in 1824 ; 
came with his parents to Vandalia, in 1827, 
remaining there until 1831 ; then he settled 
in Fayette County, 111., a portion of which now 
comprises Effingham County. William J. 
Ilunkins, his father, was a man of enterprising 
spirit, in those early days, and when the Na- 
tional road was projected, he took the contract 
on a division, of clearing and grading, and 
built the bridge across the Little Wabash, m 



262 



BIOGRAPHICAL: 



Summit Township. In early life, his father 
learned the trade of a. carpenter, and soon con- 
tracted to build houses and bridges. There 
were twelve children born unto him, six of 
whom reside in this township. He was mar- 
ried, March 30, 1819, to Catharine Funic, in 
the State of Tennessee. Of the six surviving 
children of this union, Presley C., Samuel F. 
and Elizabeth were born in Tennessee, and 
Sarah A., Lewis J. and Mary Ann were born 
in Illinois. Elizabeth married 0. L. Kelley, 
who was killed iu a railroad accident during 
the late war while on the way to the field of 
action. Sarah A. married D. W. Powell ; Mary 
Ann married Paris GrifBth ; Presley C. married 
Nancy J. Warren, October 24, 1850, two chil- 
dren surviving. The father and the subject 
were soldiers in the Mexican war, each be- 
longing to Company C, Second Regiment 
Illinois Volunteers, of which the father was 
Second Lieutenant, and Harvy Lee, Captain. 
They landed at Tampico ; from thence they 
went to Vera Cruz, and were then ordered to 
march to the City of Mexico, which was talien 
before their arrival. When William J. Han- 
kms, the pioneer of this family, came to what 
is now Effingham County, it was a wild prairie. 
Green-head flies were so plentiful that stock 
was often destroyed by them, compelling the 
early settlers to cultivate the bottom lands on 
the river. Provisions could be obtained at no 
nearer point than Wavne County and St. Louis, 
excepting meat, which was supplied by captur- 
ing bear, deer and wild turkej'S. Hogs were 
fattened on the mast. The subject remarks, 
" it was truly, root hog or die." Farms in their 
neighborhood were opened in 1839, which was 
very tedious, oxen being chiefly used for plow- 
ing, as liorses were not plent}-. Oats and corn 
were the principal crops, and the jield gener- 
ally good. Schools were supported by sub- 
scription until 1839, when it appears by the 
record in possession of the subject that '-the 
residents of this township shall each pay the 



sum of two dollars per quarter for each scholar 
they send to school; and non-residents shall 
pay the sum of two dollars and fifty cents per 
quarter for each scholar they may send." " T. 
J. Gillenvvaters, President of Board of Trustees, 
August 17, 1838." Samuel F. Hankins was 
many j'ears School Director. In 1871, he was 
chosen School Treasurer, in which capacity he 
still acts. He is a bachelor. In early life he 
became a Mason, in which honorable institution 
he was advanced to the Roj'al Arch Degree. 

T. B. RINEHART, farmer, P. 0. Effingham, 
was born in Effingham Count3' in 1841. His 
father was Daniel Rinehart, who was born in 
Tennessee and educated in Fairfield County, 
Ohio, also a farmer by occupation. He was 
married in Ohio, in 1818, to Miss Barljara 
Keagy, of the same county. In his family there 
were six children, two girls and four boys, all 
living except Jemima, former wife of William 
C. Wright, who died. Our subject is the third 
child of the famil}'. His father died in Jan- 
uary, 1868. He came to this State in 1841, 
and settled in Watson Township, where he re- 
mained until his election to the office of County 
Clerk, when he removed to Effingham. He 
served some years in this capacit3', during 
which time our subject embraced the oppor- 
tunity of gaining a high school education, and 
after graduation at McKendree College. He 
was once chosen Supervisor of his township, 
and in 1 882 was a candidate for County Clerk, 
on the National ticket. In January, 1868, he 
was married to Miss Mary Crooker Blakely, by 
which union they have had six children, two 
of whom died in infancy. His father had been 
prominent as a Justice of the Peace for man}' 
years. Mr. Rinehart's father-in-law was the 
late Judge Blakelj , who came to Effingham 
County at an early day, when the country was 
a vast wilderness and sparsely settled. In 1839, 
he was chosen County Clerk, and was several 
times elected to the Legislature, and was also 
member of the Constitutional Convention for 



SUMMIT TOWNSHIP. 



263 



the counties of Effingham and Clay, in 1847. 
In 1852, he was elected to the Legislature, and 
again in 1872, after twenty years of private 
life. He was born in Columbia County, N. Y., 
October 16, 1808. In October, 1830, he was 
married, in Lawrenceburg, Ind., to Miss Aman- 
da Crooker, who was born in Greene County, 
N. Y., in 1814. The marriage ceremony was 
performed bj' the late Judge Holden, who was 
in early life a prominent clergyman. On ar- 
riving in Effingham, Mr. Blakely was engaged 
in merchandising, at which time money was 
scarce, and he frequently had to exchange mer- 
chandise for furs and feathers and like com- 
modities. 

NATHAN SKIPPER, farmer, P. 0. Effing- 
ham, son of Nathan and Frances (Williams) 
Skipper, was born in Hickman County, Tenn., 
in 1842; while j-oung, he removed with his 
fathers family from that State to Illinois, in 
1850. They made the long, tedious journey 
through the then wilderness of prairie grass 
and roadless prairies, with two yoke of oxen 
and wagons. Arriving in Illinois, they settled 
near Weston, where his father settled upon a 
piece of land, which was entered over him by 
another part}-. Soon after this, he left and 
came to Summit Township, where he purchased 
eighty acres, which were partly improved. Here 
our subject received such advantages of an 
education as were offered by the school system 
of those times, and raised to farming on his 
father's farm. He was married in 1861 to Miss 
Sarah Tims; the result of the union was one 
child, L. C. They are both deceased and their 
remains repose in the cemetery at Watson. 
Mr. Shipper takes an interest in the educational 
and political affairs, of the community in 
which he lives, and is respected by his fellow- 



men. In his father's family there were fourteen 
children, of whom Mr. Skipper is the tenth. 
There names are as follows, named in order ; 
Mary Ann, William, Eli, Catharine, Sarah, 
Matilda J., Elizabeth, Margara and Louis. 
One not named died young. His father was of 
Irish descent, and was born in North Carolina 
October 19, 1805, and died July 14, 1880, and 
was buried at Blue Point Cemetery. His 
mother is of French origin, her age, etc., are 
not remembered. In politics, Mr. Skipper is a 
Democrat. 

J. F. THOMPSON, farmer, P. 0. Shumway, 
was born in Wayne County, Ind., in Maj-, 1834, 
son of L. W. and Catharina (Whiting) Thomp- 
son, both natives of Virginia, and both died in 
this county, the father in 1877 and the mother the 
year previous. They were the parents of eight 
children, four of whom are living. Our subject 
received his early schooling in Tippecanoe 
County, Ind., and farming he chose for his 
occupation in earl}- life. He was married, 
January 23, 1868, in this county, to Miss 
Emma E. Kagay, born in Ripley County, Ohio, 
August 28, 1840, daughter of Abram and 
Elizabeth Kagay, both Virginians l)y birth. 
Mrs. Thompson is a sister of Hon. B. F. Kagay, 
of this county. She had a brother in the late 
civil war, who died at New Alban}-, Ind. Her 
grandfather was Daniel Hall. Mr. and Mrs. 
Thompson have six children — Laura, May, 
William Franklin, Charles Arthur, Ivy and 
Fealdon. Our subject came to this county in 
1864. He ran a drug store in Effingham three 
years, but has farmed mostly, having purchased 
in 18G9, eighty acres at $17 per acre, on which 
he does general farming. He and his wife are 
members of the Baptist Church. In politics, 
he is a Democrat. 



APPENDIX. 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY, 



INCI.UDIXG A BRIEF 



HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



GEOGEAPIIICAL POSITION. 

"TTTIIEN the Northwesteri) Teri-itory 
V V was ceded to the United States by 
Virginia in 1784, it embraced only the terri- 
tory' lying between the Ohio and the Missis- 
sippi Rivers, and north to the northern lim- 
its of the United States. It coincided with 
the area now embraced in the States ot'Ohio, 
Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and 
that portion of Minnesota Ivinjr on the east 
side of the Mississippi Iliver. The United 
States itself at that period extended no 
farther west than the Mississippi Iliver; 
but by the purchase of Louisiana in 1803, 
the western boundary of the United States 
was extended to the Rocky Mountains and 
the Northefn Pacific Ocean. The new 
territory thus added to tlie I^ational do- 
main, and subsequently opened to settle- 
ment, has been called the "New North- 
west," in contriulistinction from the old 
" Northwestern Territory." 

In comparison with the old Northwest 
this is a territory of vast magnitude. It 
includes an area of 1,887,850 square miles; 
being greater in extent than the united 
areas of all the Middle and Southern States, 
including Texas. Out of this magnificent 



territoi-y have been erected cleven'sovereign 
States and eight Territories, with an aggre- 
gate population, at the present time, of 
13,000,000 inhabitants, or nearly one-third 
of the entire population of the United 
States. 

Its lakes are fresh-water seas, and the 
larger rivers of the continent flow for a 
thousand miles through its rich alluvial val- 
leys and far-stretching prairies, more acres 
of which are arable and productive of the 
highest percentage of the cereals than of 
any other area of like extent on the globe. 

For the last twent}' years tlie increase of 
population in the Northwest has been about 
as three to one in any other portion of the 
United States. 

EARLY EXPLORATIONS. 

In the year loil, De Soto first saw the 
Great West in the New Woi-ld. He, how- 
ever, penetrated no farther nortli than the 
35th parallel of latitude. The expedition 
resulted in his death and that of more than 
half his army, the remainder of whom 
found their way to Cuba, thence to Spain, 
in a famished and demoralized condition. 
De Soto founded no settlements, produced 
no results, and left no ti'acL's, unless it wei'e 



THE XOUTinVK-^T TKUUITOKY. 



that lie awakened the liostility of the red 
man against the white man, and disheart- 
ened such as might desire to follow up the 
career of discovery for better purposes. 
The French nation were eager and ready to 
seize upon any news from this extensive 
domain, and were the first to profit by De 
Soto's defeat. Yet it was more than a 
century before any adventurer took advan- 
tage of tliese discoveries. 

lu 1016, four years before the pilgrims 
" moored their bark on the wild New Eng- 
land shore," Le Carol), a French Franciscan, 
had penetrated through the Iroquois and 
and Wyandots (Ilnrons) to the streams 
which run into Lake Huron; and in 1631, 
two Jesuit missionaries founded the first 
mission among the lake tribes. It was just 
one hundred years from the discovei-y of 
the Mississippi by De Soto (1541) until the 
Canadian envoys met the savage nations of 
the Northwest at the Falls of St. Mary, be- 
low the outlet of Lake Superior. This 
visit led to no permanent result, yet it was 
not until 1651) that any of the adventurous 
fur traders attempted to spend a winter in 
the frozen wilds about the great lakes, nor 
was it until 1660 that a station was estab- 
lished upon their borders by Mesnard, who 
perished in the woods a few months after. 
In 1665, Claude Allouez built the earliest 
lasting habitation of the white man among 
the Indians of the Northwest. In 1668, 
Claude Dablon and James Marquette 
founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at 
the Falls of St. Mary, and two years after- 
ward, Nicholas Perrot, as agent for M. 
Talon, Governor General of Cana'la, ex- 
plored Lake Illinois (Michigan) as far 
south as the present City of Chicago, and 
invited the Indian nations to meet him at 



a grand council at Sault Ste. Marie the 
following spring, where they were taken 
under the protection of the king, and formal 
possession was taken of the Northwest. 
This same year Marquette established a 
mission at Point St. Ignatius, whore was 
founded the old town of town of Michilli- 
mackinac. 

During M. Talon's exj^lorations and Mar- 
quette's residence at St. Ignatius, they 
learned of a great river away to the west, 
and fancied — as all others did then — that 
upon its fertile banks whole tribes of God's 
children resided, to whom the sound of the 
Gospel had never come. Filled with a 
wish to go and preach to them, and in com- 
pliance with a request of M. Talon, who 
earnestly desired to extend the domain of 
his king, and to ascertain whether the 
river flowed into the Gulf of Mexico or the 
Pacific Ocean, Marquette with Joliet, as 
commander of the exjjedition, prepared for 
the undertaking. 

On the 13th of May, 1673, the explorers, 
accompanied b}' five assistant French Can- 
adians, set out from Mackinaw on their 
daring voyage of discovery. Q'he Indians, 
who gathered to witness their departure, 
were astonished at the boldness of the 
undertaking, and endeavored to dissuade 
them from their purpose by representing 
the tribes on the Mississippi as exceedingly 
savage and cruel, and the river itself as 
full of all sorts of frightful monsters ready 
to swallow them and their canoes together. 
But, nothing daunted by these terrific de- 
scriptions, Marquette told them he was 
willing not only to encounter all the per- 
ils of the unknown region they were about 
to explore, but to lay down his life in a 
cause in which the salvation of souls was 



THE NOKTIIWEST TERRITOKY. 



involved; aiul having prayed together they 
separated. Coasting along the northern 
shore of Lake Michigan, the adventurers 
entered Green Bay, and passed thence up 
the Fox River and Lake Winnebago to a 
village of the Mianiis and Kickapoos. 
Hero Marquette was delighted to find a 
hi'autifiii cross planted in the middle of the 
town, ornamented with white skins, red gir- 
dles and bows and arrows, which these 
good people liad offered to the great Man- 
itou, or God, to thank him for the pity he 
had bestowed on them during the winter in 
giving them an abundant " chase." This 
was the fa; thest outpost to which D.iblon and 
iVIlouez had extended their missionary la- 
bors the year prjvious. Here Marquette 
drank mineral waters and was instructed in 
the secret of a root which cures t'le bite of 
the venomous rattlesnake. He assembled 
the chiefs and old men of the village, and, 
])c)inting to Joliet, said: " My friend is an 
envoy of France, to discover new coun- 
tries, and [am an ambassador from God to 
enlighten them with the truths of the Gos- 
pel." Two Miami guides were here fur- 
nisheil to criuduct tliem to the Wisconsin 
River, and they set out from the Indian 
village on the 10th of June, amidst a great 
crowd of natives who liad assembled to 
witness their departure into a j-egion where 
no white man had ever yet ventured. The 
guides, liaving conducted them across the 
])ortage, returned. The explorers launched 
their canoes upon the Wisconsin which 
they descended to the Mississippi and pro- 
ceeded down it; unknown waters. What 
emotions must have swelled their breasts 
as they struck out into the broadening cur- 
rent and became conscious tiiat they were 
now u|ion the bosom of the Father of Wa- 



ters. The mystery was about to ba liftea 
from the long-sought river. The scenery 
in that locality is beautiful, and on that 
delightful seventeenth of June must have 
been clad in all its ])rimeval loveliness as it 
had been adorned by the hand of Nature. 
Drifting rapidly, it is said that the bold 
bluffs on either hand " reminded them of 
the castled shores of their own bcautifnl 
rivers of France." By-and-by, as they 
drii'ted along, great herds of buffalo aj>- 
])eared on the banks. On going to the 
heads of the valley they could sec a conn- 
try of the greatest beanty and fertility, ap- 
parently destitute of inhabitants yet pre- 
senting the appearance of extensive man- 
ors, under the fastidious cultivation of 
lordly proprietors. 

On June 2oth, thej' went asliore and fonnd 
some fresh traces of men upon the sand. 
and a path which led to the prairie. The 
men remained in the boat, and Marquette 
and Joliet followed the path till they dis- 
covered a village on the banks of a river, 
and two other villages on a hill, within a 
half league of the iirst, inhabited by Indians. 
They were received most hospitably by 
these natives, who had never before seen a 
white person. After remaining a few days 
they re-embarked and descended the river 
to about latitude 33", where they found a 
village of the Arkansas, and being satisfied 
that the river flowed into the Gulf of 
Mexico, turned their course up the river, 
and ascending the stream to the mouth of 
the Illinois, rowed up that stream to its 
source, and procureil guides from that 
point to the lakes. " No where on this 
journey," sa3's ilarquette, "did we see such 
grounds, meadows, woods, stags, buffaloes, 
doer, wildcats, bustards, swans, ducks, par- 



THE NORTH WI'ST TEUUITORY. 



roquets, and even beavers, as on the Illinois 
River." The party, without loss or injury, 
reached Green Bay in September, and re- 
ported their discovery — one of the most 
important of the age, but of which no 
record was preserved save Marquette's, 
Joliet losing his by the upsetting of his 
canoe on his way to Quebec. Afterward 
Marquette returned to the Illinois Indians 
by their request, and ministered to them 
until 1675. On the ISth of May, in that 
year, as he was passing the mouth of a 
stream — going with his boatmen up Lake 
Michigan — lie asked to land at its mouth 
and celebVate mass. Leaving his men with 
the canoe, he retired a shore distance and 
began his devotions. As much time passed 
and he did not return, his men went in 
search of him, and found him upon his 
knees, dead. He had peacefully passed 
away while at prayer. lie was buried at 
this spot. Charlevoix, who visited the 
place fifty years after, found the waters had 
retreated from the grave, leaving the be- 
loved missionary to repose in peace. The 
river has since been called Marquette. 

While Marquette and his companions 
were pursuing their labors in the West, 
two men, differing widely from him and 
each other, were preparing to follow in his 
footsteps and perfect the discoveries so well 
begun by him. These were Robert de La 
Salle and Louis Hennepin. 

After La Salle's return from the discovery 
of the Ohio River (see the narrative else- 
where), he established himself again among 
the French trading posts in Canada. Here 
he mused long upon the pet project of 
those ages — a short way to China and the 
East, and was busily planning an expedi- 
tion up the great lakes, and so across 



the continent to the Pacific, when Mar- 
quette returned from the Mississippi. At 
once the vigorous mind of La Salle received 
from his and his companions' stories the 
idea tliat by following the Great River 
northward, or by turning up some of the 
numerous western tributaries, the object 
could easily be gained. He applied to 
Frontenac, Governor General of Canada, 
and laid before him the plan, dim but 
Efiojantic. Frontenac entered warmlv into 
his plans, and saw that La Salle's idea to 
connect the great lakes by a chain of forts 
with the Gulf of Mexico would bind the 
country so wonderfully together, give un- 
measured power to France, and glory to 
himself, under whose administration he 
earnestly hoped all would be realized. 

La Salle now repaired to France, laid his 
plans before the King, who warmly ap- 
proved of them, and made him a Chevalier. 
He also received from all the noblemen the 
warmest wishes for his success. Tlie Chev- 
alier returned to (Janada, and busily en- 
tered u]ion his work. He at once rebuilt 
Fort Frontenac and constructed the first 
ship to sail on these fresh-water seas. On 
the 7th of August, 1679, having been joined 
by Hennepin, he began his voyage in the 
Gritlin up Lake Erie. He passed over 
this lake, through the straits beyond, np 
Lake St. Clair and into Huron. In this 
lake they encountered heavy storms. They 
were some time at Michillimackinac, where 
La Salle founded a fort, and passed on to 
Green Bay, the " Baie des Puans " of the 
French, where he found a large quantity of 
furs collected for him. He loaded the 
Griffin with these, and placing her under 
the care of a pilot and fourteen sailors, 
started her on her return voj'age. The ves- 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



scl was never afterward heard of. He re- 
mained about these parts until early iu the 
winter, when, hearinaj iiotiiini; from tlie 
Griffin, he collected all liis men— thirty 
working men and three nionk;^ — and 
started again upon his great undertaking. 

By a short portage they ]>asscd to tlic Il- 
linois or Kankakee, called by the Indians, 
"Tlieakeke," «"«?/", because of the tribes of 
Indians called by tiiat name, commonly 
known as the Maliiiigans, dwelling tliere. 
Tlie French pronounced it Kiakiki, which 
became corrupted to Kankakee. "Falling 
down tlie said river by easy journeys, the 
better to observe the country," about the 
last of December they reached a village of 
the Illinois Indians, containing some five 
hundred cabins, but at that moment no in- 
habitants. The Seur de La Salle being in 
want of some breadstuifs, took advantage 
of the absence of the Indians to lielp him- 
self to a sufficiency of maize, large quanti- 
ties of which he found concealed in holes 
under the wigwams. This village was sit- 
iiated near the present village of Utica in 
La Salle County, Illinois. The corn being 
securely stored, the voyagers again betook 
themselves to the stream, and toward even- 
ing on the 4th da}' of January, 16S0, they 
came into a lake, which must have been 
the lake of Peoria. This was called by the 
Indians I'i/n-i-te-wi, that is a place where 
there are many fat heantii. Here the na- 
tives were met with in large numbers, but 
they were gentle and kind, and having 
spent some time with them, La Salle deter- 
mined to erect another fort in that place, 
for he had heard rumors that some of the 
adjoining tribes were trying to disturb the 
good feeling which existed, and some of 
his men were disposed to complain, owing 



to the hardships and perils of the travel. 
He called this fort " d'eveeosur" (broken- 
heart), a name expressive of the very nat- 
ural sorrow and anxiety which the pretty 
curtain loss of his ship. Griffin, and his con- 
sequent impoverishment, the danger of 
hostility on the part of the Indians, and of 
mutiny among his own men, might well 
cause him. His fears were not entirely 
groundless. At one time poison was placed 
in his food, but fortunately was discovered. 

While building this fort, the winter 
wore away, the prairies began to look 
green, and La Salle, despairing of any rein- 
forcements, concluded to return to Canada, 
raise new means and new men, and embark 
anew in the enterprise. For tliis purpose 
he made Hennepin the leader of a party to 
explore the head waters of the Mississippi, 
and he set out on his journe}'. This jour- 
ney was accomplished with the aid of a 
k\v persons, and was successfully made, 
though over an alniostunknown route, and 
in a bad season of the year. He safely 
reached Canada, and set out again for the 
object of his search. 

Hennepin and his party left Fort Creve- 
coeur on the last of Fcbruar}', 1680. When 
La Salle reached this place on his return ex- 
pedition, he found the fort entirely desert- 
ed, and he was obliged to return again to 
Canada. He embarked the third time, 
and succeeded. Seven days after leaving 
the fort, Hennepin reached the Mississippi, 
and ]iaddling up the icy stream as best he 
could, reached no higher tlian the Wis- 
consin River by the lltli of April. Here 
he and his followers were taken prisoners 
by a band of Northern Indians, who treat- 
ed them with great kindness. Hennepin's 
comrades were Anthony Auguel and Mi- 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



cliael Ako. On this voyage tliej' found sev- 
eral beautiful lakes, and " saw some charm- 
ing prairies." Tiieir captors were the 
Isante or Sauteurs, Chippewas, a tribe of 
the Sioux nation, who took them up the 
river until about the ilrstof May, when 
they reached some falls, which Hen- 
nepin christened Falls of St. Anthony 
in honor of his patron saint. Here they 
took the land, and traveling nearly two 
liundred miles to the northwest, brought 
them to their villages. Here they were 
kept about three months, were treated kind- 
ly by their captors, and at the end of that 
time, were met by a band of Frenchmen, 
lieaded by one Seur de Luth, who, in pur- 
suit of trade and game, had penetrated thus 
far by the route of Lake Superior; and 
with these fellow-countrymen Hennepin and 
his companions were allowed to return to 
tiie borders of civilized life in November, 
16S0, just after La Salle had returned 
to the wilderness on his second trip. Hen- 
nepin soon after went to France, where 
he published an account of his adven- 
tures. 

Tlie Mississippi was first discovered by 
De Soto in April, 1541, in his vain endeav- 
or to find gold and precious gems. Li the 
following spring, De Soto, weary with hope 
long deferred, and worn out with his wan- 
derings, fell a victim to disease, and on 
the 21st of May, died. His followers, re- 
duced by fatigue and disease to less than 
three hundred men, wandered about the 
country nearly a year, in the vain endeavor 
to rescue themselves by land, and finally 
constructed seven small vessels, called brig- 
antines, in which they embarked, and de- 
scending the river, supposing it would 
lead them to the sea, in Julv tlicv i-anie to 



the sea (Gulf of Mexico), and by Septem- 
ber reached the Island of Cuba. 

Tliey were the first to see the great out- 
Ictof the Mississippi; but, being so M-oary 
and discouraged, made no attempt to claim 
the country, and hardly had an intelligent 
idea of what they had passed through. 

To La Salle, the intrepid explorer, belongs 
the honor of giving tlie first account of 
the mouths of the river. His great desire 
was to posses^ this entire country for his 
king, and in January, 1GS2, he and his 
band of explorers left the shores of Lake 
Michigan on their third attempt, crossed 
tlie portage, passed down the Illinois Riv- 
er, and oa the 6th of February, reached the 
banks of the Mississippi. 

On the 13th they commenced their down- 
ward course, which they pursued with but 
one interruption, until upon the 6th of 
March they discovered the three great pas- 
sages by which the river discharges its 
waters into the gulf. LaSailc thus narrates 
the event: 

" We landed on the bank of the most 
western channel, about three leagues (nine 
miles) from its mouth. Ou the seventii, 
M. de La Salle went to reconnoiter the shores 
of the neighboring sea, and M. de Tonti 
meanwhile examined the great middle chan- 
nel. The}' found the main outlets beau- 
tiful, large and deep. On the Sth we reas- 
cended the river, a little above its conflu- 
ence with the sea, to find a dry place be- 
yond the reach of inundations. Tlie el- 
evation of the North Pole was here about 
twenty-seven degrees. Here we prepared 
a column and a cross, and to the column 
were affixed the arms of France with this 
inscription: 

Louis LeOmnd, Ro! De France et de Navarre, 
regiie: Le neuvicme Avril 16S"J. 



THE NOKTIIWEST TERRITORY. 



Tlie wliolc party, under arms, chanted 
the Te Deuin, and then, after a salute and 
cries .of •' Vive le lioL''' the column wms 
erected by M. de La Salle, who, standing 
near it, nroclaimed in a loud voice the au- 
thorit}' of the Kin<x of France. La Salle 
retnrned and laid the foundations of the 
Mississippi settlements in Illinois, thence 
he proceeded to France, where another ex- 
pedition was fitted out, of which he was 
commauder, and in two succeeding voy- 
ages failed to timl the outlet of the river 
bv sailing alonij the shore of the i^ulf. On 
liis third voyage he was killed, through 
the treachery of his followers, and the ob- 
ject of his expeditions was uot accom- 
j)lishcd until lO'.t!), when D'Iberville, un- 
der the authority of the crown, discovered, 
on the second of March, by way of the sea, 
the mouth of the " Hidden River." This 
majestic stream was called by the natives 
'■'■ Malhouclda^'' and by the Spaniards, " /« 
Palissade," from the great number of 
trees about its mouth. After traversing the 
several outlets, and satisfying himself as to 
its certainty, he erected a fort near its 
western outlet and retnrned to France. 

An avenue of trade was now opened out, 
which was fully improved. In 1718, Xew 
Orleans was laid out and settled b^' some 
European colonists. In 1762, the colony 
was made over to Spain, to be regained bv 
France under the consulate of Napoleon. 
In 1803, it was ])urcliased by the United 
States for the sum of fifteen million dollars, 
and the territor\- of Louisiana and com- 
uierce of the Mississippi River came under 
the charge of the United States. Although 
La Salle's labors ended in defeat and death, 
lie had not worked and suffered in vain. 
He had thrown open to France and the 



world an immense and most valuable coun- 
try; had established several ports, and laid 
the foundations of more than one settle- 
ment there. " Peoria, Kaskaskia and Ca- 
hokia, are to this day monuments of La 
Salle's labors; for, tiiough he had founded 
neither of them (unless Peoria, which was 
built nearly upon the site of Fort Creve- 
coMir,) it was by those whom he led into the 
West that these places were peopled and 
civilized. He was, if not the discoverer, 
the first settler of the Mississippi Valle}', 
and as such deserves to be known and 
honored." 

The French early improved the opening 
made for them. Before the year 1698, the 
Rev. Father Gravier betjan a mission amons 
the Illinois, and founded Kaskaskia. For 
some time this was merely a missionary 
station, where none but natives resided, it 
being one of three such villages, the other 
two being Cahokia and Peoria. What is 
known of these missions is learned from a 
letter written by Father Gabriel Marest, 
dated "Au.\ Cascaskias, autrement dit de 
I'Immaculate Conception de la Sainte 
A^ierge, le 9 Novembre, 1712." Soon after 
the founding of Kaskaskia, the missionary, 
Pinet, gathered a flock at Cahokia, while 
Peoria arose near the ruins of Fort Creve- 
coeur. This must have been about a year 
1700. The post at Vincennes on the 
Oubache river, (pronounced Wa-ba, mean- 
ing summer cloud moving swiftly) was es- 
tablished in 1702, according to the best 
authorities.* It is altogether probable that 

* There is consi(leral)le dispute about this date, 
some assertinsT it was founded as late a-s 1742. When 
the new court house at Vincennes was erected, all 
authorities on tlie subject were oiU'efuUy examined, 
and 1702 fixed upon as the con-ect date. It was ac- 
cordingly engraved on the corner-stone of the court 
house. 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



on La Salle's last trip he established tlie 
stations at Kaskaskia and Caliokia. In 
July, 1701, the foundations of Fort Pon- 
chartrain were laid by De laMotte Cadillac 
on the Detroit River. These stations, with 
those established further north, were the 
earliest attempts to occupy the Northwest 
Territory. At the same time efiorts were 
being made to occupy the Southwest, which 
finally culminated in the settlement and 
founding of the Citj' of New Orleans by a 
colony from England in 171S. Tliis was 
mainly accomplished through the efforts of 
tiie famous Mississippi Company, estab- 
lished by the notorious John Law, who so 
quickly arose into prominence in France, 
and who with his scheme so quickly and so 
ignominiously passed away. 

From the time of the founding of these 
stations for fifty years the French nation 
were engrossed with the settlement of the 
lower Mississippi, and the war witli the 
Chicasaws, wlio had, in revenge for repeated 
injuries, cutoff the entire colony at Natchez. 
Although the company did little for Louis- 
iana, as the entire West was then called, 
yet it opened the trade through the Missis- 
sippi Kiver, and started the raising of 
grains indigenous to that climate. ITntil 
the year 1750, but little is known of the 
settlements in the Northwest, as it was not 
until this time that the attention of the 
English \vas called to the occupation of 
this portion of the New World, which they 
then supposed they owned. Yivier, a mis- 
sionary among the Illinois, writing from 
"Aux Illinois," six leagues from Fort 
Chartres, June 8, 1750, says: "We have 
here whites, negroes and Indians, to say 
nothing of cross-breeds. There are five 
Fi-encli villao'es, and tln-ce villaffes of the 



natives, within a space of twenty-one 
leagues situated between the Mississippi 
and another river called tlie Karkadaid 
(Kaskaskias). In the five French villages 
are, perhaps, eleven hundred whites, three 
hundred blacks and some sixty red slaves 
or savages. The three Illinois towns do 
not contain more than eight hundred souls 
all told. Most of the French till the soil ; 
they raise wheat, cattle, pigs and horses, 
and live like princes. Three times as much 
is jDroduced as can be consumed ; and great 
quantities of grain and flour are sent to 
New Orleans." This city was now tlie 
seaport town of the Northwest, and save 
in the extreme northern part, where only 
furs and copper ore were found, almost all 
the products of the country fuund tlieir 
way to France by the mouth of the Fatlier 
of Waters. In anotlier letter, dated No- 
vember 7, 1750, this same priest says: 
"For fifteen leagues above the mouth of 
the Mississippi one sees no dwellings, the 
ground being too low to be habitable. 
Thence to New Orleans, tlie lands are only 
partially occupied. New Orleans contains 
black, white and red, not more, I think, 
than twelve hundred persons. To this 
point come all lumber, bricks, salt-beef, 
tallow, tar, skins and bear's grease ; and 
above all, pork and flour from the Illinois. 
These things create some commerce, as 
forty vessels and more have come hither 
this year. Above New Orleans, plantations 
are again met with ; the most considerable 
is a colony of Germans, some ten leagues 
up the river. At Point Coupee, thirty-five 
leagues above the German settlement, is a 
fort. Along here, within five or six leagues, 
are not less than sixty habitations. Fifty 
leagues farther up is the Natchez post, 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



where we have a garrison, wlio are kept 
prisoners through fear of tlie Chicasaws. 
Here and at point Coupee, tliey raise excel- 
lent tobacco. Anotlier hundred leagues 
brings us to tlie Arkansas, where we have 
also a fort and a garrison for the benefit of 
the river traders. * * * From the Ar- 
kansas to the Illinois, nearly five hundred 
leagues, there is not a settlement. There 
should be, however, a fort at the Oiibache 
(Ohio), the only path by which the English 
can reach the Mississippi. In the Illinois 
country are numberless mines, but no one 
to work them as they deserve." Father 
Marest, writing from tlie post at Yincennes, 
in 1812, makes the same observation. Vi- 
vier also says: " Some individuals dig 
lead near the surface and supply the Ind- 
ians and Canada. Two Spaniards now here, 
who claim to be adepts, say that our mines 
are like those of Mexico, and that if we 
would dig deeper, we should find silver un- 
der the lead ; and at any rate the lead is 
excellent. There is also in this countrj', 
beyond doubt, copper ore, as from time to 
time large pieces are found in the streams." 
At the close of the year 1750, the French 
occupied, in addition to the lower Missis- 
sippi posts and those in Illinois, one at 
Du Quesne, one at the Maumee in the 
country of the iliamis, and one at Sandus- 
k}-, in what may be termed tlie Ohio Val- 
ley. In the nortliern part of the North- 
west they had stations at St. Joseph's on 
the St. Joseph's of Lake Michigan, at Fort 
Ponchartrain (Detroit), at Michiilimack- 
anac or Massillimacanac, Fox River of 
Green Bay, and at Sault Ste. Marie. The 
fondest dreams of La Salle were now fully 
realized. The French alone were possess- 
ors of this vast realm, liasing tjicir claim 



on discovery and settlement. Another na- 
tion, however, was now turning its atten- 
tion to this extensive country, and hearing 
of its wealth, began to lay plans for oc- 
cu]iying it and tor securing the great 
profits arising therefrom. 

The French, liowever, had another claim 
to this country, namely, the 

DISCOVERY OF TOE OUIO. 

This " Eeautiful " river was discovered 
by Robert Cavalier de La Salle in 1609, four 
years before the discovery of the Missis- 
sippi by Joliet and Marquette. 

While La Salle was at his trading post 
on the St. Lawrence, he found leisure to 
study nine Indian dialects, the chief of 
which was the Iroquois. lie not only de- 
sired to facilitate liis intercourse in trade, 
but he longed to travel and explore the un- 
known regions of the West. An incident 
soon occurred which decided him to tit out 
an exploring expedition. 

While conversing with some Senecas, he 
learned of a river called the Ohio, wliicli 
rose in their country and flowed to the sea, 
but at such a distance that it required 
eight months to reach its mouth. In this 
statement the Mississippi and its tributa- 
ries were considered as one stream. La 
Salle, believing, as tnost of the French at 
that period did, that the great rivers flow- 
ing west emptied into the Sea of Califor- 
nia, was anxious to embark in the enter- 
prise of discovering a route across the con- 
tinent to the commerce of China and 
Japan. 

He repaired at once to Quebec to obtain 
the approval of the Governor. Ilis elo- 
quent appeal prevailed. The Governor 
and the Intcndant, Talon, issued letters 



10 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



patent authorizin<^ the enterprise, but made 
no provision to defray tlie expenses. At 
this juncture the seminary of St. Sulpice 
decided to send out missionaries in connec- 
tion with tlie expedition, and La Salle offer- 
ing to sell his improvements at La Chine to 
raise money, the offer was accepted by tlie 
Superior, and two thousand eight luindred 
dollars were raised, with which La Salle 
purchased four canoes and the necessary 
supplies for the outfit. 

On the 6th of July, 16G0, the party, num- 
bering twenty-four persons, embarked in 
seven canoes on the St. Lawrence; two ad- 
ditional canoes carried the Lidian guides. 
In three days they were gliding over the 
bosom of Lake Ontario. Their guides con- 
ducted them directly to the Seneca village 
on tlie bank of the Genesee, in the vicinity 
of the present City of Kochester, Kew 
York. Here they expected to procure 
guides to conduct them to the Ohio, but in 
this they were disappointed. 

The Indians seemed unfriendly to the 
enterprise. La Salle suspected that the 
Jesuits had prejudiced their minds 
against his plans. After waiting a month 
in the hope of gaining their object, thev 
met an Indian from the Iroquois colony at 
the head of Lake Ontario, who assured 
them that they could there find guides, and 
oft'ei'ed to conduct them thence. 

On their way they passed the mouth of 
the Niagara River, when they heard for the 
lii'st time the distant thunder of the cata- 
ract. Arriving among the Iroquois, they 
met with a friendly reception, and learned 
from a Sliawanee prisoner that they could 
reach the Ohio in six weeks. Delio-hted 
with the unexpected good fortune, they 
iiuule ready to resume their journey; but 



just as they were about to start they heard 
of the arrival of two Frenclimen in a neigh- 
boring village. One of them proved to be 
Louis Joliet, afterward famous as an ex- 
plorer in the West. He had been sent by 
the Canadian Government to explore the 
copper mines on Lake Superior, but had 
failed, and was on his way back to Quebec. 
He gave the missionaries a map of the 
country he had explored in the lake region, 
together with an account of the condition 
of tlie Indians in that quarter. This in- 
duced the priests to determine on leaving 
the expedition and going to Lake Superior. 
La Salle warned them tliat the Jesuits were 
probably occu]iying that field, and that 
they would meet with a cold reception. 
Nevertheless they pei'sisted in their pur- 
pose, and after worship on the lake shore 
parted from La Salle. On arriving at Lake 
Superior, they found, as La Salle had pre- 
dicted, the Jesuit Fatliers, Marquette and 
Dablon, occupying'the field. 

These zealous disciples of Loyola in- 
formed them that they wanted no assistance 
from St. Sulpice, nor from those who made 
him their patron saint; and thus repulsed, 
they returned to Montreal the following 
June without liaving made a single discov- 
ery or converted a single Indian. 

After parting with the priests, La Salle 
went to the chief Iroquois village at Onon- 
daga, where he obtained guides, and passing 
thence to a tributary of the Ohio south of 
Lake Erie, he descended the latter as far as 
the falls at Louisville. Thus was the Ohio 
discovered by La Salle, the persevering and 
successful French explorer of the "West, in 
1669. 

The account of the latter part of his 
journey is found in an anonymous paper, 



Tin: NORTHWEST TEKRITORY. 



II 



wliich ]Mir]iorts toliave been taken from tlie 
lips of La Salle liiinself during a subsequent 
visit to Paris. In a letter written to Count 
Frontenac in 1007, shortly after tlic discov- 
ery, he himself says that he discovered tiio 
Ohio and descended it to the falls. This 
was regarded as an indisputable fact by the 
French authorities, who claimed the Ohio 
Valley upon another ground. "When Wash- 
ington was sent by the colony of Virginia 
in 1753, to demand of Gordeur de St. Pierre 
why the French had built a fort on the Mo- 
nongahela, the haughty commandant at 
Quebec replied: " AVe claim the country on 
the Ohio by vii-tue of the discoveries of 
La Salle, and will not give it up to the Eng- 
lish. Our orders are to make prisoners of 
ever}' Englishman found trading in the 
Ohio Valley." 

ENGLISH EXrLOR.VTIOXS AXD SETTI,EMENTS. 

When the new year of 1750 broke in up- 
on the Father of Watei-s and the Great 
Northwest, all was still wild save at the 
French posts already described. In 1740, 
when the English first began to think seri- 
ously about sending men into the West, 
the greater portion of the States of Indi- 
ana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, 
and Minnesota were yet under the domin- 
ion of the red men. The English knew, 
however, pretty conclusively of the nature 
of the wealth of these wilds. As early as 
1710, Governor Spotswood, of Virginia, 
had commenced movements to secure the 
country west of the Alleglianies to the 
English crown. -In Pennsylvania, Gover- 
nor Keith and James Logan, secretary of 
the province, from 1719 to 1731, represent- 
ed to the powers of England the necessity 
of sccurini:: the Western lauds. Nothinfj 



was done, however, by that power save to 
take some diplomatic steps to secure the 
claims of Britain to this unexplored wilder- 
ness. 

Euglaiid had from the outset claimed 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, on the 
ground that the discovery of the seacoast 
and its possession was a discovery and pos- 
session of the country, and, as is well known, 
her grants to the colonies extended "from 
sea to sea." This was not all her claim. 
She had purchased from the Indian tribes 
large tracts of land. This latter was also a 
strong argument. As early as 108-1, Lord 
Howard, Governor of Virginia, held a trea- 
ty with the six nations. These were the 
great oS^orthern Confederacy, and comprised 
at first the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, 
Cayugas, and Senecas. Afterward the Tus- 
caroras were taken into the coufederacj', 
and it became known as the Six Xatioxs. 
They came under the protection of the 
mother countrj', and again in 1701, they 
repeated the agreement, and in September, 
1726, a formal deed was drawn up and 
signed by the chiefs. The validity of this 
claim has often been disputed, but never 
successfully. In 1744, a purchase was made 
at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, of certain lands 
within the "Colony of Virginia," for which 
the Indians received £200 in gold and a 
like sum in goods, with a promise that, as 
settlements increased, more should be paid. 
The Commissioners from Virginia were 
Colonel Thomas Lee and Colonel William 
Beverle3% As settlements extended, the 
promise of more pay was called to mind, 
and Mr. Conrad Weiscrwas sent across the 
mountains with pi'csents to appease the 
savages. Col. Lee, and some Virginians 
accompanied him with the intention of 



J2 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



sounding tlie Indians upon their feelings 
regarding the English. They were not 
satisfied with their treatment, and plainly 
told the Coniniissioners why. Tlie English 
did not desire the cultivation of the country, 
hut the monopoly of the Indian trade. In 
ITJrS, the Oiiio Company was formed,- and 
petitioned the king for a grant of land 
heyond the Alleghenies. Tiiis was granted, 
and the government of Virginia was or- 
dered to grant to them a half million acres, 
two hundred thousand of which were to be 
located at once. Upon the 12th of June, 
1749, 800,000 acres from the line of Canada 
north and west was made to the Loyal 
Company, and on the 29th of October, 

1751, 100,000 acres were given to the 
Greenbriar Compan}'. All this time the 
French were not idle. Tliey saw that, 
should the British gain a foothold in the 
West, especially upon the Ohio, they 
miglit not only prevent the French set- 
tliui; upon it, but in time would come to 
tiie lower posts and so gain possession of 
the whole country. Upon the 10th of May, 
1774, Yaudreuil, Governor of Canada and 
the French possessions, well knowing the 
consequences that must arise from allow- 
ing the English to build trading posts in 
the Northwest, seized some of their frontier 
posts, and to further secure the claim of the 
French to the West, he, in 1749, sent Louis 
Celeron with a party of soldiers to plant 
along- the Ohio Kiver, in the mounds and 
at the mouths of its principal tributaries, 
plates of lead, on which were inscriijed the 
claims of France. These were heard of in 

1752, and within the memorj'- of residents 
now living along the "Oyo," as the beauti- 
ful river was called by the French. One 
of these jilates was found with tlic inscrip- 



tion partly defaced. It bears date August 
16, 1749, and a copyot the inscription with 
jiarticular account of the discovery of tiie 
plate, was sent by DeWitt Clinton to the 
American Anticjuariau Society, among 
whose journals it may now be found.* 
These measures did not, however, deter the 
English from going on with their explora- 
tions, and though neither party resorted to 
arms, yet the conflict was gathering, and it 
was only a question of time when the storm 
would burst upon the frontier settlements. 
In 1750, Christopher Gist was sent by the 
Ohio Company to examine its lands. He 
went to a village of the Twigtwees, on the 
Miami, about one hundred and flfty miles 
above its mouth. He afterward spoke of it 
as very populous. From there he went 
down the Ohio Kiver nearly to the falls at 
the present City of Louisville, and in 
November he commenced a survey of the 
company's lands. During the winter. 
General Andrew Lewis performed a similar 
work for the Greenbriar Company. Mean- 
while the French were busy in preparing 
their forts for defense, and in opening 
roads, and also sent a small party of soldiers 
to keep the Ohio clear. This party, having 
heard of the English post on the Miami 

* The following is a translation of the inscription on 
the plate: " In the year 1749, reign of Louis XV., 
King of France, we, Celeron, commandant of a de- 
tachment by Monsieur the Marquis of Gallisoniere, 
commander-in-chief of New France, to establish tran- 
quility in certain Indian villages of these cantons, 
have buried this plate at the confluence of the 
Toradakoin, this twenty-ninth of .Tuly, near the river 
Ohio, otherwise Beautiful Kiver, as a monument of 
renewal of possession which we have taken of the 
said river, and all its tributaries; inasmuch as the 
preceding Kings of France have enjoyed it, an^t 
maintained it by their arms and treaties; esp cially 
by those of Ryswick, Utrecht, and .Aix La Chapelle." 



Tin: NORTHWEST TEKRITOUY. 



]:5 



Iliver, early in 1652, assisted by tlie 
Ottawas and Cliijipowas, attacked it, and, 
after a severe battle, in which fourteen of 
the natives were killed and others wounded, 
captured the garrison. (They were piob- 
ably garrisoned in a blociv house). The 
traders were carried away to Canada, and 
cue account says several were burned. Tiiis 
fort or post was called by the English 
Pickawillany. A nieinorial of the king's 
ministers refers to it as " Pickawillanes, in 
the center of the territory between the Ohio 
and the Wabash. The name is probably 
some variation of Pickaway or Picqua, in 
1773, written by Rev. David Jones, Pick- 
avveke." 

Tliiswas the first blood shed between the 
French and English, and occurred near the 
present City of Piqua, Ohio, or at least at 
a point about forty-seven miles north of 
Dayton. Each nation became now more 
interested in the progress of events in the 
Northwest. The English determined to 
purchase from the Indians a title to the 
lands they wished to occupy, and Messrs. 
Ery (afterward C-ommander-in-chief over 
Washington at the commencemsnt of the 
French War of 1775-1763), Lomax and 
Patton were sent in the spring of 1752 to 
hold a conference with the natives at Logs- 
town to learn what they objected to in the 
treaty of Lancaster already noticed and to 
settle all ditRculties. On the 9th of June, 
these Commissioners met the red men at 
Logstown, a little village on the north 
bank of the Ohio, about seventeen miles 
below the site of Pittsburgh. Here had 
been a trading point for many ^-ears, but it 
was abatuloned by the Indians in 1750. At 
first the Indians declined to recognize the 
treaty of Lancaster, but, the Commission- 



ers taking aside Montour, tlie interpreter, 
who was a son of the famous Catharine Mon- 
tour, and a chief among the Six Nations, 
induced him to use his influence in their 
favor. This he did, and upon the 13th of 
June they all united in signing a deed, con- 
firming the Lancaster treaty in its full ex- 
tent, consenting to asettlement of the south, 
east of the Ohio, and guaranteeing that it 
should not be disturbed by them. These 
were the means used to obtain the first 
treaty with the Indians in the Ohio Valley. 

Meanwhile the powei's be^'ond the sea 
were trying to out-maneuver each other, 
and were professing to be at peace. The 
English generally outwitted the Indians, 
and tailed in many instances to fulfill their 
contracts. They thereby gained the ill- 
will of the red men, and further increased 
the feeling by failing to provide them with 
arms and ammunition. Said an old chief, 
at Easton, in 175S: "The Indians on the 
Ohio left; you because of your own fault. 
When we heard the French were coming, 
we asked you for help and arms, but we did 
not get them. The French came, they 
treated us kindly, and gained our affections. 
The Govei-nor of Virginia settled on our 
lands for his own benefit, and, when we 
wanted help, forsook us." 

At the beginning of 1653, the English 
thought they had secured by title the lands 
in the West, but the French had (niietly 
gathered cannon and military stores to be 
in readiness for the expected blow. The 
English made other attempts to ratify these 
existing treaties, but not until the s immer 
could the Indians be gathered together to 
discuss the plans of the French. They had 
sent messages to the French, warning them 
away; but thoy replied that they intended 



14 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



to complete the chain of forts already be- 
gan, and wonld not abandon the field. 

Soon after this, no satisfaction being ob- 
tained from the Ohio regarding the posi- 
tions and purposes of the French, Governor 
Dinwiddle of Virginia determined to send 
to them another messenger and learn from 
them, if possible, their intentions. For 
this purpose he selected a vonng man, a 
surveyor, who, at the early age of nineteen, 
had received the rank of major, and who 
was thoroughly posted regarding frontier 
life. This personage was no other than the 
illustrious George Washington, who then 
held considerable interest in Western lands. 
He was at this time just twenty-two years 
of age. Taking Gist as his guide, the two, 
accompanied by four servitors, set out on 
their perilous march. They left "Will's 
Creek on the 10th of Xovember, 1753, and 
on the 22d reached the Monongahela, about 
ten miles above the fork. From there they 
went to Logstown, where Washinston had 
a long conference with the chiefs of the Six 
Xations. From them he learned the eo!i- 
dition of the French, and also heard of 
their determination not to come down the 
river till the following spring. The Indi- 
ans were non-committal, as they were afraid 
to turn either way, and, as far as they 
could, desired to remain neutral. Wash- 
ington, finding nothing could be done 
with them, went on to Yenango, an old 
Indian town at the mouth of French Creek. 
Here the French had a fort, called Fort 
Machault. Through the rum and flattery 
of the French, he nearly lost all his Indian 
followers. Finding nothing of importance 
here, he pursued his way amid great priva- 
tions, and on the 11th of December reached 
the fort at the head of French Creek. Here 



he delivered Governor Dinwiddle's letter, 
received his answer, took his observations, 
and on the 16th set out upon his return 
journey with no one but Gist, his guide, 
and a few Indians who still remained true 
to him, notwithstanding the endeavors of 
the French to retain them. Their home- 
ward journey was one of great peril and 
suflering from the cold, yet they reached 
home in safety on the 6th of January, 

1751:. 

From the letter of St. Pierre, commander 
of the French fort, sent by Washington to 
Governor Dinwiddle, it was learned that 
the French would not give np without a 
struggle. Active preparations were at 
once made in all the English colonies for 
the coming conflict, while the French fin- 
ished the fort at Venango and strengthened 
their lines of fortifications, and gathered 
their forces to be in readiness. 

The Old Dominion was all alive. Vir- 
ginia was the center of great activitiei; vo - 
nnteers were called for, and from all the 
neighboring colonies men rallied to the 
conflict, and everywhere along t'.ie Potomac 
men were enlisting under the governors 
proclamation — which promised two hun- 
dred thousand acres on the Ohio. Along 
this river they were g-athering as far as 
Will's Creek, and far beyond this point, 
whither Trent had come for assistance for 
his little band of forty-one men, who were 
working away in hunger and want, to for- 
tify that point at the fork of the Ohio, to 
which both parties were looking with deep 
interest. 

"The first birds of spring filled the air 
with their song; the swift river rolled by 
the Allegheny hillsides, swollen by the 
melting snows of spring and the April 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



]5 



showers. Tlie leaves were appearirii^: a 
few Indian sconts were seen, but no enemy 
seemed near at hand; and all was so qnict, 
that Frazier, an old Indian scontand trader, 
who had been left b}' Trent in command, 
ventured to his home at the month of 
Turtle Creek, ten miles u[) theMonongahela. 
But, though all was so quiet in that wilder- 
ness, keen eyes had seen the low intrench- 
me it rising at the fork, and swift feet had 
borne the news of it up the river; and upon 
the morning of the 17th of April, Ensign 
Ward, who then had charge of it, saw upon 
the Allegheny a sight that made his heart 
sink — sixty batteaux and three hundred 
canoes filled with men, and laden deep with 
cannon and stores. * * * Tliat evening 
lie supped with his captor, Oontreccenr, and 
the next da}' he was bowed off by the 
Frenchman, and with his men and tools, 
marched up the Monongahela.'' 

The French and Indian war had begun. 
The treaty of Aix la Chapelle, in 174rS, had 
left the boundaries between the French and 
English possessions unsettled, and the 
events already narrated show the French 
were determined to hold the country wa- 
tered by the Mississippi and its triinitaries; 
while the English laid claims to the country 
by virtue of the discoveries of the Cabots, 
and claimed all the country from New- 
foundland to Florida, extending from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific. The first decisive 
blow had now been struck, and the first 
attempt of the English, through the Ohio 
Company, to occnpy these lands, had re- 
sulted disastrously to them. The Frencii 
and Indians immediately completed the 
fortifications begun at the Fork, which tliey 
bad so easily captured, and when completed 
gave to the fort the name of Du Quesne. 



"Washington was at "Will's Greek when the 
news of the cajitureofthe fort arrived. He 
at once departed to recapture it. On his 
way heentrenched iiiuiselfat a place called 
the " Meadows," where he erected a fort 
called bv him Fort Necessity. From there 
he surprised and captured a force of French 
and Indians marching against him, but was 
soon after attacked in his fort by a much 
superior force, and was obliged to yield on 
the morningof July -ith. He was allowed 
to return to Virginia. 

The English Government immediately 
jilanned four campaigns; one against Fort 
i)u Quesne; one against Nova Scotia; one 
a<?aiiist Fort Niairara, and one against 
Grown Point. These occurred during 
1755-6, and were not successful in driving 
the French from their possessions. The 
expedition against Fort Du Quesne was led 
by the famous General Braddock, who, re- 
fusing to listen to the advice of Washington 
and those acquainted with Indian warfare, 
suffered such an inglorious defeat. This 
occurred on the morning of July 9th, and 
is senerallv known as the battle of Monoii- 
gahela, or " Braddock's Defeat." The war 
continued with various vicissitudes through 
the years 1750-7; when, at the conimence- 
of 1758 in accordance with the plans of 
"William Pitt, then Secretary of State, 
afterward Lord Ghatham, active prepara- 
tions were made to carry on the war. 
Three expeditions were planned for this 
year: one, under General Amherst, against 
Louisburg; another, under Abercrombie, 
against Fort Ticonderoga; and a third, un- 
der General Forbes, against Fort Du 
Quesne. On the 26th of July, Louisburg 
surrendered after a desperate resistance of 
more than fortv days, and the eastern part 



IG 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITOKY. 



of the Canadian ])osscssions fell into the 
hands of tlie British. Abercrombie cap- 
tured Fort Frontcnac, and when the ex- 
pedition against Fort Du Quesne, of which 
Washington had tlie active command, ar- 
rived tliere, it was found in flames and de- 
serted. The English at once took posses- 
sion, rebuilt the fort, and in iionor of tlieir 
illustrious statesman, changed the name to 
Fort Pitt. 

Tlie great object of the campaign of 
1759, was the reduction of Canada. Gen- 
eral Wolfe was to lay siege to Quebec; Am- 
herst was to reduce Ticonderoga and Crown 
Point, and General Prideaux was to cap- 
ture Niagara. This latter place was taken 
in July, but the gallant Prideaux lost his 
life in the attempt. Amherst captured 
Ticonderoga and Crown Point without a 
blow; and Wolfe, after making the memor- 
able ascent to the plains of Abraham, on 
September IStli, defeated Montcalm, and 
on the IStb, the city capitulated. In this 
engagement Montcalm and Wolfe both 
lost their lives. De Levi, Montcalm's suc- 
cessor, marched to Sillery, three miles 
above the city, with the purpose of defeat- 
ing the English, and there, on the 2Sth of 
the following April, was fought one of the 
bloodiest battles of the French and Indian 
war. It i-esulted in the defeat of the 
French, and the fall of the city of Montreal. 
Tiie Governor signed a capitulation, by 
which the whole of Canada was surrendered 
to the English. This practically conclu- 
ded the wai-, but it was not until 1763 that 
the treaties of peace between France and 
England were signed. This was done on 
the 10th of February of that year, and un- 
der its jirovisions all the country east of 
the Mississippi and north of the Ibcr^-ille 



river, iu Louisiana, were ceded to England. 
At the same time Spain ceded Florida to 
Great Britain. 

On the loth of September, 17G0, Major 
Eobert Rogers was sent from Montreal to 
take cliarge of Detroit, the only remaining 
French post in the territory. He arrived 
thereon the 19th of November, and sum- 
moned the place to surrender. At first the 
commander of the post, Beletre, refused, 
but on the 29tli, hearing of the continued 
defeat of the French arms, surrendered. 
Eogers remained tliere until December 23d, 
under the personal protection of the cele- 
brated chief, Pontiac, to whom, no doubt, 
he owed his safety. Pontiac had come here 
to inquire the purposes of the English in 
taking possession of the country. He was 
assured that the^' came simply to trade 
with the natives, and did not desire their 
country. This answer conciliated the sav- 
ages, and did much to insure the safety of 
Rogers and his party during their stay, 
and while on their journey home. 

Rogers set out for Fort Pitt on Decem- 
ber 23d, and was just one month on the 
way. His route was from Detroit to Mau- 
mee, thence across the present State of 
Ohio directly to the fort. This was the 
common trail of the Indians in their jour- 
neys from Sandusk}' to the Fork of the 
Ohio. It went from Fort Sandusky, where 
Sandusky city now is, crossed the Huron 
river, then called Bald Eagle Creek, to "Mo- 
hickon Jolin's Town" Creek, on Mohikon 
Creek, the northern branch of White 
Woman's river, and theii crossed to Bea- 
ver's town, a Delaware town on what is 
now Sandy Creek. At Beaver's town were 
probably one hundred and flfty warriors, 
and not less than three thousand acres of 



THE NORTH\V£.ST TKlUilTfHJY. 



17 



cleared land. From there the track went 
lip S;ini]\- Creek to and across Big Beaver, 
and lip the Ohio toLogstown, thence on to 
tlie fork. 

The Xortliwest Territory was now en- 
tirely niider the English rule. New settle- 
ments began to be rapidly made, and the 
))iomise of a lar<re trade was speedily mani- 
jested. Had the British carried out their 
jiroinises with the natives, none of those 
savage bntcheries would have been perpe- 
trated, and tlie country would have been 
spared their recital. 

The renowned chief, Pontiac, was one of 
the leading spirits in these atrocities. We 
will now pause in our narrative, and notice 
tlie leading events in his life. The earliest 
autlientic information regarding this noted 
Indian chief, is learned from an account of 
an Indian trader named Alexander Henry, 
who, in the spring of 1761, penetrated his 
domains as far as Missillimacnac. Ponti- 
ac was then a great friend of the French, 
but a bitter foe of the English, whom he 
considered as encroaching on his hunting 
grounds. Henry was o!)liged to disguise 
himself as a Canadian to insure safetA", but 
was discovered by Pontiac, who bitterly 
reproached him, and the Enrjlish for their 
attempted subjugation of the "West. He 
declared that no treaty had been made 
with them; no presents sent them, and 
that he would resent any possession of the 
"West by that nation. He was at the time 
nbout tifty years of age, tall and dignified, 
and was civil and military ruler of the Ot- 
tawas, Ojibwas and Pottawatomies. 

The Indians, from Lake Michigan to the 
liorders of Xorth Carolina, were united in 
this feeling, and at the time of the treaty 
of Paris, ratified February 10, 17G3, a gen- 



eral conspiracy was formed to fall suddenly 
upon the frontier British posts, and with 
one blow strike every man dead. Pontiac 
was the marked leader in all this, and was 
the commander of the Chippewas, Otta 
was, Wyandots, Mianiis, Shawanese, Dela- 
wares and Mingoes, who had, for the time, 
laid aside their local quarrels to unite in 
this enterprise. 

The blow came, as near as can be ascer- 
tained, on May 7, 1763. Xine British 
posts fell, and the Indians drank, "scooped 
up in the hollow of joined hands," the 
blood of many a Briton. 

Pontiac's immediate field of action, was 
the gaiTison at Detroit. Here, however. 
the plans were frustrated by an Indian 
woman disclosing the plot the evening pre- 
vious to his arrival. Everything was car- 
ried out, however, according to Poutiac"s 
plans until the moment of action, when 
Major Gladw^-n, the commander of the 
post, stepping to one of the Indian chiefs, 
suddenly drew aside his blanket and dis- 
closed the concealed musket. Pontiac 
though a brave man, turned pale and 
trembled. He saw his plan was known 
and that the garrison were prepared. He 
endeavored to exculpate himself from any 
such intentions; but the guilt was evident, 
and he and his followers were dismissed 
with a severe reprimand, and warned never 
to again enter the walls of the post. 

Pontiac at once laid siege to the fort, 
and until the treat}' of peace between the 
British and the Weston Indians, conclud- 
ed in August, 1764, continued to harass 
and besiege the fortress. He organized a 
regular commissariat department, issued 
bills of credit written out on bark, which to 
his credit, it may be stated, were punctu- 



IS 



THE NORTHWEST TEUniTORV. 



ally redeemed. At the conclusion of the 
treaty, in which it seems he took no part, 
he went farther south, living many years 
amonn; the Illinois. 

He iiad given up all hope of saving his 
country and race. After a time he endeav- 
ored to unite the Illinois tribe and those 
about St. Louis in a war with the whites. 
His eflbrts were fruitless, and only ended 
in a quarrel between himself and some 
Kaskaskia Indians, one of whom soon after- 
ward killed him. Plis death was, liowever, 
avenged by the northern Indians, who 
nearly exterminated the Illinois in the 
wars Mdiich followed. 

Had it not been for the treachery' of a 
few of his followers, his phxn for the ex- 
termination of the whites, a masterly 
one, would undoubtedly have been carried 

out. 

It was in the spring of the year follow- 
ing Rogers' visit that Alexander Henry 
went to Missilliraacnac, and everywhere 
found the strongest feelings against the 
English who had not carried out their 
promises, and were doing nothing to con- 
ciliate the natives. Here he met the chief, 
Pontiac, who after conveying to him in a 
speech the idea that their French father 
would awake soon and utterly destroj' his 
enemies, said: "Englishman, although 
you have conquered the French, you have 
not yet conquered us ! We are not your 
slaves! These lakes, these woods, these 
mountains, were left us by our ancestors. 
They are our inheritance, and we will part 
with them to none. Your nation supposes 
that we, like the white people, can not live 
without bread and pork and beef. But yon 
ought to know that He, the Great Spirit and 
Master of Life, has pro\ided food for us 



upon these broad lakes and in these moun- 
tains." 

He then spoke of the fact that no 
treaty had been made with them, no 
presents sent them, and that he and his 
people were yet for war. Such were 
the feelings of the jSTorthwestern Indians 
immediately after the English took posses- 
sion of their country. Tliese feelings were 
no doubt encouraged by the Canadians and 
French, who hoped that yet the Frcncli 
arms might prevail. The treaty of Paris, 
however, gave to the English the right to 
this vast domain, aud active preparations 
were going on to occupy it and enjoy its 
trade and emoluments. 

In 1762, France, by a secret treaty, ceded 
Louisiana to Spain, to prevent it falling 
into the hands of the English, who were 
becoming masters of the entire West. The 
next year the treaty of Paris, signed at 
Fontainbleau, gave to the English the do- 
main of the country in question. Twenty 
years after, by the treaty of peace between 
the United States and England, that part 
of Canada lying south and west of the 
Great Lakes, comprehending a large terri- 
tory which is the subject of these sketches, 
was acknowledged to be a portion of the 
LTnited States; and twenty years still later, 
in 1803, Louisiana was ceded by Spain 
back to France, and by France sold to the 
United States. 

In the half century, from the building 
of the Fort of CrevecoBur by La Salle, in 
1680, up to the erection of Fort Chatres, 
many French settlements had been made in 
that quarter. These have already been 
noticed, being those at St. Vincent (Vin- 
cennes), Kohokia or Cahokia, Kaskaskia 
and Prairie du Pocher, on the American 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



I'J 



Bottom, a large tract of ricli alluvial soil 
in Illinois, on the Mississippi, opposite the 
site ot" St. Louis. 

By the treaty of Paris, the regions east 
of the Mississippi, including all these and 
other towns of the Northwest, were given 
over to England, but they do not appear to 
liave been taken possession of until 17(35, 
when Captain Stirling, in the name of the 
Majesty of England, established himself at 
Fort Chartres bearing with him the procla- 
mation of General Gnge, dated December 
30, 1764, which promised religious freedom 
to all Catholics who worshipped here, and 
a right to leave the country with their 
effects if they wished, or to remain with 
the pri\-ileges of Englishmen. It was 
shortly after the occupancy of the AVest by 
the British that the war with Pontiac 
opened. It is already noticed in the sketch 
of that chieftain. By it many a Briton lost 
his life, and many a frontier settlement in 
its infancy ceased to exist. This was not 
ended until the j-ear 1704, when, failing to 
capture Detroit, JSiagara and Fort Pitt, 
his confederacy became disheartened, and, 
receiving no aid from the French, Pontiac 
abandoned the enterprise and departed to 
the Illinois, among whom he afterward 
lost his life. 

As soon as these difficulties were defi- 
nitely settled, settlers began rapidly to sur- 
vey the country, and prepare for occupa- 
tion. During the year 1770, a number of 
persons from Virginia and other British 
jirovinces exph)red and marked out nearlv 
all the vai liable lands on the Monongahela 
and along the banks of the Ohio, as far as 
the Little Kanawha. This was followed by 
another exploring expedition, in which 
(.jeorge Washington was a party. The 



latter, accompanied by Dr. (!raik, Capt. 
Crawford and others, on the 20th of Octo- 
ber, 1770, descended the Ohio from Pitts- 
burgh to the mouth of the Kanawha ; as- 
cended that stream about fourteen miles, 
marked out several large tracts of land, 
shot several buffalo, which were then abun- 
dant in the Ohio valley, and returned to 
the fort. 

Pittsburgh was at this time a trading 
post, about which was clustered a village 
of some twenty houses, inhabited by In- 
dian traders. This same year, Capt. Pitt- 
man visited Kaskaskia and its neighbor- 
ing villages. He found there about sixty- 
five resident families, and at Cahokia only 
forty-live dwellings. At Fort Chartres was 
another small settlement, and at Detroit 
the garrison were quite ])rosperou3 and 
strong. For a year or two settlers con- 
tinued to locate near some of these posts, 
generally Fort Pitt or Detroit, owing to 
the fears of the Indians, who still main- 
tained some feelings of hatred to the Eng- 
lish. The trade from the posts was quite 
good, and from those in Illinois large quan- 
tities of pork and flour found their way to 
the New Orleans market. At this time 
the policy of the British Government was 
strongly opposed to the extension of the 
colonies west. In 1763, the King of Eng- 
land forbade, by roval proclamation, his 
colonial subjects from making a settle- 
ment beyond the sources of the rivers 
which fall into the Atlantic Ocean. At the 
instance of the Board of Trade, measures 
were taken to prevent the settiemetit with- 
out the limits prescribeti, and to retain the 
commerce within easy reach of Great 
Britain. 

The commander-in-chief of the kinir's 



THE NOIiTUUKST TEIUUTOltY. 



forces wrote in 17(30 : " In the course of a 
few years necessity will compel the colo- 
nists, should they extend their settlements 
west, to provide manufactures of some kind 
for themselves, and when all connection 
upheld by commerce with the mother coun- 
try ceases, an independency in their gov- 
ernment will soon follow." 

In accordance with this policy, Gov. 
Ga^e issued a proclamation in 1772, com- 
manding the inhabitants of Vincennes to 
abandon their settlements and join some 
of the Eastern English colonies. To this 
they strenuously objected, giving good 
reasons therefor, and were allowed to re- 
main. The strong opposition to this pol- 
icy of Great Britain led to its change, and 
to such a course us to gain the attachment 
of the French population. In December, 
1773, influential citizens of Quebec peti- 
tioned the king for an extension of the 
boundary lines of that province, which was 
granted, and Parliament passed an act on 
June 2, 1774-, extending the boundary so 
as to include the territory lying within the 
present states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois 
and Michigan. 

In consequence of the liberal policy pur- 
sued by the British Government toward 
the French settlers in the West, they were 
disposed to favor that nation in the war 
which soon followed with the colonies; but 
the early alliance between France and 
America soon brought them to the side of 
the war for independence. 

In 177J:, Gov. Duninore, of Virginia, 
began to encourage emigration to the 
Western lands. He appointed magistrates 
at Fort Pitt, under the pretense that the 
fort was under the government of that 
commonwealth. One of these justices, 



John Connelly, who possessed a tract of 
land in the Ohio Valley, gathered a force 
of men and garrisoned the fort, calling it 
Fort Dunmore. Tliis and other parties 
were formed to select sites for settlements, 
and often came in conflict with the Indians, 
who yet claimed portions of the valley, and 
several battles followed. These ended in 
the famous battle of Kanawha, in July, 
where the Indians were defeated and driv- 
en across the Ohio. 

During the years 1775 and 1776, by the 
operations of land companies and the psr- 
severance of individuals, several settle- 
ments were firmly established between the 
Alleghenies and the Ohio River, and west- 
ern land speculators were busy in Illinois 
and on the Wabash. At a council held in 
Kaskaskia, on July 5, 1773, an association 
of English traders, calling tliemselves the 
" Illinois Land Company," obtained fi'om 
ten chiefs of tlie Kaskaskia, Cahokia and 
Peoria tribes two large tracts of land lying 
on the east side of the Mississippi River 
south of the Illinois. In 1775, a merchant 
from the Illinois countrv, named Viviat, 
came to Post Vincennes as the agent of the 
association called the " Wabash Land Com- 
pany." On the 8th of October he obtained 
from eleven Piankeshaw chiefs, a deed for 
37,497,600 acres of land. This deed was 
signed by the grantors, attested by a num- 
ber of the inhabitants of Vincennes, and 
afterward recorded in the office of a notary 
public at Kaskaskia. This and other land 
companies had extensive schemes for the 
colonization of the West; but all were frus- 
trated by the breaking out of the Revolu- 
tion. On the 20th of April, 17S0, the two 
companies named consolidated under the 
name of the " United Illinois and Wabash 



THE XOUTHWEST TERRITORY. 



21 



Land (,'ompany." The}- afterward made 
strenuous efforts to have tliese grants sanc- 
tioned by Congress, but all signally failed. 

When the War of the Kevoliifion com- 
menced, Kentucky was an unorganized 
country, though there were several settle- 
ments withiti her borders. 

In Ilutchins' Topography of Virginia, 
it is stated that at that time "Kaskaskia 
contained 80 houses, and nearly 1,000 
white and black inhabitants — the whites 
being a little the more numerous. Caho- 
kia contains 50 houses and 300 white in- 
liabitants and SO negroes. There were 
cast of the ]\Iississi]>pi IJiver, about the 
year 1771 " — when these observations were 
made — "300 white men capable of bearing 
arms, and 230 negroes." 

From 1775 until the expedition of Clark, 
nothing is recorded and nothing known of 
these settlements, save what is contained 
in a report made by a committee to Con- 
gress in June, 1778. From it the follow- 
ing extract is made: 

"Near the mouth of the Eiver Kaskas- 
kia, there is a village which appears to 
have contained nearly eiglity families from 
the beginning of the late revolution. 
There are twelve families in a small village 
at la Prairie dii Rochers, and near titty 
families at the Kahokia A'illage. There 
are also four or five families at Fort Char- 
tres and St. Phillips, which is five miles 
further up the river." 

St. Louis had been settled in February, 
1764, and at this time contained, including 
its neighboring towns, over six hundred 
whites and one hundred and fifty neffroes. 
It must be remembered that all the coun- 
try west of the Mississip})i was now under 
P'rench rule, and remained so until ceded 



again to Spain, its original owner, who 
afterwards sold it and the country includ- 
ing Xew Orleans to the United States. 
At Detroit there were, according to Capt. 
Carver, who was in the northwest from 
17CG to 170S, more than one hundred houses 
and tlie river was settled for more than 
twent}^ miles, altliough poorly cultivated — 
the peo])le being engaged in the Indian 
trade. This old town has a history, which 
we will here relate. 

It is the oldest town in the Xortliwest, 
having been founded b}' Antoine Lade- 
motte Cadillac, in 1701. It was laid out 
in the form of an oblong square, of two 
acres in length and an acre and a half in 
width. As described by A. D. Frazer, who 
first visited it and became a permanent 
resident of the place, in 1778, it comprised 
within its limits that space betweeji Mr. 
Palmer's store (Con ant Block) and Capt. 
Perkins' house (near the Arsenal building), 
and extended back as far as the public 
barn, and was bordered in front by the 
Detroit River. It was surrounded by oak 
and cellar pickets, about fifteen feet long, set 
in the ground, and liad four gates-east, west, 
north and south. Over the first three of 
these gates were block houses provided with 
tour guns apiece, each a six pounder. Two 
six-gun batteries were planted fronting the 
river, and in a parallel direction with the 
block houses. There were four streets 
ruuTiing east and west, the main street be- 
ing twenty feet wide and the rest fifteen 
feet, while the four streets crossing these at 
right angles were from ten to fifteen feet 
in width. 

At the date spoken of by Mr. Frazer, 
there was no fort within the enclosure, but 
a citadel on the ground corresponding to 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



the present northwest corner of Jefl'evson 
Avenne and Wayne Street. The citadel 
was inclosed by pickets, and within it were 
erected barracks of wood, two stories high, 
sufficient to contain ten officers, and also 
barracks sufficient to contain four hundred 
men, and a provision store built of brick. 
The citadel also contained a hospital and 
a gnard-honse. The old town of Detroit, 
in 1778, contained about sixty houses, 
most of them one story, with a few a story 
and a half in heiglit. They were all of 
logs, some hewn and some round. There 
was one building of splendid appearance, 
called the " King's Palace," two stories 
high, which stood near the east gate. It 
was built for Governor Hamilton, the first 
governor commissioned by the British. 
There were two guard-houses, one near the 
west gate and the otiier near the Govern- 
ment House. Eacli of tlie guards con- 
sisted of twenty-four men and a subaltern, 
who mounted regularly every morning be- 
tween nine and ten o'clock. Each fur- 
nislied four sentinels, who were relieved 
every two hours. There was also an offi- 
cer of the day, who performed strict duty. 
Each of the gates was shut regularly at 
sunset ; even wicket gates were shut at 
nine o'clock, and all the ke\'s were deliv- 
ered into the hands of the commanding 
ofiScer. They were opened in the morning 
at sunrise. Xo Indian or squaw was per- 
mitted to enter town with any weapon, 
such as a tomahawk or a knife. It was a 
standing order that the Indians should de- 
liver their arms and instruments of every 
kind before they were permitted to pass 
the sentinel, and they were restored to 
them on their return. Ko more than 
twentv-live Indians were allowed to enter 



the town at any one time, and they were 
admitted only at the east and west gates. 
At sundown the drums beat, and all the 
Indians were required to leave town in- 
stantly. There was a council house near 
the water side for the purpose of holding 
council with the Indians. The population 
of the town was about sixty families, in all 
about two hundred males and one hundred 
females. This town was destroyed by lire, 
all except one dwelling, in 1805. After 
which the present "new" town was laid 
out. 

On the breaking out of the Revolution, 
the British held every post of importance 
in the AVest. Kentucky was formed as a 
component part of Virginia, and the sturdy 
pioneers of the AVest, alive to their inter- 
ests, and recognizing the great benefits of 
obtaining the control of the trade in this 
pai't of the Xew World, held steadily to 
their purposes, and those within the com- 
monwealth of Kentucky proceeded to ex- 
ercise their civil privileges, by electing 
John Todd and Rieliard Calloway, burgess- 
es to represent them in the Assembly of 
the parent state. Early in September of 
that year (1777) the first court was lield in 
Harrodsburg, and Col. Bowman, afterward 
ma]'or, who had arrived in August, was 
made the commander of a militia organiza- 
tion which had been commenced the Marcii 
previous. Thus the tree of loyalty was 
growing. The chief spirit in this far-out 
colony, who had represented her the j'car 
previous cast of the mountains, was now 
meditating a move unequaled in its bold- 
ness. He had been watcliing the move- 
ments of the British throughout tlie North- 
west, and understood their whole plan. 
He saw it was through their possession of 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITOKY. 



23 



the posts at Detroit, Vincennes, Kaskaskia, 
and other places, which would give them 
constant and eas}' access to the various In- 
dian tribes in the Northwest, that the Brit- 
ish intended to penetrate the country from 
the north and south, and annihilate tlie 
frontier fortresses. This moving, energetic 
man was Colonel, afterward General, 
(icorge Rogers Clark. lie knew the In- 
dians were not unanimouslj in accord with 
the English, and he was convinced that, 
could the J5ritis!i he defeatc 1 and expelled 
from the Xortliwcst, the natives might be 
easily awed into neutrality ; and by spies 
sent for the pni-pose, he satisficii himself 
that the enterprise against the Illinois set- 
tlements might easily succeed. Having 
convinced himself of the certainty of the 
project, he repaired to the Capital of Vir- 
ginia, which place lie reached on November 
5tli. While he was on his way, fortunately, 
on October 17th, Burgoyne had been de- 
feated, and the spirits of the colonists 
greatly encouraged thereby. Patrick Henry 
was Governor of Virginia, and at once 
entered heartily into Clark's plans. The 
same plan had before been agitated in the 
Colonial Assemblies, but there was no one 
until Clark came who was sufficiently 
acquainted with the condition of affairs at 
the scene of action to be able to guide them. 
Clark, having satisfied the Virginia lead- 
ers of the feasibility of his plan, received, 
on the 2d of January, two sets of instruc- 
tions — one secret, the other open — the lat- 
ter authorized him to proceed to enlist 
seven comjianies to go to Kentucky, sub- 
ject to his orders, and to serve three months 
from their arrival in the West. The secret 
order authorized him to arm these troops, 
to procure his powder and lead of General 



Hand at Pittsburgh, and to proceed at 
once to subjugate the country. 

With these instructions Clark repaired 
to Pittsburgh, choosing rather to raise his 
men west of the mountains, as he well 
knew all were needed in the colonies in 
tiie conflict there. He sent Col. W. B. 
Smith to Ilolston for the same purpose, 
but iieitiier succeeded in raising the re- 
quired number of men. The settlers in 
these parts were afraid to leave their own 
firesides exposed to a vigilant foe, and but 
few could be induced to join the proposed 
expedition. With three companies and 
several private volunteers, Clark at length 
commenced his descent of the Ohio, which 
he navigated as far as the Falls, where he 
took possession of and fortified Corn Isl- 
and, a small island between the present 
cities of Louisville, Kentucky, and New 
Albany, Indiana. Remains of this forti- 
fication may yet be fnind. At this place 
he appointed Col. Bowman to meet him 
with such recruits as had reached Ken- 
tucky by the southern route, and as many 
as could be spared from the station. Here 
he announced to the men their real desti- 
nation. Having completed his arrange- 
ments, and chosen his party, he left a small 
garrison upon the island, and on the 2itli 
of June, during a total eclipse of the sun, 
which to them augured no good, and which 
fixes beyond dispute the date of starting, 
he with his chosen band, fell down the 
river. His plan was to go by water as far 
as Fort Massac or Massacre, and thence 
march direct to Kaskaskia. Here he in- 
tended to surprise the garrison, and after 
its capture go to Cahokia, then to Vincen- 
nes, and Lastly to Detroit. Should he fail, 
he intended to march directlv to the Miss- 



24 



THE XORTIIWEST TERRITORY. 



issippi River and cross it into the Spanish 
country. Before his start lie received two 
good items of information ; one that the 
alliance had been formed between France 
and the United States ; and the other that 
the Indians thronghont the Illinois conntry 
and the inhabitants, at the various frontier 
posts, had been led to believe by the Brit- 
ish that the " Long Knives" or Virginians, 
were the most fierce, bloodthirsty and cruel 
savages that ever scalped a foe. "With this 
impression on their minds, Clark saw that 
proper management would cause them to 
submit at once from fear, if surprised, and 
then from gratitude would become friendly 
if treated with nnex])ected lenienc}'. 

The march to Kaskaskia was accomplish- 
ed through a hot July sun, and the town 
reached on the evening of July i. He cap- 
tured the fort near the village, and soon 
after the village itself by surprise, and with- 
out the loss of a single man or by killing 
any of the enemy. After sufficiently work- 
ing upon the fears of the natives, Clark 
told them they were at perfect liberty to 
worship as they pleased, and to take which- 
ever side of the great conflict they would, 
also, he would protect tlieui from any bar- 
barity from British or Indian foe. This 
had the desired effect, and the inhabitants, 
so unexpectedly and so gratefully surprised 
by the unlooked-for turn of aft'airs, at once 
swore allegiance to the American arms, and 
when Clark desired to go to Cahokia on 
the 6th of July, they accompanied hira, 
and through their influence the inhabitants 
of the place surrendered, and gladly placed 
themselves under his protection. Thus 
the two important posts in Illinois passed 
from the hands of the English into the pos- 
session of ^'^ir^■inia. 



In the person of the priest at Kaskaskia, 
M. Gibault, Clark found a powerful ally 
and generous friend. Clark saw that, to 
retain possession of tho iSTorthwest and 
treat successfully M-itli the Indians within 
its boundaries, he must establish a govern- 
ment for the colonies he had taken. St. 
Yincent, the next important post to De- 
troit, remained yet to be taken before the 
Mississippi Yalley was conquered. M. Gib- 
ault told him that he would alone, by par- 
suasion, lead Yinccnnes to throw oft' its 
connection with England. Clark gladly 
accepted his offer, and on the lith of July, 
in company with a fellow-townsman, M. 
Gibault started on his mission of peace 
and on the 1st of August returned with the 
cheerfnl intelligence that the post on the 
"Oubache" had taken the oath of allegi- 
ance to the Old Dominion. During this 
interval, Clark established his courts, placed 
garrisons at Kask;iskia and Cahokia, suc- 
cessfully re-enlisted his men, sent word to 
have a fort, which proved the germ of Louis- 
ville, erected at the Falls of the Ohio, and 
dispatched M. Rocheblave, who luid been 
commander at Kaskaskia, as a prisoner of 
war to Richmond. In October tlie Count}' 
of Illinois was established by the Legis- 
lature of Yirginia, John Todd appointed 
Lieutenant Colotiel and Civil Governor, 
and in November General Clark and his 
men received the thanks of the Old Do- 
minion through their Legislature. 

In a speech a few days afterward, Clark 
made known fully to the natives his plans, 
and at its close all came forward and swore 
allegiance to the Long Knives. "While he 
was doing this Governor Hamilton, having 
made his various arrangements, had left 
Detroit and moved duwn the "Wal)as]i to 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



25 



Viiiconnes iiiteiiding to operate from that 
point in reducing the Illinois posts, and 
tlien proceed on down to Kentucky and 
drive the rebels from the West. Gen. 
Clark had, on the return of M. (xibault, 
dispatched Captain Helm, of Fauquier 
County, Virginia, with an attendant named 
Ileury, across the Illinois prairies to com- 
mand the fort. Hamilton knew nothing 
of the cajiituiation of the post, and was 
greatly surprised on his arrival to be con- 
fronted by Capt. Helm, who, standing at 
the entrance of the fort by a loaded cannon 
ready to lire npon his assailants, demanded 
upon what terms Hamilton demanded pos- 
session of the fort. Being granted the 
rights of a prisoner of war, he surrendered 
to the British General, who could scarcely 
believe his eyes when he saw the force in 
the garrison. 

Hamilton, not realizing the character of 
the men with whom he was contending, 
gave up his intended campaign for the 
winter, sent his four hundred Indian war- 
riors to prevent troops from coming down 
tiie Ohio, and to anno}' the Americans in 
all ways, and sat quietly down to pass the 
winter. Information of all these proceed- 
ings having reached Clark, he saw that 
immediate and decisive action was neces- 
sary, and that unless lie captured Hamil- 
ton, Hamilton would ca]iture him. Clark 
received tlie news on the 29th of January, 
1779, and on February 4th, having suffi- 
ciently garrisoned Kaskaskia and Cahokia, 
he sent down the Mississippi a " battoe," 
as Major Bowman writes it, in order to as- 
cend the Ohio and Wabash, and operate 
with the laiul forces gathering for the 
fray. 

()ii the next dav. Cjai-k. with his little 



force of one hundred and twenty men, ses 
out for the post, and after incredible hard 
marching through much mud, the ground 
being tliawed by the incessant spring rains, 
on the 22nd reached the fort, and being 
joined by liis " battoe," at once commenced 
the attack on the post. The aim of the 
American backwoodsmen was unerring, 
and on the 24th the garrison surrendered 
to tlie intrepid boldness of Clark. The 
French were treated with great kindness, 
and gladly renewed their allegiance to Vir- 
ginia. Hamilton was sent as a prisoner to 
Virginia, wliere he was kept in close con- 
finement. During his command of the 
British frontier posts, he had offered prizes 
to the Indians for all the scalps of Ameri- 
cans they would bring to liim, and had 
earned in consequence thereof, the title 
" Hair-buyer General," by which he was 
ever afterward known. 

Detroit was now without doubt within 
easy reach of the enterprising Virginian, 
could he but raise the necessary force. 
Governor Henry being apprised of tliis, 
promised him the needed reinforcement, 
and Clark concluded to wait until he could 
capture and sutHciently garrison the posts. 
Had Clark failed in this bold undertaking, 
and Hamilton succeeded in uniting the 
western Indians for the next spring's cam- 
paign, the West would indeed have been 
swept from the Mississijipi to the Allegheny 
Mountains, and the great blow struck, 
which had been contemplated from the 
commencement, by the British. 

"But for this small army of dripping, 
but fearless Virginians, the union of all 
the tribes from Georgia to Maine against 
the colonies might liave been effected, and 
the whole cui'rent of our history chainjed."' 



26 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



At this time some fears were entertained 
by tlie Colonial Governments that the In- 
dians in the !N"orth and ]S"orthwest were in- 
clining to the British, and under the in- 
structions of Washington, now Coramander- 
in-Cliief of the Colonial army, and so 
bravely fighting for American independ- 
ence, armed forces were sent against the 
Six Nations, and upon the Ohio frontier, 
Col. Bowman, acting under tlie same gen- 
eral's orders, marched against Indians 
within the present limits of that State. 
These expeditions were in the main suc- 
cessful, and the Indians were compelled to 
sne for peace. 

During the same year (1779) the famous 
'Land Laws" of Virginia were passed. 
The passage of these laws was of more con- 
sequence to the pioneers of Kentucky and 
the Northwest than the gaining of a few 
Indian conflicts. These laws confirmed in 
main all grants made, and guaranteed to all 
actual settlers their rights and privileges. 
After providing for the settlers, the laws 
])rovided for selling the balance of the pub- 
lic lands at forty cents per acre. To carry 
the Land Laws into effect, the Legislature 
sent four Virginians westward to attend to 
the various claims, over many of which 
irreat confusion prevailed concerning their 
validity. Tliese gentlemen opened their 
court on October 13, 1779, at St. Asaphs, 
and continued until April 26, 1780, when 
tliev adjourned, havini;' decided three thou- 
sand claims. They were succeeded by the 
surveyor, who came in the person of Mr. 
George Maj', and assumed his duties on 
the 10th day of the month whose name he 
bore. With the opening ofl the next year 
(1780) the tronl)les conceiMiing the naviga- 
tion of the Missis?ip})i comniencod. The 



Spanish Government exacted such measures 
in relation to its trade as to cause the over- 
tures made to the United States to be re- 
jected. The American Government con- 
sidered they had a right to navigate its 
channel. To enforce their claims, a fort 
was erected below the mouth of the Ohio 
on the Kentucky side of the river. The 
settlements in Kentucky were being rapidly 
filled by emigi'ants. It was during this 
year that the first seminary of learning was 
established in the West in tliis young and 
enterprising Commonwealth. 

The settlers here did not look upon the 
building of this fort in a frieudlj' manner, 
as it aroused the hostility of the Indians. 
Spain had been friendly to the Colonies 
during their struggle for independence, 
and thouiih for a while this friendship ap- 
peared in dangei; from the refusal of tlie 
free navigation of the river, yet it was 
finally settled to the satisfaction of both 
nations. 

The winter of 1779-SO was one of the 
m ist nnusuall}' severe ones ever experienced 
in the West. The Indians always referred 
to it as the '■ Great Cold." Numbers of wild 
animals perished, and not a few pioneers 
lost their lives. The following summer a 
party of Canadians and Indians attacked 
St. Louis, and attempted to take possession 
of it in consequence of the friendly dispo- 
sition of Spain to the revolting Colonies. 
They met with such a determined resist- 
ance on the part of the inhabitants, even 
the women taking part in the battle, that 
they were compelled to abandon the con- 
tost. They also made an attack on the 
settlements in Kentucky, but, becoming 
alarmed in some unaccountable manner, 
thev fled the country in ijreat liastc. 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



27 



About this time arose tlic question in 
tlie Coloniiil Congress concerniiii;^ the west- 
ern lands chiimed by Virginia, Xew York, 
Massachusetts and Connecticut. The agi- 
tation concerning this snbjo?ct finally led 
New York, on the 19th of February, 17S0, 
to pass a law giving to the delegates of 
that State in Congress the power to cede 
her western lands for the benefit of the 
United States. This law was laid before 
Congress during tlio next month, but no 
steps were taken concerning it until Sep- 
tember 6th, when a resolution passed that 
body calling upon the States claiming west- 
ern lands to release their claims in favor of 
the whole body. Tins basis formed the 
union, and was the first after all of those 
legislative measures which resulted in the 
creation of the States of Ohio, Indiana, 
Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minne- 
sota. In December of the same year, the 
])lan of conquering Detroit again arose. 
The conquest miglit have easily been 
effected by Clark had the necessary aid 
been furnished him. Nothing decisive was 
done, yet the heads of the Government 
knew that the safety of the Northwest from 
B-itisli invasion lay in the captui-e and 
retention of that important post, the only 
unconquered one in the territory. 

Before the close of tiie year, Kentucky 
was divided into the Counties of Lincoln, 
Fayette and Jeflerson, and the act estab- 
lishing the Town of Louisville was [)assed. 
Tiiis same year is also noted in tlie annals 
of American history as the year in which 
occurred Arnold's treason to the United 
States. 

V'irginia, in accordance with the resolu- 
tion of Congress, on tlie 2 1 day of January, 
ITS I, agreed to yield her western lands to 



the United States upon certain conditions, 
which Congress would not accede to, and 
the act of Cession, on the part of the Old 
Dominion, failed, nor was anything fur- 
ther done until 1TS3. During all that 
time the Colonies were busily engaged in 
the struggle with the mother country, and 
in consequence thereof but little heed was 
given to the western settlements. Upon 
the 16th of April, 1781, the first birth 
north of the Ohio River of American par- 
entage occurred, being that of Mary Ileck- 
ewelder, daughter of the widely known 
Moravian missionary, whose band of Cliris- 
tian Indians suffered in after years a hor- 
rible massacre by tiie hands of the frontier 
settlers, who had been exasperated by the 
murder of several of their neighbor-:, and 
in their rage committed, without regard to 
humanity, a deed which forever afterward 
cast a shade of sliame upon their lives. 
For this and kindred outrages on the part 
of the whites, the Iiulians committed many 
deeds of cruelty wliich darken the years of 
1771 and 1772 in the history of the North- 
west. 

During the year 1783 a number of bat- 
tles among the Indians and frontiersmen 
occurred, and between the Moravian Indi- 
ans and the Wyandots. In these, horrible 
acts of cruelty were practiced on tiie cap- 
tives, many of such dark deeds transpiring 
under the leadership of the notorious front- 
ier outlaw, Simon Girty, whose name, as 
well as those of his brothers, was a terror 
to women and children. These occurred 
chiofiy in the Ohio valleys. Contempo- 
rary with them were several engagements 
in Kentucky, in which the famous Daniel 
Boone engaged, and who often, by his 
skill and knowledge of Indian warfore, 



28 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



saved the outposts from cruel destruction. 
Bj the close of the year victory had 
perched upon the American banner, and 
on the 30th of November, provisional arti- 
cles of peace had been arranged between 
the Commissioners of England, and her 
unconquerable Colonies. Cornwallis liud 
been defeated on tlic l!)th of October pre- 
ceding, and the liberty of America was as- 
sured. On the 19th of April following, 
the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, 
peace was proclaimed to tlie army of the 
United States, and on the 3d of the next 
Sejiteiuber. the definite treaty wliich ended 
our revolutionary struggle, was concluded. 
By the terms of that treaty, the bounda- 
ries of the AVest were as follows: On the 
north the line was to extend along the cen- 
ter of tlie Great Lakes; from the western 
y)oint of Lake Superior to Long Lake; 
tlience to the Lake of the Woods; thence 
to the head of the Mississippi River, down 
its center to the 31st parallel of latitude, 
then on that line east to the head of the 
Appalac.hicola River; down its center to 
its junction with the Flint; thence straight 
to the head of St. Mary's River, and thence 
down along its center to the Atlantic 
Ocean. 

Following the cessation of hostilities 
with England, several posts were still occu- 
pied by the British in the North and AVest. 
Among these was Detroit, still in the hands 
of the enemy. Numerous engagements 
with the Indians througliout Ohio and In- 
diana occurred, upon whose lands adventur- 
ous whites would settle ere the title' had 
been acquired bv the proper treaty. 

To remedy' this latter evil, Congress ap- 
].)ointed commissioners to treat with the 
natives and purchase their lands, and pro- 



hibited the settlement of the territory until 
this could be done. Before the close of the 
year another attempt was made to capture 
Detroit, which was, however, not pushed, 
and V^irginia, no longer feeling the interest 
in the Northwest she had formerly done, 
withdrew her troops, having on the 20th of 
December preceding authorized the whole 
of her possessions to be deeded to the 
United States. This was done on the 1st 
of IMarch following, and the Northwest 
Territory passed from the control of the 
Old Dominion. To Gen. Clark and his 
soldiers, however, she gave a tract of one 
hundred and tifty thousand acres of land, 
to be situated anywhere north of the Ohio 
wherever they chose to locate them. They 
selected the region opposite tlie falls of 
the Ohio, where is now the dilapidated 
village of Clarkaville, about midway be- 
tween the Cities of New Albany and Jeffer- 
sonville, Indiana. 

AVhile the frontier remained thus, and 
Gen. Haldimand at Detroit refused to 
evacuate, alleging that he had no orders 
from his King to do so, settlers were rap- 
idly o-atliering about the inland forts. In 
the spring of 1784, Pittsburgh was regu- 
larlv laid out, and from the journal of Ar- 
thur Lee, who passed through the town 
soon after on his way to the Indian council 
at Fort Mcintosh, we suppose it was not 
verv prepossessing in appearance. He 
says: 

" Pittsburgh is inhabited almost entirely 
by Scots and Irish, who live in paltry log 
houses, and are as dirty as if in the north 
of Ireland or even Scotland. There is a 
great deal of trade carried on, the goods 
being brought at the vast expense of forty- 
five shillings per pound from Pliiladeljihia 



TUK XORTinVEST TKKKITuliV. 



2!) 



and Baltimore. They take iti the shops 
fioiir. wheat, skins and money. There are 
in tlie town four attorneys, two doctors, 
and nut a priest of any persuasion, nor 
church nor chapeh" 

Kentucky at this time contained thirty 
thousand inhabitants, and was hei^inning to 
discuss measures for a separation from 
Virginia. A land office was opened at 
Louisville, and measures were adopted to 
take defensive precaution against the In- 
dians who were yet, in some instances, in- 
cited to deeds of violence by the British. 
Before the close of this year, 1784, the 
military claimants of land began to 
occupy them, although no entries were 
recorded until 1767. 

The Indian title to the Northwest was 
not yet extinguished. They held large 
tracts of lands, and in order to prevent 
bloodshed Congress adopted means for 
treaties with the original owners and ])ro- 
vided for the surveys of the lands gained 
thereby, as well as for those north of the 
Ohio, now in its possession. On Januarv 
31, 1786, a treaty was made with the Wa- 
bash Indians. The treaty of Fort Stanwix 
had been made in 1784. That at Fort Mc- 
intosh in 1785. and through these much 
land was gained. The Wabash Indians, 
however, afterward refused to comply with 
the provisions of the treaty made with 
them, and in order to compel their adhe- 
rence to its provisions, force was used. 
During the j^ear 178G, the free navigation 
of the Mississippi came up in Congress, 
and caused various discussions, which re- 
sulted in no definite action, only serving to 
excite speculation in regard to the western 
lands. Congress had promised bounties 
of land to the soldiers of the Eevolution, 



but owing to the unsettled condition of 
affairs along the Mississippi respecting its 
navigation, and the trade of the Northwest, 
that body had, in 1783, declared its inabil- 
ity to fulfill these promises until a treaty 
could be concluded between the two Gov- 
ernments. Before the close of the year 
1786, however, it was able, through the 
treaties with the Indians, to allow some 
grants and the settlement thereon, and on 
the 1-ith of September, Connecticut ceded 
to the General Government the tract of 
land known as the "Connecticut Reserve," 
and before the close of the following year 
a large tract of land north of the Ohio was 
sold to a conipan}', who at once took meas- 
ures to settle it. By the provisions of this 
grant, the company were to pay the United 
States one dollar per acre, subject to a de- 
duction of one- third for bad lands and other 
contingencies. Tliey received 750,000 acres, 
bounded on the south by the Ohio, on tiic 
east by the seventh range of townships, on 
the west by the sixteenth range, and on the 
north by a line so drawn as to make the 
grant complete without the reservations. 
In addition to this. Congress afterwai-d 
granted 100,000 acres to actual settlers, and 
214,285 acres as army bounties under the 
resolutions of 17S9 and 1790. 

While Dr. Cutler, one of the agents of 
the company, was pressing its claims before 
Congress, that body was bringing into form 
an ordinance for the political and social or- 
iranization of this Territory. When the 
cession was made by Virginia, in 1784, a 
plan was oflFered, but rejected. A motion 
had been made to strike from the proposed 
plan the prohibition of slavery, which pre- 
vailed. The plan was then discussed and 
altered, and finally passed unanimously, 



30 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



with the exception of South Carolina. B}^ 
this proposition, the Territory was to have 
been divided into states by parallels and 
meridian lines.. This, it was thought, would 
make ten states, which were to have been 
named as follows — beginning at the north- 
west corner and going southwardly: Savly- 
nia, Michigania, Chersonesus, Assenisipia, 
Metropotaniia, Illenoia, Saratoga, Wash- 
incfton, Polypotaniia and Pelisipia. 

There was a more serious objection to 
this plan than its category of names, — the 
boundaries. The root of the difiiculty was 
in the resolution of Congress passed in 
October, 1780, which fixed the boundaries 
of the ceded lands to be from one hundred 
to one hundred and fift}' miles square. 
Tiiese resolutions being presented to the 
Legislatures of Virginia and Massachusetts, 
they desired a change, and in July, 1786, 
the subject was taken up in Congress, and 
changed to favor a division into not more 
than iive states, and not less than tliree. 
Tiiis was approved by the State Legislature 
of Virginia. The subject of the Govern- 
ment was again taken np by Congress in 
1786, and discussed throughout tliat year 
and until July, 1787, when the famous 
"Compact of 1787" was passed, and the 
foundation of the government of the North- 
west laid. This compact is fully discussed 
and explained in the history of Illinois in 
this book, and to it the reader is referred. 

The passage of this act and the grant to 
the New England Company was soon fol- 
lowed by an application to the Government 
by John Cleves Synimes, of New Jersey, 
for a grant of the land between the Miamis. 
Tliis gentleman had visited these lands 
soon after the treaty of 1786, and, being 
groatly pleased with them ofl'ered simihir 



terms to those given to the New Enuhuid 
Corapanj-. The petition was referred to the 
Treasury Board with power to act, and a 
contract was concluded the following year. 
During the autumn the directors of the 
New England Company were preparing to 
occupy their grant the following spring, 
and upon the 23d of November made ar- 
rangements for a party of forty-seven men, 
under the superin tendency of Gen. Rufus 
Putnam, to set forward. Six boat-builders 
were to leave at once, and on tlie first of 
January the surveyors and their assistants, 
twenty-six in number, were to meet at Hart- 
ford and proceed on their journey westward; 
the remainder to follow as soon as possible. 
Congress, in the mean time, upon the 3d of 
October, had ordered seven hundred troops 
for defense of the western settlers, and to 
prevent unauthorized intrusions; and two 
days later appointed Arthur St. Clair Gov- 
ernor of the Territory of the Northwest. 

AMERICAN SETTLEMEXTS. 

Tlie civil organization of the Northwest 
Territory was now complete, and notwith- 
standing the uncertainty of Indian affiiirs, 
settlers from the East began to come into 
the country rapidl}'. The New England 
Company sent their men during the winter 
of 1787-8 pressing on over the Alleghenies 
by the old Indian path whicii had been 
opened into Braddock's road and which has 
since been made a national turnpike from 
Cumberland westward. Through the weary 
winter days they toiled on, and by April 
were all gathered on the Yoiiiogany, where 
boats had been built, and at once started 
for the Muskingum. Here they arrived on 
the 7tli of tliat montii, and unless the Mo- 
ravian missionaries be regarded as the piu- 



T!IK NOKTIIWEST TEKUlTUliY. 



necrs of Oliio, this little band can justly 
claiiji tliat honor. 

General St. Clair, the appointed Gover- 
nor of the Northwest, not having 3'et ar- 
rived, a set of laws were passed, written out, 
and publislied by being nailed to a tree iu 
the embryo town, and Jonathan Meigs 
appointed to administer them. 

Washington in writing of this, the first 
American settlement in the Northwest, 
said: "No colony in America was ever 
settled under such favorable auspices as 
that which has just commenced at Miiskin- 
gn.n. Information, property and strength 
will be its characteristics. I know many 
of its settlers personally, and there never 
were men better calcnlated to promote the 
welfare of such a community." 

On the 2d of July a meeting of the di- 
rectors and agents was held on the banks 
of the Muskingum, " for the purpose ot 
naming the new-born city and its squares." 
As yet the settlement was known as the 
"Muskingum," but that was now changed 
to the name Marietta, in honor of Marie 
Antoinette. The square upon wliicli the 
block-houses stood was called ^'■Campus 
Martins;'''' square number 19, '■'■Cap'ito- 
litim;" square number 61, '■•Cecilia/" and 
the great rough road through the covert 
way, '■^Sacra Via." Two days after, an 
oration was delivered by James M. Var- 
num, who with S. H. Parsons and John 
Armstrong had been a]ipointed to the 
judicial bench of the Territory on the 16th 
of October, 17S7. On July 9, Gos'. St. 
Clair arrived, and the Colony began to as- 
sume form. The act of 1787 provided two 
distinct grades of government for the 
Northwest, under the first of which the 
whule power was invested in the hands of 



a governor and three district judges. This 
was immediately formed upon the gover- 
nor's arrival, and the first laws of the Colony 
passed on the 25th of July. These provid- 
ed fur the organization of the militia, and 
on the next day a])])eared the Governcu-'s 
proclamation, erecting all that country that 
had been ceded by the Indians east of the 
Scioto Hiver into the County of Washing- 
ton. From that time forward, notwith- 
standing the doubts yet existing as to the 
Indians, all Marietta prospered, and on 
the 2d of September the first court of the 
Territory was held with imposing cere- 
monies. 

The emigration M'estward at this time 
was very great. The commander at Fort 
Harmar, at the month of the Muskingum, 
reported four thousand five hundred per- 
sons as having jjassed that post between 
February and June, 17SS — many of whom 
would have purchased of the "Associates," 
as the New England Company was called, 
had they been ready to receive them. 

On the 26th of November, 1787, Symmes 
issued a pamphlet stating the terms of his 
contract and the plan of sale he intended to 
adopt. In January, 1788, Matthias Den- 
man, of New Jersey, took an active inter- 
est in Symmes' purchase, and located 
among other tracts the sections upon which 
Cincinnati has been built. Eetaining one- 
third of this locality, he sold the other 
two-thirds to Kobert Patterson and John 
Filson, and the three, about August, com- 
menced to lay out a town on the spot, 
which was designated as being opposite 
Licking Eiver, to the mouth of which they 
pro]M:iscd to have a road cut from Lexing- 
ton. The naming of the town is thus nar- 
rated in the "Western Annals": "Mr. 



THE XORTHWEST TEKKITOUY. 



Filson, wlio had been a schoolmaster, was 
appointed to name the town, and in respect 
to its situation, and as if with a prophetic 
perce))tion of the mixed racej that were to 
inhabit it in after days, he named it Lu- 
santiville, whicli being interpreted, means: 
ville, tlie town; anti, against or opposite 
to; OS, the mouth; Z. of Licking." 

Meanwhile, in July, Sjmmes got thirty 
])ersons and eight four-horse teams under 
way for the West. These reached Lime- 
stone (now Maysville) in September, wliere 
wei-e several persons from Redstone. Here 
Mr. Symmes tried to found a settlement, 
but the great freshet of 1789 caused the 
" Point," as it was and is yet called, to be 
fifteen feet niider water, and the settlement 
to be abandoned. The little band of settlers 
removed to the mouth of the Miami. 
Before Symmes and his colony left the 
"Point," two settlements had been made 
on his purchase. The first was by Mr. 
Stiltes, the original projector of the whole 
plan, who, with a colony of Kedstone peo- 
ple, had located at the mouth of the 
Miami, whither Symmes went with his 
Maysville colony. Here a clearing had 
been made by the Indians owing to the 
great fertility of the soil. Mr. Stiltes with 
his colony came to this place on the IStli 
of November, 1788, with twenty-six per- 
sons, and, building a block house, prepared 
to remain through the winter. They 
named the settlement Columbia. Here 
they were kindly treated by the Indians, 
but suffered greatly from the flood of 1789. 

On the 4th of Marcli, 1789, the Consti- 
tution of the United States went into op- 
eration, and on April 30th, George Wash- 
iugton was inaugui'ated President of the 
American people, and during tlie next 



summer, an Indian war was commenced 
by the tribes north of the Oliio. The 
President at first used pacific means; but 
these failing, he sent General Harmar 
against the hostile tribes. He destroyed 
several villages, but was defeated in two 
battles, near the present City of Port 
Wayne, Indiana. From this time till the 
close of 1795, the principal events were 
the wars witii the various Indian tribes. 
In 1796, General St. Clair was appointed 
in command, and marched against the In- 
dians; but while he was encamped on a 
stream, the St. Mary, a branch of the 
Manmee, he was attacked and defeated 
with the loss of six hundred men. 

General Wayne was now sent against the 
savages. In August, 1794, he met them 
near the rapids of the Maumee, and gained 
a complete victory. This success, followed 
by vigorous measures, compelled the Indi- 
ans to sue for peace, and on the 30th of 
July, the following year, the treaty of 
Greenville was signed by the principal 
chiefs, by which a large tract of country 
was ceded to the United States. 

Before proceeding in our narrative, we 
will pause to notice Fort Washington, 
erected in the early part of this war on 
the site of Cincinnati. Nearly all of the 
great cities of the Northwest, and indeed 
of the whole country, have had their nuclei 
in those rude pioneer structures, known as 
forts or stockades. Thus Forts Dearborn, 
Wasliington, Ponchartrain, mark the orig- 
inal sites of the now proud cities of Chi- 
cago, Cincinnati and Detroit. So of most 
of the flourishing cities east and west of 
tiie Mississippi. Fort Washington erected 
by Doughty in 1790, was a rude but highly 
interesting structure. It was composed of 



THE NORTHWEST TEKRITOKY. 



a muiil)cr of strongly-built liewed log cab- 
ins. Tliose designed for soldiers' barracks 
were a story and a half high, while those 
composing the officers' qnarters were more 
imposing and more conveniently arranged 
and furnished. The whole were so placed 
as to form a hollow square, enclosing about 
an acre of ground, with a block house at 
each of the four angles. 

The logs for the construction of this 
fort were cut from the ground upon which 
it was erecteil. It stood between Third 
and Fourth Streets of the present city 
(Cincinnati) extending east of Eastern 
How, now Broadway, which was then a 
narrow alley, and the eastern boundary of 
the town as it was originally laid out. On 
the bank of the river, immediately in front 
of the fort, was an appendage of the fort, 
called the Artificer's Yard. It contained 
about two acres of ground, enclosed by 
small contiguous buildings, occupied by 
workshops and quarters of laborers. 
Within this enclosure there was a largo 
two-story frame house, familiarly called 
the " Yellow House," built for the accom- 
modation of the Quartermaster General. 
For many years this was the best finished 
and most commodious edifice in the Queen 
City. Fort Washington was for some time 
the head(juarters of both the civil and mil- 
itary governments of the Northwestern 
Territory. 

Following the consummation of the 
treaty, various gigantic land speculations 
were entei-ed into by different persons, who 
lio])ed to obtain from the Indians in Mich- 
igan and northern Indiana, large tracts of 
lands. These were generally discovered 
in time to prevent the outrageous schemes 
from being carried out, and from involving 



the settlers in war. On October 27, 1795, 
the treaty between the United States and 
Spain was signed, whereby the free navi- 
gation of the Mississippi was secured. 

Xo sooner had the treaty of 1795 been 
ratified, than settlements began to pour 
rapidly into the West. The great event 
of the year 1796 was the occupation of 
that part of the Northwest including 
Michigan, which was this year, under the 
provisions of the treaty, evacuated by the 
British forces. The United States, owing 
to certain conditions, did not feel justified 
in addressing the authorities in Canada 
in relation to Detroit and other frontier 
posts. When at last the British author- 
ities were called to give them up, they 
at once complied, and General W^ayne, 
who had done so much to preserve the 
frontier settlements, and who, before 
the year's close, sickened and died near 
Erie, transferred his headquarters to the 
neighborhood of the lakes, where a coun- 
ty named after him was formed, which 
included the northwest of Ohio, all of 
Michigan, and the northeast of Indiana. 
During this same year settlements were 
formed at the present City of Chillicothe, 
along the Miami from Middletown to Pi(pia, 
while in the more distant West, settlers 
and speculators began to appear in great 
numbers. In September, the City of 
Cleveland was laid out, and during the 
summer and autumn, Samuel Jackson 
and Jonathan Sharpless erected the first 
manufactory of pa])er — the " Redstone 
Paper Mill " — in the West. St. Louis con- 
tained some seventy houses, and Detroit 
over three hundred, and along the river, 
contiguous to it, were more than three 
thousand inhabitants, mostly French Can- 



34 



Till: NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



adiain, Indians and lialf- breeds, scarcely 
anj' AinericuiS venturing yet into that 
part of the Northwest. 

Tiie election of representatives for the 
Territory had taken place, and on the -ith 
of February, 1799, they convened at Lo- 
santiville — -now known as Cincinnati, hav- 
ing been named so by Gov. St. Clair, and 
considered the capital of the Territory — to 
nominate persons from whom the mem- 
bers of the legislature were to be chosen 
in accordance with a previous ordinance. 
These nominations being made, the Assem- 
bly adjourned until the 16th of the follow- 
ing September. From those named, the 
President selected as members of the 
council, Henry Yandenbnrg, of Vincennes, 
Robert Oliver, of Marietta, James Findlay 
and Jacob Burnett, of Cincinnati, and 
David Vance, of Vanceville. On the 16th 
of September the Territorial Legislature 
met, and on the 24th the two houses were 
duly organized, Henry Vandenburg being 
elected President of the Council. 

The message of Gov. St. Clair was ad- 
dressed to the Legislature September 20h, 
and on October 13th that body elected as 
a delegate to Congress, Gen. "Wm. Henry 
Harrison, who received eleven of the votes 
cast, being a majority of one over his op- 
ponent, Arthur St. Clair, son of Gen. St. 
Clair. 

The whole number of acts passed at this 
session, and approved by the Governor, 
■were thirty-seven — ^eleven others were 
passed, but received his veto. The most 
important of those passed, related to the 
militia, to the administration, and to taxa- 
tion. On the 19th of December, this pro- 
tracted session of the first Legislature in 
the MVeit was closed, and on the 30th 



of December, the President nominated 
Charles Willing Bryd to the office of Sec- 
retary' of the Territory vice Wm. Henry 
Harrison, elected to Congress. The Sen- 
ate confirmed his nomination the next day. 

DIVISION OF THE NORTHWEST TEEEITOKY. 

The increased emigration to the J^^orth- 
west, the extent of the domain, and the la- 
convenient modes of travel, made it veiy 
difficult to conduct the ordinary operations 
of government, and rendered the efficient 
action of courts almost impossible. To 
remedy this, it was deemed advisable to 
divide the territory for civil purposes. 
Congress, in 1800, appointed a committee 
to examine the question and report some 
means for its solution. This committee, 
on the 3d of March, reported that: 

" In the three western countries, there 
has been but one court having co^nizmce 
of crimes, in five years, and the immunity 
which offenders experience attracts, as to 
an asylum, the most vile and abandoned 
criminals, ! and at the same time deters 
useful citizens from making settlements in 
such society. The extreme necessity of 
judiciary attention and assistance is ex- 
perienced in civil as well as in criminal 
cases. * * * * To minister a remedy 
to these and other evils, it occurs to this 
committee that it is expedient that a divis- 
ion of said territory into two distinct and 
separate governments should be made: and 
that such division be made by a line be- 
ginning at the mouth of the Great Miami 
River, running directly north until it in- 
tersects the boundary between the United 
States and Canada.'' 

The report was accepted by Congress, 
and, in accordance with its suggestions, 
that body passed an act extinguishing the 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



Northwest Territory, which act was ap- 
proved May 7tli. Among its provisions 
were these: 

"That from and after July 4th next, all 
that part of the territory of tiie United 
States, northwest of the Oiiio Iliver, which 
lies to the westward of a line heginning at 
a yoiiit on the Ohio, opposite to the mouth 
of the Kentucky Iliver, and running thence 
to Fort Recovery, and thence north until 
it shall intersect the territorial line be- 
tween the United States and Canada, shall, 
for the purpose of temporary government, 
constituteaseparate territory, and be called 
the Indiana Territory." 

After providing for the" exercise] of the 
civil and criminal powers of the Territories, 
and othei' provisions, the act further pro- 
vides: 

" That until it shall otherwise be ordered 
by the Legislatures of the said Territories, 
respectively, Cliillicotiie on the Scioto 
Iliver shall be the seat of government of 
the Territory of the United States north- 
west of the Ohio Eiver; and that St. Vin- 
cennes on the AVabash Iliver shall be the 
seat of government for the Indiana Terri- 
tory." 

Gen. "\Vm. Henry Harrison was appoint- 
ed Governor of the Indiana Territory, and 
entered upon his duties about a year later. 
Connecticut also about this time released 
her claims to the reserve, and in March a 
law was passed accepting this cession. 
Settlements liad been made upon thirtv- 
five of the townships in the reserve, mills 
had been built, and seven hundred miles of 
road cut in various directions. On the 3d 
of November, the General Assembly met 
at Cliillicotiie. Near the close of the year, 
the first inissionarv of the Connecticut 



Reserve came, who found no township con- 
taining more than eleven families. It was 
npon the first of October that the secret 
treaty had been made between Napoleon 
and the King of Spain, whereby the latter 
agreed to cede to France the province of 
Louisiana. 

In Januaiy, 1S02, the assembly of the 
Northwestern Territory chartered the 
college at Athens. From the earliest 
dawn of the western colonies, education 
was promptly provided for, and as early as 
1787, newspapers were issued from Pitts- 
burgh and Kentucky, and largely read 
throughout the frontier settlements. Be- 
fore the close of this year, the Congress of 
the United States granted to the citizens 
of the Northwestern Territory, the forma- 
tion of a State government. One of the 
provisions of the "compact of 1787 " pro- 
vided that whenever the number of inhab- 
itants within prescribed limits exceeded 
45,000, they should be entitled to a sepa- 
rate government. Tiie prescribed limits 
of Ohio contained, from a census taken to 
ascertain the legality of the act, more than 
that number, and on the 30th of April, 
1802, Congress passed the act defining its 
limits, and on the 21Hli of November the 
Constitution of the new State of Ohio, so 
named from the beautiful river forming 
its southern boundary, came into existence. 
The exact limits of Lake Michigan were 
not then known, but the territory now 
included within the State of Michigan was 
wholly within the territory of Indiana. 

General Harrison, while residing at 
A'incennes, made several treaties with the 
Indians, therebv gaining larire tracts of 
lands. The next year is memorable in the 
liistor\- of the West for the purchase of 



3G 



THE NORTHWEST TEUKITollV. 



Louisiana f'rotn France by the United 
States I'or $15,000,000. Thus by a peace- 
ful mode, the domain of the United States 
was extended over a large tract of country 
west of the Mississippi, and was for a time 
under the jurisdiction of the Northwest 
government, and as has been mentioned 
in the early part of this narrative, was 
called the "New Northwest." The limits 
of this history will r.ot allow a description 
of its territory. The same year large 
grants of land were obtained from the 
Indians, and the House of Representatives 
of tlie new State of Ohio signed a bill 
respecting the college township in the 
district of Cincinnati. 

Before the close of the year. General 
Harrison obtained additional grants of 
lands from the various Indian nations in 
Indiana and the present limits of Illinois, 
and on the 18th of August, ISOi, a treaty 
at St. Louis, whereby over 51,000,000 acres 
of lands were obtained from the aborigines. 
Measures were also taken to learn the con- 
dition of affairs in and about Detroit. 

C. Jouette, the Indian agent in Michi- 
gan, still a part of Indiana Territory, re- 
ported as follows upon the condition of 
matters at that post: 

"The Town of Detroit.— The charter, 
which is for fifteen miles square, was 
granted in the time of Louis XIV of 
France, and is now, from the best infor- 
mation I have been able to get, at Quebec. 
Of those two hundred and twentj'-five 
acres, only four are occupied by the town 
and Fort Lenault. The remainder is a 
common, except twenty-four acres, which 
were added twenty j-ears ago to a farm 
belonging to Wm. Macomb. * * * * 
A stockade encloses the town, fort and cit- 



adel. The pickets, as well as the public 
houses, are in a state of gradual decay. 
The streets are narrow, straight and regu- 
lar, and intersect each other at right angles. 
The houses are for the most part low and 
inelegant." 

During this year Congress granted a 
township of land for the support of a col- 
lege, and began to offer inducements for 
settlers in these wilds, and the country 
now comprising the State of Michigan 
began to fill rapidly with settlers along its 
southern borders. This same year, also, a 
law was passed organizing the Southwest 
Territory, dividing it into two portions, 
the Territory of New Orleans, which city 
was made the seat of government, and the 
District of Louisiana, whifth was annexed 
to the domain of Gen. Harrison. 

On the 11th of January, 1805, the Terri- 
tory of Michigan was formed. "Wm. Hull 
was appointed governor with headquarters 
at Detroit, the change to take effect on 
June 30th. On the 11th of that month, a 
fire occurred at Detroit, which destroj'ed 
almost every building in the place. AVhen 
the officers of the new Territory reached the 
post, they found it in ruins, and the inhab- 
itants scattered throughout the country. 
Rebuilding, however, soon commenced, and 
ere long the town contained more houses 
than before the fire, and matiy of them 
much better built. 

While this was being done, Indiana had 
passed to the second grade of government, 
and through her G^^neral Assembly had 
obtained large tracts of land from the 
Indian tribes. To all this the celebrated 
Indian. Tecumthe or Tecuraseh, vigorously 
protested, and it was the main cause of his 
attempts to unite the various Indian tribes 



THE NOkTHWEST TERRITORY. 



37 



in a conflict with the settlers. To obtain a 
full account of these attempts, the workings 
of tlie British, and tiie signal failure, culmi- 
nating in the death of Tccumseh at the 
buttle of the Thames, and the close of the 
war of 1812 in the Northwest, we will step 
aside in our story, and relate the principal 
t'vcnts of his life, and his connectiou with 
this conflict. 

TECUMSicn, AM) THi': wak of 1812. 

This famous Indian chief was born about 
the year 1708, not far from the site of the 
present City of Piqua, Ohio. Ills father, 
Puckeshinwa, was a member of the Kisopok 
tribe of the Shawanoese nation, and his moth- 
er, Methontaske, was a member of tiie Tur- 
tle tribe of the same people. They removed 
from Florida al)out the miildle of the last 
century to the birthplace of Tecumseh. In 
1 774, his father, who had risen to be chief, 
was slain at the battle of Point Pleasant, 
and not long after, Tecumseh, by his brav- 
ery, became the leader of his tribe. In 
1795 he was declared chief, and then lived 
at Deer Creek, near the site of the present 
City of Urbana. He remained here about 
one year, when he returned to Piqua, and 
in 1798, he went to White River, Indiana. 
In 180.5, he and his bi-other, Laulewasikan 
(Open Door), who had announced himself 
as a projihct, went to a ti'act of land on the 
AVabash lliver, given them by the Potta- 
watomies and Kickapoos. From this date 
the chief comes into prominence. He was 
now about thirty-seven years of age, was 
five feetand ten inches in height, was stout- 
ly built, and possessed of enormous powers 
of endurance. His countenance was natu- 
rally pleasing, and he was, in general, de- 
void of those savage attributes possessed 



by most Indians. It is stated he could 
read and write, and had a confidential sec- 
retary and adviser, named Billy Caldwell, 
a half-breed, who afterward became chief 
of the Pottawatomies. He occupied the 
first house built on the site of Chicago. At 
this time, Tecumseh entered upon the great 
work of his life. He had long objected to 
the grants of land made by the Indians to 
the whites, and determined to unite all the 
Indian tribes into a league, in order that no 
treaties or grants of land could be made 
save by the consent of this confederation. 

He traveled constantly, going from north 
to south; from the south to the north, 
everywhere urging the Indians to this step. 
He was a matcldess orator, and his burning 
words had their effect. 

Gen. Harrison, then Governor of Indiana, 
by watching the movement of the Indians, 
became convinced that a grand conspiracy 
was forming, and made preparations to de- 
fend the settlements. Tecumseh's plan was 
similar to Pontiac's, elsewhere described, 
and to the cunning artifice of that chieftain 
was ad<led his own sagacit3\ 

During the year 1809, Tecumseh and the 
prophet were actively preparing for the 
work. In that year. Gen. Harrison entered 
into a treaty with the Delawares, Kickapoos, 
Pottawatomies, Miamis, Eel River Indians 
and Weas, in wJiich these tribes ceded to 
the whites certain lands upon the "Wabash, 
to all of which Tecumseh entered a bitter 
protest, averring as one principal reason that 
he did not want the Indians to give up any 
lands north and west of the Ohio River. 

Tecumseh, in August, 1810, visited the 
General at Vincennes and held a council 
relating to the grievances of the Indians. 
Becoming unduly angry at this conference 



3S 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



he was dismissed from the villaore, and 
soon after departed to incite the Southern 
Indian tribes to tlie conflict. 

Gen. Harrison determined to move upon 
the chief's headquarters at Tippecanoe, and 
for this purpose went about sixty-five miles 
up the Wabash, where he built Fort Harri- 
son. From this place he went to the 
])rophet's town, where he informed the 
Indians he iiad no hostile intentions, 
provided they were true to the e.xisting 
treaties. He encamped near the villaj^e 
early in October, and on the raornin» of 
November 7th, he was attacked by a large 
force of the Indians, and the famous battle 
uf Tippecanoe occurred. The Indians were 
routed and their town broken up. Tecum- 
seh returning not long after, was greatly 
exasperated at his brother, the prophet, 
even threatening to kill him for rashly 
precipitating the war, and foiling his 
(Tecuniseh's) plans. 

Tecnmseh sent word to General Harri- 
son that he was now returned from the 
South, and was ready to visit the President, 
as had at one time previously been proposed. 
Gen. Harrison informed him he could not 
go as a chief, which method Tecnmseh 
desired, and the visit was never made. 

In June of the following year, he visited 
the Indian agent at Fort AVayne. Here he 
disavowed any intention to make a war 
against the United States, and reproached 
Gen. Harrison for marching against his 
people. The agent replied to this ; Tecnm- 
seh listened with a cold indiflerence, and 
after making a few general remarks, with 
a haughty air drew his blanket about him, 
left the council house, and departed for 
Fort Maiden, in upper Canada, where he 
ioined the British standard. 



He remained under this Government, 
doing effective work for the Crown while 
engaged in the war of 1812 which now 
opened. He was, however, always humane 
in his treatment of the prisoners, never 
allowing his warriors to ruthlessly mutilate 
the bodies ' of those slain, or wantonly 
murder the captive. 

In the summer of 1S13, Perry's victory 
on Lake Erie occurred, and shortly after 
active prejiarations were made to caj)ture 
Maiden. On the 2Tth of September, the 
American army, under Gen. Harrison, set 
sail for the shores of (^anada, and in a few 
hours stood around the ruins of Maiden, 
from which the British army, under Proc- 
tor, had retreated to Sandwich, intending 
to make its way to the heart of Canada by 
the Valley of the Thames. On the 29t]i 
Gen. Harrison was at Sandwich, and Gen. 
McArthur took possession of Detroit and 
the Territory of Michigan. 

On the 2d of October, the Americans 
bewan their pursuit of Proctor, whom they 
overtook on the 5th, and the battle of the 
Thames followed. Early in the engage- 
ment, Tecnmseh who was at the head of the 
column of Indians was slain, and they, no 
longer hearing the voice of their chieftain, 
fled. The victory was decisive, and prac- 
tically closed the war in the Northwest. 

Just who killed tlie great chief has been 
a matter of much dispute ; but the weight 
of o]3inion awards the act to Col. Richard 
M. Johnson, who fired at him witlia pistol, 
the shot proving fatal. 

In 1S05 occurred Burr's Insurrection. 
He took possession of a beautiful island in 
the Oliio, after the killing of Hamilton, 
and is charged by many with attempting 
to set up an independent government. His 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



39 



plans were frustrated by the general gov- 
ernment, his property confiscated and he 
was com pelted to flee the country for safety. 

In January, 1807, Governor Hull, of 
]\[ichis:an Territory, made a treaty with 
the Indians, whereby all that peninsula 
was ceded to the United States. Before 
the close of the .year, a stockade was built 
about Detroit. It was also during this year 
that Indiana and Illinois endeavored to 
obtain the repeal of tiiat section of the 
compact of ITS", whereby slavery was ex- 
cluded from the Northwest Territory. 
These attempts, however, all signally failed. 

In 1809 it was deemed advisable to di- 
vide the Indiana Territorj-. This was done, 
and the Territory of Illinois was formed 
from the western part, the seat of govern- 
ment being fixed at Kaskasia. The next 
year, the intentions of Tecumseh mani- 
fested themselves in open hostilities, and 
then began the events already narrated. 

While this war was in progress, emigra- 
tion to the West went on with surprising 
rapidity. In 1811, under Mi-. Ilooseveltof 
Xew York, the first steamboat trip was 
made on the Ohio, much to the astonish- 
ment of the natives, many of whom fled in 
terror at tlie appearance of the " monster." 
It arrived at Louisville on the tenth day of 
October. At the close of the first week of 
.lannary, 1812, it arrived at Xatchez, after 
being nearly overwhelmed in the great 
earthquake which occurred, while on its 
downward trip. 

The battle of the Thames was fought on 
October 6th, 1813. It eft'ectually closed hos- 
tilities in the Northwest, although peace 
was not fully restored untilJuly 22d, 1814, 
when a treaty was formed at Greenville, 
under the direction of General Harrison, 



between the United States and the Indian 
tribes, in which it was stipulated that the 
Indians should cease hostilities against the 
Americans if the war were continued. 
Such, happily, was not the case, and on the 
21:th of December, the treaty of Ghent was 
signed by the representatives of England, 
and the United States. This treaty was 
followed the next year by treaties with va- 
rious Indian tribes throughout the West 
and Xorthwest, and quiet was again re- 
stored in this part of the new world. 

On the ISth of March, 1816, Pittsburgh 
was incorporated as a city. It then had a 
population of 8,000 people, and was already 
noted for its manufacturing interests. On 
April 19th, Indiana Territory was allowed to 
form a State government. At that time 
tliere were thirteen counties organized, con- 
taining about sixty- three thousand inhabi- 
tants. The first election of State officers 
was held in August, when Jonathan Jenn- 
ings was chosen Governor. The ofiicers were 
sworn in on November 7th, and on Decem- 
ber 11th, the State was formally admitted 
into the Union. For some time the seat of 
government was at Corydon, but a more 
central location being desirable, the present 
capital, Indianapolis (City of Indiana), was 
laid out January 1, 1825. 

On the 28th of December, the Bank of 
Illinois, at Shawneetown, was chartered, 
with a capital of !j;:3t 10,000. At this period 
all banks were under the control of the 
States, and were allowed to establish 
branches at diflerent convenient points. 

Until this time Chillicothe and Cincin- 
nati had in turn enjoyed the ])rivileges of 
being the cai)ital of Ohio. But the rapid 
settlement of the northern and eastern por- 
tions of the State demanded, as in Indiana, 



40 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



a more central location, and before the close 
of the year, the site of Columbus was se- 
lected and surveyed as the future capital of 
the State. Banking had begun in Ohio as 
early as 1S08, when the first bank was 
chartered at Marietta, but here as elsewhere 
it did not bring to the State the hoped-for 
assistance. It and other banks were subse- 
qently unable to redeem their currency, 
and were obliged to suspend. 

In 1818, Illinois was made a State, and all 
the territory north of her northern limits 
was erected into a separate territory and 
joined to Michigan for judicial purposes. 
By the following year, navigation of the 
lakes was increasing with great rapidity 
and affording an immense source of revenue 
to the dwellers in the [Nortliwest', but it was 
not until 1826, that the trade was extended 
to Lake Michigan, or that steamships began 
to navigate the bosom of that inland sea. 

Until the year 1832, the commencement 
of the Black Hawk War, but few hostilities 
M-ere experienced with the Indians. Roads 
were opened, canals were dug, cities were 
built, common schools were established, 
universities were founded, many of which, 
especially the Micliigan University, have 
achieved a -world-wide reputation. The 
]ieople were becoming wealthy. The do- 
mains of the United States had been ex- 
tended, and had the sons of the forest been 
treated with honesty and justice, the record 
of many years would have been that of 
peace and continuous prosperity. 

BLACK HAWK AND TUE BLACK HAWK AVAR. 

Tills conflict, though confined to Illinois, 
is an important epoch in the Northwestern 
histoi-y, being the last war with the 
Indians in this part of tiin United States. 



Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiah, or Black 
Hawk, was born in the ]iriiicipal Sac vil- 
lage, about three miles from the junction 
of Rock River with the Mississippi, in the 
year 1767. His father's name was Py-c-sa 
or Pahaes; his grandfather's, ]!fa-na-raa- 
kee, or the Thunderer. Black Hawk early 
distinguished himself as a warrior, and at 
the age of fifteen was permitted to paint, 
and was ranked among the braves. About 
the year 1783, he went on an expedition 
against the enemies of his nation, the 
Osages, one of whom he killed and scalped, 
and for this deed of Indian bravery he was 
permitted to join in the scalp dance. 
Three or four years after, he, at the head of 
two hundred braves, went on another expe- 
dition against the Osages, to avenge the 
murder of some women and children 
belonging to his own tribe. Meeting an 
equal number of Osage warriors, a fierce 
battle ensued, in which the latter tribe lost 
one-half their number. The Sacs lost onlv 
about nineteen warriors. He next attacked 
the Cherokees for a similar cause. In a 
severe battle with them, near the ]iresent 
City of St. Louis, his father was slain, and 
Black Hawk, taking possession of the 
" Medicine Bag," at once announced him- 
self chief of the Sac nation. He had now 
conquered the Cherokees, and about the 
year 1800, at the head of five hundred Sacs 
and Foxes, and a hundred lowas, he waged 
war against the Osage nation and subdued 
it. For two years he battled successfully 
with other Indian tribes, all of whom he 
conquered. 

Black Hawk does not at any time seem 
to have been friendly to the Americans. 
AVhen on a visit to St. Louis to see his 
" Spanish Father," he declined to see an v 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



41 



of the Americans, alleging as a reason, he 
did not want two fathers. 

The treaty at St. Louis was consummated 
in 1804. Tlie next j'ear the United States 
Government erected a fort near tlie head of 
the Des Moines Rapids, called Fort Ed- 
wards. This seemed to enrage Black Hawk, 
who at once determined to capture Fort 
Madison, standing on the west side of the 
Mississippi above the mouth of the Des 
Moines Iliver. The fort vvas garrisoned b\' 
about fift}' men. Here lie was defeated. 
Tlie difficulties with the Britisli Govern- 
ment arose about this time, and tlie War 
of 18i2 followed. That government, ex- 
tending aid to the AVestern Indians, by 
giving them arms and ammunition, in- 
duced them to remain hostile to the Amer- 
icans. In August, 1812, Black Hawk, at 
the head of about five hundred braves, 
started to join the British forces at Detroit, 
passing on his way the site of Chicago, 
where the famous Fort Dearborn Massacre 
liad a few days before occurred. Of his con- 
nection with the British Government but 
little is known. In 1813, he with his little 
band descended the Mississippi, and attack- 
ing some United States troops at Fort 
Howard, was defeated. 

In the early part of 1S15, the Indian 
ti-ibes west of the Mississippi were notified 
that peace had been declared between the 
United States and England, and nearly all 
hostilities had ceased. Black Hawk did 
not sign any treaty, however, until May of 
the following year. He then recognized 
the validity of the treaty at St. Louis in 
1804. From the time of signing this treaty 
in ISlo, until the breaking out of the war 
in ls32, he and his band ])assed their time 
ill the ci'mnion iiursuits of Imliun life. 



Ten years before the commencement of 
this war, tlie Sac and Fox Indians were 
urged to join the lowas on the west bank 
of the Father of AVaters. All were agreed, 
save the band known as the British Band, 
of which Black Hawk was leader. He 
strenuously objected to the removal, and 
was induced to comply only after being 
threatened with the ]iower of the Govern- 
ment. This and various actions on the 
part of the white settlers provuked Black 
Hawk and his band to attempt the cap- 
ture of his native village now occupied by 
the whites. The war followed. He and 
his actions were undoubtedly misunder- 
stood, and had his wishes been acquiesced 
in at the beginning of the struggle, much 
bloodshed would have been prevented. 

Black Hawk was chief now of the Sac 
and Fox nations, and a noted warrior. He 
and his tribe inhabited a village on Rock 
River, nearly three miles above its conflu- 
ence with the Mississippi, where the tribe 
had lived manj' generations. AVhen that 
portion of Illinois was reserved to them, 
they remained in peaceable possession of 
their reservation, spending their time in the 
enjoyment of Indian life. The fiue situa- 
tion of their village and the quality of their 
lands incited the more lawless white set- 
tlers, who from time to time began to 
encroach ujion the red men's domain. 
From one pretext to another, and from one 
step to another, the crafty white men 
wained a foothold, until throuirh whi~kv 
and artifice they obtained deeds from man v 
of the Indians for their possessions. The 
Indians were finally induced to cross over 
the Father of Waters and locate among 
the lowas. Black Hawk was strenuously 
op]>o?ed to all this, but as tlie authorities 



42 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



of Illinois and the United States tlioiiirht 
tliis the best move, he was forced to comply. 
Moreover other tribes joined the whites 
and ni'ged the removal. Black Hawk- 
would not agree to the terms of the treaty 
made with his nation for their lands, and 
as soon as the military, called to enforce 
his removal, had retired, he returned to 
the Illinois side of the river. A large force 
was at once raised and marched against 
him. On the evening of May 14, lSo'2, 
the lirst engagement occurred between a 
band from this army and Black Hawk's 
band, in which the former were defeated. 

This attack and its result aroused the 
whites. A large force of men was raised, 
and Gen. Scott hastened from the seaboard, 
by way of the lakes, with United States 
troops and artillery to aid in the subjuga- 
tion of the Indians. On the 2J:th of June, 
Black Hawk, witli 200 warriors, was re- 
pulsed by Major Demont between Eock 
Iliver and Galena. The American array 
continued to move up Rock River toward 
the main body of the Indians, and on the 
21st of July came upon Black Hawk and 
his band, and defeated them near the Blue 
Mounds. 

Before this action. Gen. Henry, in com- 
mand, sent word to the main army by 
whom he was immediately rejoined, and 
the whole crossed the Wisconsin in pursuit 
of Black Hawk and his band who were 
tleeing to the Mississippi. They were 
overtaken on the 2d of August, and in the 
l)attle which followed the power of tlie 
Indian chief was completely' broken. He 
fled, but was seized by the Winnebagoes 
and delivered to the whites. 

On the 21st of September, 1832, Gen. 
Scott and Gov. Rcvnolds concluded a trcatv 



with the Winnebagoes, Sacs and Foxes, by 
which they ceded to the United States a 
vast ti-act of country, and agreed to remain 
pieaceable with the whites. For the taith- 
ful performance of the provisions of this 
treaty on the part of the Indians, it was 
stipulated that Black Hawk, his two sons, 
the prophet Wabokieshiek, and six other 
chiefs of the hostile bands should be re- 
tained as hostages during the pleasure of 
the President. They were contined at Fort 
Barracks and put in irons. 

The next spring, by order of the Secre- 
tary of War, they were taken to Washing- 
ton. From there they were removed to 
Fortress Monroe, " there to remain until 
the conduct of their nation was such as to 
justify their being set at liberty." They 
were retained here until the -tth of June, 
when the authorities directed them to be 
taken to the principal cities so that tliey 
might see the folly of contending against 
the white people. Everywhere they were 
observed by thousands, the name of the 
old chief being extensively known. By the 
middle of August they reached Fort Arm- 
strong on Rock Island, where Black Hawk 
was soon after released to go to his country- 
men. As he passed the site of his birth- 
place, now the home of the wliite man, he 
was deeply m^v^ed. His village where he 
was borti, where ho had so happily lived, 
and where he had hoped to die, was now 
another's dwelling place, and he was a 
wanderer. 

Ou the next day after his release, he 
went at once to his tribe and his lodge. 
His wife was yet living, and with her he 
passed the remainder of his days. To his 
credit it may be said that Black Hawk 
alwavs remained true to his wife, and 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



43 



served her with a devotion uncommon 
among the Indians, living with her upward 
of forty years. 

Black Ilawk now passed his time liuut- 
ing and fishing. A deep melanclioly lunl 
settled over him from which he could not 
be freed. At all times when he visited the 
whites he was received with marked atten- 
tion. He was an honored guest at the old 
settlers' reunion in Lee County, Illinois, at 
some of their meetings, and received many 
tokens of esteem. In Saptember, IS 38, 
while on his way to Rack Island to receive 
liis annuity from the Government, he con- 
tracted a severe cold which resulted in a 
fatal attack of bilious fever which termina- 
ted Ills life on October 3d. His faithful 
wife, who was devotedly attached to him, 
mourned deeply during his sickness. 
After his death he was dressed in tlie uni- 
form presented to him by the President 
wiiile in Washington. He was buried in 
a grave six feet in depth, situated upon a 
beautiful eminence. " The body was placed 
in the middle of the grave, in a sitting 
posture, upon a seat constructed for the 
purpose. On his left side, the cane, given 
him by Henry Clay, was placed upright, 
with his right hand i-esting upon it. Many 
of the old warrior's trophies wore placed in 
the grave, and some Indian garments, to- 
gether with liis favorite weapons. 

No sooner was the Black Hawk war con- 
cluded than settlers began rapidly to 
pour into the northern parts of Illinois, and 
into AVisconsin, now free from Indian 
depredations. Chicago, from a trading 
postj had grown to a commercial center, 
and was rapidly coming into prominence. 
In 1835, tlie formation of a State Govern- 
ment in ^[icliigan was discussed, lint di<l 



not take active form until two years later, 
when the State became a j)art of the Federal 
Union. 

Tlie main attraction to that portion of 
the Northwest lying west of Lake Michi- 
gan, now included in the State of Wiscon- 
sin, was its alluvial wealth. Copper ore 
was found about Lake Superior. For some 
time this region was attached to Michigan 
for judiciary purposes, but in 1830 was 
made a Territory, then including Minnesota 
and Iowa. The latter State was detached 
two years later. In 1848, Wisconsin was 
admitted as a State, Madison being made 
the ca]iital. We have now traced the vari- 
ous divisions of the Northwest Territory 
(save a little iii Minnesota) from the time 
it was a unit comprising this vast territory, 
until circumstances compelled its present 
division. 

OTHER INDIAN TROUBLES. 

Before leaving this part of the narrative, 
we will narrate briefly the Indian troubles 
in Minnesota and elsewhere by the Sioux 
Indians. 

In August, 1S02, the Sioux Indians liv- 
ing on the western borders of Minnesota 
fell upon the unsuspecting settlers, and in 
a few hours massacred ten or twelve hun- 
dred persons. A distressful panic was 
the immediate result, full\' thirty thou- 
sand persons fleeing from their homes to 
districts supposed to be better protected. 
The military authorities at once took active 
measures to punish the savages, and a large 
number were killed and captured. About 
a year after. Little Crow, the chief, was 
killed by a Mr. Lampson near Scattered 
Lake. Of those captured thirty were liung 
at Mankato, and the remainder, through 



44 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



fears of mob violence, were removed to 
Camp McClellan, on the outskirts of the 
City of Davenport. It was here that Big 
Eagle came into prominence and secured 
iiis release by the following order: 

"Special Order, No. 430. "War Department, 
"Adjutant General's Office, 

" Washington, Dec. 3, 1864. 
" Big Eagle, an Indian now in confinement at 
Davenport, Iowa, will, upon the receipt of this order, 
be immediately released from confiaement and set at 
liberty. 

" By order of the President of the United States. 

" Official: , " E. D. Townsend, 

Ass't Adj't Gen. 
" Capt. James Vanderventer, 

Com';/ Sub. Vols. 
"Through (Jom'g Gen'l, Washington, D. C." 

Another Indian v.dio figures more promi- 
nently than Big Eagle, and wjio was more 
cowardly in liis nature, with his band of 
Modoc Indians, is noted in the annals of 
the New Northwest: we refer to Captain 
Jack. This distinguished Indian, noted for 
his cowardly murder of Gen. Canby, was a 
chief of a Modoc tribe of Indians inhabiting 
the border lands between California and 
Oregon. This region of country compi-ises 
what is known as the " Lava Beds," a tract 
of land described as utterly impenetrable, 
save by those savages who had made it 
their home. 

The Modocs are known as an exceedingly 
fierce and treacherous race. Thej had, ac- 
cording to their own traditions, resided 
here for many generations, and at one time 
were exceedingly numerous and powerful. 
A famine carried oif nearly half their num- 
bers, and disease, indolence and the vices 
of the white man have reduced them to a 
poor, weak and insignificant tribe. 

Soon after the settlement of California 
and Oregon, complaints began to be heard 



of massacres of emigrant trains passing 
throngli the Modoc country. In 1847, an 
emigrant train, comprising eighteen souls, 
was entirely destroyed at a place since 
known as "Bloody Point." These occur- 
rences caused the United States Govern- 
ment to ajipoint a peace commission, who, 
after repeated attempts, in 1864, made a 
treaty with the Modocs, Snakes and Kla- 
maths, in which it was agreed on their part 
to remove to a reservation .set apart for 
tb.em in the southern part of Oregon. 

With the exception of Captain Jack and 
a band of his followers, who remained at 
Clear Lake, about six miles from Klamath, 
all the Indians complied. The Modocs 
who went to the reservation were under 
chief Schonchin. Captain Jack remained 
at the lake without distni-bance tmtil 1869, 
when he was also induced to remove to the 
reservation. The Modocs and the Klaraaths 
soon became involved in a quarrel, and 
Captain Jack and his band returned to the 
Lava Beds. 

Several attempts were made by the In- 
dian Commissioners to induce them to re- 
turn to the reservation, and finally becom- 
ing involved in a difficulty with the com- 
missioner and his military escort, a fight 
ensued, in which the chief and his baud 
were routed. They were greatly enraged 
and on their retreat, before the day closed, 
killed eleven inotfensive whites. 

The nation was aroused and immediate 
action demanded. A commission was at 
once appointed by the Government to see 
what could be done. It comprised the fol- 
lowing persons: Gen. E. R. S. Canby, 
Rev. Dr. E. Thomas, a leading Methodist 
divine of California; Mr. A. B. Meacham, 
J udge Rosborongh, of California, and a ^Mr. 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



45 



Dyer, of Oregon. After several interviews, 
in which the savages were always aggres- 
sive, often appearing with scalps in their 
belts, Bogus Charley came to the commis- 
sion on the evening of April 10, 1S73, and 
informed them tiiat Capt. Jack and his 
band would have a " talk " to-morrow at a 
place near Clear Lake, about three miles 
distant. Here the Commissioners, accom- 
panied by Charley, Riddle, the interpreter, 
and Boston Charley, repaired. After the 
usual greeting the council proceedings com- 
menced. On behalf of the Indians there 
were present: Capt. Jack, Black Jim, Schac 
Nasty Jim, Ellen's Man, and Hooker Jim. 
They liad no guns, but carried pistols. 
After short speeches by Mr. Meacham, Gen. 
Canby and Dr. Thomas, Chief Schonchin 
arose to s]:)eak. He had scarcely proceeded 
when, as if by a preconcerted arrangement, 
Capt. Jack drew his pistol and shot Gen. 
Canby dead. In less than a minute a dozen 
shots were fired by the savages, and the 
massacre completed. Mr. Meacham was 
shot by Schonchin, and Dr. Thomas by 
Boston Charley. Mr. Dyer barely escaped, 
being fired at twice. Riddle, tiie interpre- 
ter, and his squaw escaped. The troops 
rushed to the spot where they found Gen. 
Canby and Dr. Thomas dead, and Mr. 
Meacham badly wounded. The savages 
had escaped to their impenetrable fastnesses 
and could not be pursued. 

The whole country was aroused by tliis 
brutal massacre; but it was not until the 
following May that the murderers were 
brought to justice. At that time Boston 
Charley gave himself up, and oflered to 
guide tiic troops to Capt. Jack's stronghold. 
This led to the capture of his entire gang, 
a number of whom were murdered by Ore- 



gon volunteers while on their way to trial. 
The remaining Indians were held as pris- 
oners until July, when their trial occurred, 
which led to the conviction of Capt. Jack, 
Schonchin, Boston Charley, Hooker Jim, 
Broncho, alias One- Eyed Jim, and Slotuck, 
wl»o were sentenced to be hanged. These 
sentences were approved by the President, 
save in the case of Slotuck and Broncho 
whose sentences were commuted to impris- 
onment for life. Tiie others were executed 
at Fort Klamath, October 3, 1873. 

These closed the Indian troubles for a 
time in the Northwest, and for several years 
the borders of civilization remained in peace. 
They were again involved in a conflict with 
the savages about the country of the Black 
Hills, in which war the gallant Gen. Caster 
lost his life. Just now the borders of Ore- 
gon and California are again in fear of hos- 
tilities; but as the Government lifts learned 
how to deal with the Indians, they will be 
of short duration. The red man is fast 
passing away before the march of the white 
man, and a few more generations will read 
of the Indians as one of the nations of the 
past. 

The Northwest abounds in memorable 
places. AVe have generally noticed them 
in the narrative, but our space forbids 
their description in detail, save of the most 
important places. Detroit, Cincinnati, 
Yincennes, Kaskaskia and their kindred 
towns have all been described. But ere 
we leave the narrative we will present our 
readers witli an account of the Kiuzie 
house, the old landmark of Chicago, and 
the discovery of the source of the Missis- 
sippi River, each of which may well find a 
place in the annals of the Northwest. 

^[r. John Kinzic, of the Kinzie house. 



4f. 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



established a trading house at Fort Deai*- 
born in ISOi. The stockade had been 
erected the year previous, and named Fort 
Dearborn in honor of the Secretary of "War. 
It had a block house at each of the two 
angles, on the southern side a sallyport, a 
covered way on the north side, that led 
down to the river, for the double purpose 
of providing means of escape, and of pro- 
curing water in the event of a siege. 

Fort Dearborn stood on the south bank 
of the Chicago River, about half a mile 
from its mouth. When Major Whistler 
built it, his soldiers hauled all the timber, 
for he had no oxen, and so economically 
did he work that the fort cost the Govern- 
ment only fifty dollars. For a while the 
garrison could get no grain, and Whistler 
and his men subsisted on acorns. Now 
Chicago is the greatest grain center in the 
world. 

Mr. Ivinzie bought the hut of the first 
settler, Jean Baptiste Point au Sable, on 
the site of which he erected his mansion. 
Within an inclosure in front he plante 1 
some Loinbardy poplars, and in the rear he 
soon had a tine garden and growing orchard. 

In 1812 the Kinzie house and its sur- 
roundiniis became the theater of stirrins: 
events. The garrison of Fort Dearborn 
consisted of fifty-four men, under the 
charge of Capt. Nathan Ileald, assisted by 
Lieutenant Lenai T. Helm (son-in-law to 
Mrs. Kinzie), and ensign Ronan. The sur- 
geon was Dr. Yoorhees. Tiie only resi- 
dents at the post at that time were the 
wives of Capt. Heald and Lieutenant Helm 
and a few of the soldiers, Mr. Kinzie and 
his family, and a few Canadian voyageurs 
with their wives and children. The sol- 
diers and Mr. Kinzie were on the most 



friendly terms with the J^ottawatomies and 
the AViunebagoes, the principal tribes 
around them, but they could not win them 
from their attachment to the Eritish. 

After the battle of Tippecanoe it was 
observed that some of the leading chiefs 
became sullen, for some of their people 
had perished iu that conflict with Ameri- 
can troops. 

One evening in April 1812, Mr. Kinzie 
sat playing his violin and his children 
were dancing to the music, when Mrs. 
Kinzie came rushing into the house pale 
with terror, exclaiming, "The Indians! the 
Indians!" "What? Where?" eagerly 
inquired Mr. Kinzie. " Up at Lee's, kill- 
ing and scalping," answei-ed the frightened 
mother, who, when the alarm was given, 
was attending Mrs. Burns, a newly-made 
mother, living not far off. Mr. Kinzie 
and his family crossed the river in boats, 
and took refnge in the fort, to which place 
Mrs. Burns and her infant, not a day old, 
were convoyed in safety to the shelter of 
the guns of Fort Dearborn, and the rest of 
the white inhabitants fled. The Indians were 
a scalping party of Winnebagoes, who hov- 
ered around the fort some days, when they 
disa]ipeared, and for several weeks the in- 
habitants were not disturbed by alarms. 

Chicago was then so deep in the wilder- 
ness, that the news of the declaration of 
war against Great Britain, made on the 
19th of June, 1812, did not reach the com- 
mander of the garrison at Fort Dearborn 
till the 7th of August. Now the fiist mail 
train will carry a man from New York to 
Chicago in twent^'-seven hoars, and such a 
declaration miglit be sent, every word, by 
the telegraph in less than the same number 
of minutes. 



TlIK XUUTHWEST TKliKITuKV. 



■i- 



PRESENT CONDITION OF THE NORTHWEST. 

Preceding chapters liave brought us to 
the close of the Bhick Hawk war, and we 
now turn to the contemplation of the growth 
and prosperity of the northwest under the 
smile of pea;'e and the blessings of our 
civilization. The pioneers of tliis region 
date events back to the deep snow of 1831, 
no one arriving here since that date taking 
first honors. Tiie inciting cause of the 
immigration which overflowed the prairies 
ear!\' in tlie '30s was the reports of the 
marvelous beauty and fertility of the re- 
gion distributed through the East by those 
who had participated in the Black Ilawk 
campaign with Gen. Scott. Ciiicago and 
Milwaukee then had a few hundred inhab- 
itants, and Gurdon S. Hubbard's trail from 
tiie former city to Kaskaskia led alniost 
througli a wilderness. Vegetables and 
clotiiing were largely distributed through 
the regions adjoining the lakes by steaui- 
ers from the Ohio towns. There are men 
now living in Illinois who came to the 
State when barely an acre was in cultiva- 
tion, and a man now prominent in the bus- 
iness circles of Ciiicago looked over the 
swampy, cheerless site of that metropolis in 
1S18 and went southward into civilization. 
Emigrants from Pennsylvania in 1830 
left behind them but one small railway in 
the coal regions thirty miles in leni^th, 
and made their way to the jSTorthwest 
mostly with ox teams, finding in Northern 
Illinois petty settlements scores of miles 
apart, although the southern portion of 
the state was fairly dotted with farms. The 
water courses of the lakiis and rivers fur- 
nished transportation to the second great 
army of immigrants, an'l about 1850 rail- 
roads were pushed to that extent that the 



crisis of 1837 was precipitated upon us, from 
the effects of which the Western country 
had not fully recovered at the outbreak of 
the war. Hostilities found the colonists 
of the prairies fully alive to the demands 
of the occasion, and the honor of recruit- 
ing tiie vast armies of the Union fell largely 
to Gov. Yates, of Illinois, and Gov. Mor- 
ton, of Indiana. To recount the share of 
the glories of the campaign won by our 
Western troops is a needless task, except 
to mention the fact that Illinois gave to 
the nation the President who saved it, and 
sent out at the head of one of its regiments 
the general who led its armies to the final 
victory at Appomattox. The struggle, on 
the whole, had a marked effect for the bet- 
ter on the new Northwest, giving it an im- 
petus which twenty years of peace would 
not have produced. In a large degree this 
prospcritj' was an inflated one, and with 
the rest of the Union we have since been 
compelled to atone therefor. Agriculture, 
still the leading feature in our industries, 
has been quite prosperous through all these 
years, and the farmers have cleared away 
many incumbrances resting over them from 
the period of fictitious values. The po])- 
ulation has steadily increased, the arts and 
sciences are gaining a stronger foothold, 
the trade area of the region is becoming 
daily more extended, and wa have been 
largely exempt from the financial calam- 
ities. 

At the present period there are no great 
schemes broached for the Northwest, no 
propositions for government subsidies or 
national works of improvement, but the 
capital of the world is attracted hither for 
the purchase of our products or the expan- 
sion of our capacity for serving the nation 



48 



THE NORTHWEST TKKRITORY. 



at larire. A new era is dawnino; as to 
transportation, and we bid fair to deal al- 
most exclusively with the increasing and 
expanding lines of steel rail running 
through every few miles of territory on the 
prairies. The lake marine will no doubt 
continue to be useful in the warmer season, 
and to serve as a regulator of freight rates; 
but experienced navigators forecast tlie 
decay of the system in moving to the sea- 
board the enormous crops of the West. 
"Within the past few years it has become 
quite common to see direct shipments to 
Europe and the West Indies going through 
from the second-class towns along the 
Mississippi and Missouri. 

As to popular education, the standard 
has of late risen very greatly, and our 
schools would be creditable to any section 
of the Union. 

More and more as the events of the war 
pass into obscurity will the fate of the 
Northwest be linked with that of the 
Southwest. 

Our public men continue to wield the 
full share of influence pertaining to their 
rank in the national autonomy, and seem 
not to forget that for the past sixteen years 
they and their constituents have dictated 
the principles which should govern the 
country. 

In a work like this, destined to lie on 
the shelves of the library for generations, 
and not doomed to daily destruction like a 
newspaper, one can not indulge in the 
same glowing predictions, the sanguine 
statements of actualities that fill the col- 
umns of ephemeral ]niblications. Time 
maj' bring grief to the pet projects of a 
writer, and explode castles erected on a 
pedestal of facts. Yet there are unmistaka- 



ble indications before us of the same I'adical 
change in our great JTorthwest which char- 
acterizes its history for the past thirty 
years. Our domain has a sort of natural 
geographical border, save where it melts 
away to the southward in the cattle raisin" 
districts of the Southwest. 

Onr prime interest will for some j'ears 
doubtless be the growth of the food of the 
world, in which branch it has already out- 
stripped all competitors, and our great rival 
in this duty will naturally be the fertile 
plains of Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado, 
to say nothing of the new empire so rapid- 
ly growing up in Texas. Over these regions 
there is a continued progress in agriculture 
and in railway building, and we must look 
to our laurels. Intelligent observers of 
events are fully aware of the strides 
made in the way of shipments of fresh 
meats to Europe, many of these ocean car- 
goes being actually slaughtered in the West 
and transported on ice to the wharves of the 
seaboard cities. That this new enterprise 
will continue there is no reason to doubt. 
There are in Chicago several factories for 
the canning of prepared meats for European 
consumption, and the orders for this class 
of goods are already immense. English 
capital is becoming daily more and more 
and more dissatisfied with railway loans 
and investments, and is gradually seeking 
mammoth outlays in lands and live stock. 
The stock yards in Chicago, Indianapolis 
and East St. Louis are yearly increasing 
their facilities, and their plant steadily 
grows more valuable. Importations of 
blooded animals from the progressive conn- 
tries of Europe are destined to greatlj' im- 
prove the quality of our beef and mutton. 
Nowhere is there to be seen a more enticing 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



4ii 



display in tliis line tluin at our state and 
county fairs, and the interest in the matter 
is on the increase. 

To attempt to give statistics of our grain 
production would be useless, so far have we 
surpassed ourselves in the quantity and 
quality of our product. We are too lial^le 
to forget that we are giving the world its 
first article of necessity — its food supply. 
An opportunity to learn this fact so it nev- 
er can be forgotten was afforded at Chicago 
at the outbreak of the great panic of 1873, 
when Canadian purchasers, fearing the pros- 
tration 01 business might bring about an 
anarchical condition of affairs, went to that 
city with coin in bulk and foreign drafts to 
secure their supplies in their own currency 
at first hands. It may be justly claimed by 
the agricultural community tJiat their com- 
bined efforts gave the nation its first impe- 
tus toward a restoration of its cri])pled 
industries, and their labor brought the gold 
premium to a lower depth than the govern- 
ment was able to reach by its most intense 
efforts of legislation and compulsion. The 
hundreds of millions about to be disbursed 
for farm products have already, by the an- 
ticipation common to all commercial nations, 
set the wlieels in motion, and will relieve 
us from the perils so long shadowing our 
efforts to return to a health}' tone. 

Manufacturing has attained in the chief 
cities a foothold which bids iair to render 
the Northwest independent of the outside 
world. Xearly our whole region has a dis- 
tribution of coa], measures which will in 
time support the manufactures necessary to 
our comfoi't and prosperity. As to trans- 
portation, the chief factor in the production 
of all articles except food, no section is so 
magnificently endowed, and our facilities 



are yearly increasing beyond those of any 
other region. 

The period from a central point of the 
war to the outbreak of the panic was 
marked by a tremendous growth in or.)- 
railway lines, but the depression of the 
times caused almost a total suspension of 
operations. Now that prosperity is return- 
ing to our stricken country we witness its 
anticipation by the railroad interest in a 
series of projects, extensions, and leases 
which bid fair to largely increase our 
ti'ansportation facilities. The process of 
foreclosure and sale of incumbered lines is 
another matter to be considered. In tlie 
case of the Illinois Central road, which 
formerly transferred to other lines at Cairo 
the vast burden of freight destined for the 
Gulf I'egion, we now see the incor])oration 
of the tracts connecting through to New 
Orleans, every mile co-operating in turning 
toward the northwestern metropolis the 
weight of the interstate commerce of a 
thousand miles or more of fertile planta- 
tions. Three competing routes to Texas 
have established in Chicago their general 
freight and passenger agencies. Four or 
five lines compete for all Pacific freiglits 
to a ])oint as far as the interior of Nebraska. 
Half a dozen or more splendid bridge 
structures have been thrown across the 
Missouri and Mississippi Rivers by the 
railways. The Chicago and Northwestern 
line has become an aggregation of over 
two thousand miles of rail, and the Chicajro, 
Milwaukee and St. Paul is its close rival in 
extent and importance. The three lines 
running to Cairo via Vincennes form a 
through route for all traffic with the States 
to the southward. The trunk lines being 
mainly in operation, the progress made in 



50 



THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 



the way of shorten iiig tracks, making air- 
line branches, and running extensions does 
not show to the advantage it deserves, as 
this process is constantly adding new facili- 
ties to the established order of things. TJie 
panic reduced tiie price of steel to a pf)int 
where the railways could hardly afford to 
use iron rails, and all our northwestern 
lines report large relays of Bessemer track. 
The immense crops now being moved have 
given a great rise to the value of railway 
stocks, and tiieir transportation must result 
in heavy pecuniary advantages. 

Few are aware of the importance of the 
wholesale and jobbing trade of Chicago. 
In boots and slioes and in clothing, twenty 
or more great firms from the East have 
placed here their disti-ibuting agents or 
their factories ; and in groceries Chicago 
supplies the entire Northwest at rates 



presenting advantages over New York. 

Chicago haB_ stepped in between Ncv/ 
York and tlie rural banks as a lliiaiicial 
center, and scarcely a banking institution 
in the grain or cattle regions but keejis its 
reserve funds in the vaults of our com- 
mercial institutions. Accumulating here 
tliroughout the spring and summer months, 
tliey are summoned home at pleasure to 
move the products of the prairies. This 
process' greatly strengthens the northwest 
in its financial operations, leaving home 
capital to supplement local operations on 
behalf of home interests. 

It is impossible to forecast the destiny 
of this grand and growing section of the 
Union. Figures and predictions made at 
this date might seem ten years hence so 
ludicrously small as to excite only derision. 




EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



The name of this beautiful Prairie State 
is derived from Illini, a Delaware word 
signifying Superior Men. It lias a French 
termination, and is a symbol of how the 
two races — the French and the Indians — 
were intermixed during the early history 
of the country. 

The appellation was no doubt well ap- 
])lied to tlie primitive- inhabitants of the 
soil whose prowess in savage warfare long 
withstood the combined attacks of the 
iierce Iroquois on the one side, and the no 
less savage and relentless Sacs and Foxes 
on the other. The Illinois were once a 
jiowcrful confederacy, occu])ying the most 
beautiful and fertile region in the gi-eat 
Valley of the Mississippi, wliich their en- 
emies coveted, and struggled long and 
hard to wrest from them. By the fortunes 
of war, they were diminished in numbers, 
and finally destroyed. " Starved Rock," 
oti the Illinois Hiver, according to tradi- 
tion, commemorates their last tragedy, 
wlierc, it is saitl, the entire tribe starved 
rather than sui-render. 

KAELY DISCOVERIES. 

The first European discoveries in Illi- 
nois date back over two hundred years. 
They are a part of that movement which, 
from the beginning to the middle of the 
seventeenth century, brought the French 



Canadian missionaries and fur traders into 
the Valley of the Mississippi, and which 
at a later period established the civil and 
ecclesiastical authority of France, from the 
Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexi- 
co, and from the foot-hills of the Alleglie- 
niesto the liocky Mountains. 

The great river of the "West had been 
discovered l)y De Soto, the Spanish con- 
queror of Florida, three quarters of acent- 
ui-y before the French founded Quebec in 
lt)()8, but the Spanisli left the country a 
wilderness, without further ex])loration or 
fiettlement within its borders, in which con- 
dition it renuiined until the Mississi]>pi 
was discovered by the agents of the French 
Canadian government, Joliet and Mar- 
quette, in 1673. These renowned explor- 
ers M'ere not the first white visitors to Illi- 
nois In 1671 — two years in advance of 
them — came Nicholas Perrot to Chicago, 
lie had been sent by Talon as an agent of 
the Canadian government to call a great 
peace convention of Western Indians at 
Green Bay, ])re])aratory to the movement 
for the discovery of the Mississippi. It 
was deemed a good stroke of policy to se- 
cure, as far as possible, the friendship and 
co-operation of the Indians, far and near, 
before venturing upon an enterprise which 
their hostility might render disastrous, and 
which their friendship and assistance would 



52 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLIxXOIS. 



do SO much to make successful; and to this 
end Perrot was sent to call together in 
council, the tribes throughout the North- 
west, and to promise them the commerce 
and protection of the French government. 
He accordingly arrived at Green Bay in 
1671, and procuring an escort of Pottawat- 
omies, proceeded in a bark canoe upon a 
visit to the Miamis, at Chicago. Perrot 
was therefore the first European to set foot 
upon the soil of Illinois. 

Still tliere were others before Marquette. 
In 1G72, the Jesuit missionaries, Fatliers 
Claude Allouez and Claude Dablon, bore 
the standard of the Cross from their mis- 
sion at Green Bay through western Wis- 
consin and northern Illinois, visiting tlie 
Foxes on Fox River, and the Masquotines 
and Kickapoos at the month of the Mil- 
M'aukee. These missionaries penetrated on 
the route afterwards followed by Marquette 
as far as the Kickapoo village at the head 
of Lake Winnebago, where Marquette, in 
bis journey, secured guides aorcss the 
portage to the Wisconsin. 

The oft repeated story of Marquette and 
Joliet is well known. They were the 
agents employed by the Canadian govern- 
ment to discover the Mississippi. Mar- 
quette was a native of France, born in 
1637, a Jesuit priest by education, and a 
man of simple faith and of great zeal and 
devotion in extending the Poman Catholic 
religion among the Indians. Arriving in 
Canada in 1666, he was sent as a mission- 
ary to tlie far Nortliwest, and, in 1668, 
founded a mission at Sault Ste. Marie. The 
following year he moved to La Pointe, in 
Lake Superior, wlierehe instructed a branch 
of the Hurons till 1670, when ])e removed 
south and founded the mission at St. lernace. 



on the Straits of Mackinaw. Here he re- 
mained, devoting a portion of his time to 
tlie study of the Illinois language under a 
native teacher who had accompanied him 
to the mission from La Pointe, till he was 
joined by Joliet in the spring of 1673. 
By the way of Green Baj' and the Fox and 
Wisconsin Pi vers, they entered the Mis- 
sissippi, which they explored to the mouth 
of the Arkansas, and returned by the way 
of the Illinois and Chicago Pivers to Lake 
Michigan. 

On his way up the Illinois, Marquette 
visited thp great village of the Kaskaskias, 
near what is now Utica, in the county of 
La Salle. The following year he returned 
and established among them the mission 
of the Immaculate Virgin Mar}', whicli 
was the first Jesuit mission founded in 
Illinois and in the Mississippi Valley. The 
intervening winter he had spent in a hut 
wliich his companions erected on the Clii- 
cago Piver, a few leagues from its mouth. 
Tlie founding of this mission was the last 
act of Marquette's life. He died in Micli- 
igan, on his way back to Green Bay, May 
IS, 167.5. 

FIRST FEENCn OCCUPATION*. 

The first French occupation of the terri- 
tory now embraced in Illinois was effected 
by La Salle in 1680, seven years after the 
time of Marquette and Joliet. La Salle, 
having constructed a vessel, the " Griftin," 
above the falls of .Niagara, which he sailed 
to Green Bay, and having passed thence in 
canoes to the mouth of the St. Joseph 
Piver, by which and the Kankakee he 
reached the Illinois, in January, 1680, 
erected Fort Crcvecceur, at the lower end 
of Peoria Lake, where the city of Peoria 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



53 



is HOW situated. The place where this an- 
cient fort stood may still be seen just below 
the outlet of Peoria Lake. It was destined, 
however, to a temporary existence. From 
this point, La Salle determined to descend 
tlie Mississippi to its mouth, but did not 
accomplish this ]nir])ose till two years later 
— in 1CS2. Returiiini^ to Fort Frontenac 
for the purpose of getting materials with 
which to rig his vessel, he left the fort in 
charge of Tonti, his lieutenant, who during 
liis absence was driven off by the Iroquois 
Indians. Tliese savages had made a raid up- 
on the settlement of the Illinois, and had left 
nothing in their track but ruin and desola- 
tion. Mr. Davidson, in his History of 
Illinois, gives the following graphic account 
of the picture that met the eyes of La Salle 
and his companions on their return: 

" At the great town of the Illinois they 
were appalled at the scene which opened to 
their view. No hunter appeared to break 
its death-like silence with a salutatory 
whoop of welcome. The plain on which 
the town had stood was now strewed with 
charred fragments of lodges, which had so 
recently swarmed with savage life and hi- 
larity. To render more hideous the picture 
of desolation, large numbers of skulls had 
been placed on the upper extremities of 
lodge-poles which had escaped the devour- 
ing flames. In the midst of these horrors 
was the rude fort of the spoilers, rendered 
friglitful by the same ghastly relics. A 
near approach showed that the graves had 
been robbed of their bodies, and swarms of 
buzzards were discovered glutting their 
loathsome stomachs on the reeking corrup- 
tion. To complete the work of destruction, 
tlie growing corn of the village had been 
cut down and burned, while the pits con- 



taining the products of jirevious years, had 
been ritled and their contents scattered with 
wanton waste. It was evident the suspected 
blow of tiie Iroquois had fallen with relent- 
less fury." 

Tonti had escaped, La Salle knew not 
whither. Passing down the lake in search 
of him and his men. La Salle discovered 
that the fort had been destroyed, but the 
vessel which he had partly constructed was 
still on the stocks, and but slightly in- 
jured. After furtiier fruitless search, liiiling 
to find Tonti, he ftistened to a tree a painting 
representing himself and party sitting in a 
canoe and bearing a pipe of peace, and to 
the painting attached a letter addressed to 
Tonti. 

Tonti had escaped, and after untold pri- 
vations, taken shelter among the Potta- 
wattomies near Green Bay. These were 
friendly to the French. One of their old 
chiefs used to say, "There were but three 
great captains in the world, himself, Tonti 
and La Salle." 

GEXIOS OF LA SALLE, 

We must now return to La Salle, whose 
exploits stand out in such bold relief. He 
was born in Rouen, France, in 1643. His 
father was wealthy but he renounced his 
patrimony on entering a college of the 
Jesuits, from which he separated and came 
to Canada a poor man in 1G66. The priests 
of St. Sulpice, among whom he had a 
brother, were then tlie proprietors of Mon- 
treal, the nucleus of which was a seminar}' 
or convent founded by that order. The 
Superior granted to La Salle a large tract 
of land at La Chine, where he established 
himself in the fur trade. He was a man 
of daring genius, and outstripped all liis 



5i 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



competitors in exploits of travel and com- 
merce with the Indians. In 1069, he vis- 
ited the headquarters of the great Iroquois 
confederacy, at Onondaga, in the heart of 
New York, and obtaining guides, explored 
the Ohio River to the falls at Louisville. 

In order to understand the genius of 
La Salle, it iiinst be remembered that for 
many years prior to his time the mission- 
aries and traders were obliged to make 
their way to the Northwest by- the Ottawa 
River (of Canada) on account of the fierce 
liostilitj of the Iroquois along the lower 
lakes and Niagara River, which entirely 
closed this latter route to the UpperLakes. 
They carried on their commerce chiefly by 
canoes, paddling them through the Ottawa 
to Lake Nipissing, carrying them across 
the portage to French River, and descend- 
ing that to Lake Huron. This being the 
route by which they reached the Northwest 
accounts for the fact that all the earliest 
Jesuit missions were established in the 
neighborhood of the Upper Lakes. La Salle 
conceived the grand idea of opening the 
route by Niagara River and the Lower 
Lakes to Canadian commerce by sail vessels 
connecting it with the navigation of the 
Mississippi, and thus opening a magnificent 
water communication from the Gulf of St. 
Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico. This 
truly grand and comprehensive purpose 
seems to have animated him in all his 
wonderful achievements and the matchless 
difficulties and hardships he surmounted. 
As the first step in the accomplishment of 
this object he established himself on Lake 
Ontario, and built and garrisoned Fort 
Frontenac, the site of the present city of 
Kingston, Canada. Here he obtained a 
grant of land from the French crown, and 



a body of troops by which he beat back the 
invading Iroquois and cleared the passage 
to Niagara Falls. Having by this masterly 
stroke made it safe to attempt a hitherto 
untried expedition, his next step, as we 
have seen, was to advance to the Falls with 
all his outfit for building a ship with which 
to sail the lakes. He was successful in 
this undertaking, though his ultimate pur- 
pose was defeated by a strange combination 
of untoward -circumstances. The Jesuits 
evidently hated La Salle and plotted against 
him, because he had abandoned theui and 
co-opeiated with a rival order. The fur 
traders were also jealous of his superior 
success in opening new channels of com- 
merce. At La Chine he had taken the trade 
of Lake Ontario, which but for his presence 
there would have gone to Quebec. While 
they were plodding with their bark canoes 
through tlie Ottawa he was constructing 
sailing vessels to command the trade of the 
lakes and the Mississippi. These great 
plans excited the jealousy and envy of the 
small traders, introduced treason and revolt 
into the ranks of his own companions, and 
finally led to the foul assassination by which 
his great achievements were prematurely 
ended. 

In 16S2, La Salle, iiaving completed his 
vessel at Peoria, descended tlie Mississippi 
to its confluence with the Gulf of Mexico. 
Erecting a standard on which he inscribed 
the arms of France, he took fornuxl posses- 
sion of the whole valley of the mighty 
river, in the name of Louis XIY, then 
reigning, in honor of whom he named the 
country Louisiana. 

La Salle then went to France, was ap- 
pointed Governor, and returned with a 
fleet and immigrants, for the purpose of 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



55 



])laiitino; a colony in Illinois. They arrived 
ill due time in the Gulf of Me.xico, but 
failiiiij to find the month of the Mississippi, 
up which La Salle intended to sail, his 
sujiply ship, with the immigrants, was 
driven ashore and wrecked on Matagorda 
Bay. With the fragments of the vessel he 
constrnctcd a stockade and i-nde huts on 
the shore for the ])rotection of the immi- 
grants, calling the post Fort St. Louis, 
lie then made a trip into New Mexico, in 
search of silver mines, but, meeting with 
disappointment, returned to find his little 
colony reduced to forty souls. He then 
resolved to travel on foot to Illinois, and, 
starting with his cijmpanions, had reached 
the valley of the Colorado, near the month 
of Trinit}' river, when he was shot by one 
of his men. This occurred on the 19th of 
March, 10S7. 

Dr. J. W. Foster remarks of him : 
" Thus fell, not far from the banks of the 
Trinit}', Eobert Cavalier de la Salle, one 
of the grandest characters that ever figured 
in American history — a man capable of 
originating the vastest schemes, and en- 
dowed with a will and a judgment capable 
of carrying them to successful results. Had 
ample facilities been placed by the King 
of France at his disposal, tiie result of the 
colonization of this continent might have 
been far dift'erent from what we now 
behold." 

j:ari.y skttlemk.nts. 

A tcmporai-y settlement was made at 
Fort St. Louis, or the old Kaskaskia village, 
on the Illinois River, in wliat is now La 
Salle County, in 1682. In 1G90, this was 
removed, with the mission connected with 
it, to Kaskaskia, on the river of that name, 



emptying into the lower Mississippi in St. 
Clair County. Cahokia was settled about 
the same time, or at least, both of tliese 
settlements began in the year 1690, though 
it is now pretty well settled that Cahokia 
is the older place, and ranks as tlie oldest 
permanent settlement in Illinois, as well as 
in the Mississippi Valley. The reason for 
the removal of the old Kaskaskia settle- 
ment and mission, was probabl}' because 
the dangerous and difficult route by Lake 
Michigan and the Chicago portage had been 
almost abandoned, and travelers and traders 
passed down and up the Mississippi by the 
Fox and Wisconsin River route. They re- 
moved to thevicinity of the Mississippi in 
order to be in the line of travel from Can- 
ada to Louisiana, that is, the lower part of 
it, for it was all Louisiana then south of 
the lakes. 

During the period of French rule in 
Louisiana, the population probably never 
exceeded ten thousand, including whites 
and blacks. Within that portion of it now 
included in Indiana, trading posts were es- 
tablished at the principal Miami villages 
which stood on the liead waters of the 
Maumee, the Wea villages situated at 
Ouiatenon, on the Wabash, and the Pian- 
keshaw villages at Post Viucennes; all of 
which were probably visited by French 
traders and missionaries before the close of 
the seventeenth century. 

In the vast territory claimed by the 
French, many settlements of considerable 
importance had sprung up. Biloxi, on 
Mobile Bay, hud been founded by D'lber- 
ville, in 1699; Antoine de Lumotte Cadillac 
had founded Detroit in 1701; and Kew 
Orleans had been founded by Bienville, 
under the auspices of the Mississippi Com- 



56 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



pany, in 1718. In Illinois also, considera- 
ble settlements had been made, so that in 
1730 they embraced one hundred and forty 
French families, about six hundred "con- 
verted Indians," and many traders and 
voj'ageurs. In that portion of the country, 
on the east side of the Mississippi, there 
were five distinct settlements, with their 
respective villages, viz.: Cahokia, near the 
mouth of Cahokia Creek and about five 
miles below the present city of St. Louis; 
St. Philip, about forty-five miles below Ca- 
liokia, and four miles above Fort Chartres; 
Fort Chartres, twelve miles above Kaskas- 
kia; Kaskaskia, situated on the Kaskaskia 
River, five miles above its confluence with 
the Mississippi; and Prairie du Hocher, 
near Fort Chartres. To these must be add- 
ed St. Genevieve and St. Louis, on the west 
side of the Mississippi. These with the 
exception of St. Louis, are among the oldest 
French towns in the Mississippi Yalley. 
Kaskaskia, in its best days, was a town of 
some two or three thousand inhabitants. 
After it passed from the crown of France 
its population for many years did not ex- 
ceed fifteen hundred. Under British rule, 
in 1773, the population had decreased to 
four hundred and fifty. As early as 1721 
tlie Jesuits had established a college and a 
monastery in Kaskaskia. 

Fort Chartres was first built utider the 
direction of the Mississippi Company, in 
1718, In' M. deBoisbraint, a military officer, 
under command of Bienville. It stood on 
the east bank of the Mississippi, about 
eighteen miles below Kaskaskia, and was 
for some time the headquarters of the mil- 
itary commandants of the district of Illinois. 

In the Centennial Oration of Dr. Fowler, 
delivered at Philadelphia, by appointment 



of Gov. Beveridge, we find some interesting 
facts with regard to the State of Illinois, 
which we appropriate in this history: 

In 1682 Illinois became a possession of 
the French crown, a dependency of Canada, 
and a part of Louisiana. In 1765 the Eng- 
lish flag was run up on old Fort Chartres, 
and Illinois was counted among the treas- 
ures of Great Britain. 

In 1779 it was taken from the English 
by Col. George Rogers Clark. This man 
was resolute in nature, wise in council, 
prudent in policy, bold in action, and heroic 
in danger. Few men who ^lave figured in 
the history of America are more deserving 
than this colonel. Nothing short of first- 
class ability could have rescued Yincennes 
and all Illinois from the English. And it 
is not possible to over-estimate the influence 
of this achievement upon the republic. In 
1779 Illinois became a part of Virginia. It 
was soon known as Illinois County. In 
1784 Virginia ceded all this territory to the 
general government, to be cut into States, 
to be republican in form, with "the same 
right of sovereignty, freedom, and inde- 
pendence as the other States." 

In 1787 it was the object of the wisest 
and ablest legislation found in any merely 
human records. No man can study the 
secret history of 

THE "compact of 1787," 

and not feel that Providence was guiding 
with sleepless eye these unborn States. The 
ordinance that on July 13, 1787, finally be- 
came the incorporating act, has a most 
marvelous historj'. Jefferson had vainly 
tried to secure a system of government for 
the northwestern territory. lie was an 
emancipationist of that day, and favored the 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



57 



exclusion of slavery from the territory Vir- 
sriiiia bad ceded to the general government; 
hut the South voted him down as often as 
it came np. In 1787, as late as July 10th, 
an oriranizinar act without the anti-slavery 
clause was pending. This concession to the 
South was ex])ected to carry it. Congress 
was in session in New York City. On July 
5th, Rev. Dr. Mannasseh Cutler, ot Massa- 
chusetts, came into Xew York to lobhy on 
the northwestern territory. Everything 
seemed to fall into his hands. Events were 
ripe. 

The state of the public credit, the growing 
of Southern prejudice, the basis of his mis- 
sion, his personal cliaracter, all combined to 
complete one of those sudden and marvelous 
revolutions of public sentiment that once in 
five or ten centuries are seen to sweep over 
a country like the breath of the Alniighty. 
Cutler was a graduate of Yale — received his 
A. M. from Harvard, and his D. D. from 
Yale. He had studied and taken degrees 
in the three learned professions, medicine, 
law, and divinity. He had thus America's 
best indorsement. He had published a 
scientific examination of the plants of New 
England. His name stood second only to 
that of Franklin as a scientist in America. 
He was a courtly gentleman of the old style, 
a man of commanding presence, and of 
inviting face. The Southern members said 
they had never seen such a gentleman in the 
North. He came representing a company 
that desired to purchase a tract of land now 
included in Ohio, for the purpose of plant- 
ing a colony. It was a speculation. Gov- 
ernment money was worth eighteen cents 
on the dollar. This Massachusetts company 
had collected enough to purchase 1,. 500,000 
acres of land. Other siiccnhitors in New 



York made Dr. Cutler their agent (lobbyist). 
On the 12th he represented a demand for 
5,500,000 acres. This would reduce the 
national debt. Jefferson and Virginia were 
regarded as authority concerning the land 
Virginia had just ceded. Jefferson's policy 
wanted to provide for the public credit, and 
this was a good opportunity to do some- 
thing. 

Massachusetts then owned the Territory 
of Maine, which she was crowding on the 
market. She was opposed to opening the 
northwestern region. This fired the zeal of 
Virginia. The South caught the inspiration, 
and all exalted Dr. Cutler. The English 
minister invited him to dine with some of 
the Southern gentlemen. lie was the cen- 
ter of interest. 

The entire South rallied round him, 
Massaciinsetts could not vote against him, 
because many of the constituents of her 
members were interested personally in the 
western speculation. Thus Cutler, making 
friends with the South, and, doubtless, usinj.'' 
all the arts of the lobby, was enabled to 
command the situation. True to deeper 
convictions, he dictated one of tlie most 
compact and finished documents of wise 
statesmanship that has ever adorned any 
human law book. He borrowed from Jef- 
ferson the term "Articles of Compact," 
which, preceding the Federal constitution, 
rose into the most sacred character. lie 
then followed very closely the constitution 
of Massachusetts, adopted three years be- 
fore. Its most marked points were: 

1. The exclusion of slavery from the ter- 
ritory forever. 

2. Provision for public schools, fivin^r 
one township for a seminary, and every sec- 
tion numliereil IG in each townshij); that 



68 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



is, one thirty- sixth of all the land, for public 
schools. 

3. A provision prohibiting tlie adop- 
tion of any constitution or the enactment 
of any law that should nullify pre-existing 
contracts. 

Be it forever remembered that this com- 
pact declared that " Religion, nidrality and 
knowledge beinsr necessary to good govern- 
ment and the happiness of mankind, 
schools and the means of education shall 
always be encouraged." 

Dr. Cutler planted himself on this plat- 
form and would not 3'ield. Giving his 
unqualified declaration that it was tliat or 
nothing — that unless they could make the 
land desirable they did not want it — he 
took his horse and buggy, and started for 
the constitutional convention in Phila- 
delphia. On July 13, 17S7, the bill was 
put upon its passage, and was unanimous!}' 
adopted, every Southern member voting 
for it, and only one man, Mr. Yates, of • 
New York, voting against it. But as the 
States voted as States, Yates lost his vote, 
and the compact was put beyond repeal. 

Thus the great States of Ohio, Indiana, 
Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin — a vast 
em]iii'e, the heart of the great valley — wei'e 
consecrated to freedom, intelligence and 
honesty. Thus the great heart of the na- 
tion was prepared for a year and a day and 
an hour. In t!ie liglit of these eighty-nine 
.years I affirm that this act was the salva- 
tion of the republic and the destruction of 
slavery. Soon the South saw their great 
bhinder, and tried to repeal the compact. 
In 1S03, Congress referred it to a commit- 
tee of which John Randolph was chairman. 
He reported that this ordinance was a coin- 
pact, and opposed repeal. Thus it stood a 



rock, in the way of the on-rushing sea of 
slavery. 

AVitli all this timely aid, it was, after 
all, a most desperate and protracted strug- 
gle to keep the soil of Illinois sacred to 
freedom. It was the natural battle-field 
for the irrepressible conflict. In the 
southern end of the State, slavery preceded 
the compact. It existed among the old 
t'rench settlers, and was hard to eradicate. 
The southern part of the State was settled 
from the slave States, and this population 
bi'ought their laws, customs and institu- 
tions with them. A stream of population 
from the IS'orth poured into the northern 
part of the State. These sections misun- 
derstood and hated each other perfectly. 
The Southerners regarded the Yankees as 
a skinning, tricky, penurious race of ped- 
dlers, filling the country with tinware, 
brass clocks and wooden nutmegs. The 
Northerner thought of the Southerner as a 
lean, lank, lazy creature, burrowing in a 
hut, and rioting in whisk}', dirt and igno- 
rance. These causes aided in making the 
struggle long and bitter. So strong was 
the s^'mpathy with slaver^', that in spite 
of the ordinance of 1787, and in spite of 
the deed of cession, it was determined to 
allow the old French, settlers to retain their 
slaves. Planters from the slave States 
might bring their slaves, if they wo-uld 
give them a chance to choose freedom or 
years of service and bondage for their chil- 
dren till they should become thirty years 
of age. If they chose freedom they must 
leave the State in sixty days or be sold as 
fugitives. Servants were whipped for of- 
fenses for which white men are fined. 
Each lash paid forty cents of the fine. A 
ncn-ro ten miles from home without a pass 



EAULY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



59 



was \vhip]5cd. These famous laws were 
imported from the slave States just as they 
imported laws for tlic inspection of flax 
and wool when there was neither in the 
State. 

These Black Laws are now wiped out. 
A vigorous effort was made to protect 
slavery in the State Constitution of 1817. 
It barely failed. It was renewed in 182.5, 
when a convention was asked to make a 
new constitution. After a hard light the 
convention was defeated. But slaves did 
not disappear from the census of the State 
until 1850. There were mobs and mur- 
ders in the interest of slavery. Lovejoy 
was added to the list of martyrs — a sort of 
first fruits of that long life of immortal 
heroes who saw freedom as the one supreme 
desire of their souls, and were so enam- 
ored of her, that they preferred to die 
ratlier than survive her. 

The population of 12,282 that occupied 
t!ie Territory in A. D. 1800, increased to 
45.000 in A. D. 1818, when the State Con- 
stitution was ado])tcd, and Illinois took 
her place in the Union, with a star on the 
flag and two votes in the Senate. 

Siiadrach Bond was the first Governor, 
and in his first message lie recommended 
the construction of the Illinois and Michi- 
gan Canal. 

The simple econoni}- in those days is 
seen in tlie fact the entire hill lor station- 
ery for the first Legislature was only 
$13.50. Yet this simple body actually 
enacted a very superior code. 

There was no money in the Territory 
before the war of 1812. Deer skins and 
coon skins were the circulating medium. 
In 1821, the Legislature ordained a State 
Bank on the credit of tlie State. It issued 



notes in the likeness of bank bills. These 
notes were made a legal tender for every 
thing, and the bank was ordered to loan to 
the people $100 on personal security, and 
more on mortgages. They actually passed 
a resolution requesting the Secretar}' of 
the Treasury of the United States to re- 
ceive these notes for laiul. The old French 
Lieutenant Governor, Col. Jlenard, put the 
resolution as follows: "Gentlemcti of the 
Senate: It is moved and seconded dat de 
notes of dis hank be made land office 
money. All in favor of dat motion say aye; 
all against it say no. It is decided in de af- 
firmative. Now, gentlemen, I bet you one 
hundred dollar he never be land-office 
money!" Hard sense, like hard money, 
is always above par. 

This old Frenchman presents a fine fig- 
ure up against the dark background of 
most of his nation. They made no prog- 
ress. They clung to their earliest and 
simplest implements. They never wore 
hats or caps. They pulled their blankets 
over their heads in the winter like the In- 
dians, with whom they freely intermin- 
gled. 

Dcmagoglsm had an early development. 
One John Grauimar(only in name), elected 
to the Territorial and State Legislatures of 
1816 and 18:3(5, invented the policy of oj)- 
posing every new thing, saying, "If it 
succeeds, no one will ask who voted against 
it. If it ))roves a failure, he could quote 
its record." In sharp contrast with Gram- 
mar was tlie character of D. P. Cook, after 
whom tlie county containing Chicago was 
named. Such was his transparent integri- 
ty and remarkable abilit3' that his will was 
almost the law of the State. In Congress, 
a voung man, and from a poor State, he was 



60 1 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



made Chairman of the '\Va3's and Means 
Couiinittee. lie was pre-eminent for 
standing bj his committee, regardless of 
consequences. It was his integrity that 
elected John Qiiincj Adams to the Presi- 
dency. There were four candidates in 
1824, Jackson, Clay, Crawford, and John 
Quincy Adams. There being no choice by 
the people, the election was thrown into the 
House. It was so balanced that it turned 
on his vote, and that he cast for Adams, 
electing him ; then went home to face the 
wrath of the Jackson party in Illinois. It 
cost him all but character and greatness. 
It is a suffofestive comment on the times, 
that there was no legal interest till 1830. 
It often readied 150 per cent., usually 50 
percent. Then it was reduced to 12, and 
now to 10 per cent. 

PIIYSICAi FEATURES OF THE PRAIRIE STATE. 

In area the State has 55,410 square miles 
of territory. It is about 150 miles wide 
and 400 miles long, stretching in latitude 
from Maine to l^orth Carolina. It embraces 
wide variety of climate. It is tempered on 
the north by tlie great inland, saltless, tide- 
less sea, which keeps the thermometer from 
either extreme. Being a table land, from 
600 to 1,200 feet above the level of the sea, 
one is prepared to find on the health maps, 
prepared by the general government, an al- 
most clean and perfect record. In freedom 
from fever and malarial diseases and con- 
sumptions, the three deadly enemies of the 
American Saxon, Illinois, as a State, stands 
without a superior. She furnishes one of 
the essential conditions of a great people — 
sound bodies. I suspect that this fact lies 
back of that old Delaware word, Illini, su- 
])erior men. 



The great battles of history that have 
been determinative of djniasties and desti- 
nies have been strategical battles, chiefly 
the question of position. Thermop3'lfe has 
been the war-cry of freemen for twenty-four 
centuries. It onl}' tells how much there 
may be in position. All this advantage 
belongs to Illinois. It is in the heart of 
the greatest valley in the world, the vast 
region between the mountains — a valley 
that could feed mankind for one thousand 
years. It is well on toward the center of 
the continent. It is in the great temperate 
belt, in which have been found nearly all 
the aggressive civilizations of history. It 
has sixty-five miles of frontage on the head 
of the lake. With the Mississippi forming 
the western and southern boundary, with 
the Ohio running along the southeastern 
line, with the Illinois river and canal divid- 
ing the State diagonally from the lake to 
the lower Mississippi, and with the Rock 
and Wabash rivers, furnishing altogether 
2,000 miles of water front, connecting with, 
and running through, in all about 12,000 
miles of navigable water. 

But this is not all. These waters are 
made most available by the fact that the 
lake and the State lie on the ridge running 
into the great valley from the east. Within 
cannon-shot of the lake, the water runs 
away from the lake to the gulf. The lake 
now empties at both ends, one into the At- 
lantic and one into the gulf of Mexico. 
The lake thus seems to hang over the land. 
This makes the dockage most serviceable; 
there are no steep banks to damage it. 
Both lake and river are made for use. 

The climate varies from Portland to 
Kichmond; it favors every product of the 
continent, including the tropics, with less 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



61 



tlian half a dozen exceptions. It produces 
every great nutriment of the world except 
bananas and rice. It is hardly too much 
to say that it is the most productive spot 
known to civilization. With the soil full 
of bread and the earth full of minerals; 
■with an upper surface of food and an un- 
der layer of fuel; with perfect natural drain- 
age, and abundant springs and streams and 
navigable rivers; halfway between the for- 
ests of the noi-th and the fruits of the south; 
within a day's ride of the great deposits of 
iron, coal, cojiper, lead and zinc; contain- 
ing and controlling the great grain, cattle, 
pork and lumber markets of the world, it 
is not strange that Illinois has the advan- 
tage of position. 

This advantage has been supplemented 
by the character of the pojiulation. In the 
early days when Illinois was first admitted 
to the union, her jiopulation were chiefly 
from Kentucky and Virginia. But, in the 
conflict of ideas concerning slaver}^, a 
strong tide of emigration came in from the 
East, and soon changed this composition. 
In 1870 her non-native population were 
from colder soils. New York furnished 
133,290; Ohio gave 162,623; Pennsylvania 
sent on 98,3.52; the entire South gave us 
only 206,734. In all her cities, and in all 
her German and Scandinavian and other 
foreign colonies, IlliTiois has ouly about 
one-flfth of her people of foreign birth. 

PROGRESS OF DEVELOPMENT. 

One of the greatest elements in the 
early development of Illinois is the Illi- 
nois and Michigan Canal, connecting the 
Illinois and Mississijjpi Rivers with the 
lakes. It was of the utmost importance to 
the State. It was rfco nmended by Gov. 



Bond, the first governor, in his first mes- 
sage. In 1821, the Legislature appropri- 
ated 810,000 for surveying the route. Two 
bright young engineers surveyed it, and 
estimated the cost at §600,000 or 8700,000. 
It finally cost 88,000,000. In 1825, a law 
was passed to incorporate the Canal Com- 
pany, but no stock was sold. In 1826, 
upon the solicitation of Cook, Congress 
gave 800,000 acres of land on the line of 
the work. In 1828, another law — commis- 
sioners appointed, and work commenced 
with new survey and new estimates. In 
1S3J— 35, George Fan^uhar made an able 
report on the whole matter. This was, 
doubtless, the ablest report ever made to a 
western legislature, and it became the 
model for subsequent reports and action. 
From this, the work went on till it was 
finished in 1848. It cost the State a large 
amount of money; but it gave to the in- 
dustries of the State an impetus that 
pushed it up into the first rank of great- 
ness. It was not built as a speculation any 
more than a doctor is employed on a specu- 
lation. But it has paid into the treasury 
of the State an average annual net sum of 
over 8111,000. 

Pending the construction of the canal, 
the land and town-lot fever broke out in 
the State, in 1834-35. It took on the 
malignant type in Chicago, lifting the 
town up into a citj'. The disease spread 
over the entire State and adjoining States. 
It was epidemic. It cut up men's farms 
without regard to locality, and cut up the 
purses of tlie purchasers without regard to 
consequences. It is estimated that build- 
insr lots enough were sold in Indiana alone 
to accommodate every citizen then in the 
United States. 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLENOIS. 



Towns and cities were exported to the 
Eastern market by the ship-load. There 
was no lack of buyers. Every np-sliip 
came freighted with speculators and their 
money. 

This distempter seized upon the Legis- 
lature in 1836-37, and left not one to tell 
the tale. They enacted a system of inter- 
nal improvement without a parallel in the 
grandeur of its conception. They ordered 
the construction of 1,300 miles of railroad, 
crossing the State in all directions. This 
was surpassed by the river and canal im- 
provements. There were a few counties 
not touched by either railroad or river or 
canal, and those wei-e to be comforted and 
compensated by the free distribution of 
$200,000 among them. To inflate this 
balloon beyond credence, it was ordered 
that work should be commenced on both 
ends of each of these railroads and rivers, 
and at each river crossing, all at the same 
time. The appropriations for these vast 
improvements were over $12,000,000, and 
commissioners were appointed to borrow 
the money on the credit of the State. Re- 
member that all this was in the early days 
of railroading, when railroads were luxu- 
ries; that the State had whole counties 
■with scarcely a cabin; and that the popu- 
lation of the State was less than 400,000, 
and you can form some idea of the vigor 
with which these brave men undertook tha 
work of making a great State. In the 
light of history I am compelled to say that 
this was only a premature throb of the 
power that actually slumbered in the soil 
of the State. It was Hercules in the cra- 
dle. 

At this juncture the State Bank loaned 
its funds largely to Godfrey Gil man kSr Co. 



and to other leading houses, for the pur- 
pose of drawing trade from St. Louis to 
Alton. Soon they failed and took down 
the bank with them. 

In 1840, all hope seemed gone. A pop- 
ulation of 480,000 were loaded with a debt 
of $14,000,000. It had only six small 
cities, really only towns, namely: Chicago, 
Alton, Springfield, Quincy, Galena, Nau- 
voo. This debt was to be cared for when 
there was not a dollar in the treasury, and 
when the State had borrowed itself out of 
all credit, and when there was not good 
money enough in the hands of all the peo- 
ple to pay the interest of the debt for a 
single year. Yet, in the presence of all 
these difficulties, the young State steadily 
refused to repudiate. Gov. Ford took hold 
of the problem and solved it, bringing the 
State through in triumph. 

Having touched lightly upon some of the 
more distinctive points in the history of 
the development of Illinois, let us next 
briefly consider the 

MATERIAL EESOURCES OF THE STATE. 

It is a garden four hundred miles long 
and one hundred and fifty miles wide. Its 
soil is chiefly a black sandy loam, from six 
inches to sixty feet thick. On the Ameri- 
can bottoms it has been cultivated for one 
hundred and fifty years without renewal. 

About the old French towns it has yield- 
ed corn for a century and a half without 
rest or help. It produces nearly every- 
thing green in the temperate and tropical 
zones. She leads all other States in the 
numl)er of acres actually under plow. Her 
products from 25,000,000 of acres are in- 
calculable. Her mineral wealth is scarce- 
ly second to her agricultural power. She 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



G3 



has coal, iron, lead, copper, ziuc, many va- 
rieties of buildiuor stone, fire clay, cunia 
clay, common brick clay, sand of all kinds, 
gravel, mineral paint — everytliini; needed 
for a lii^.'-li civilization. Left to herself, 
she has the elements of all greatness. Tlie 
single item of coal is too vast for an appre- 
ciative handling in figures. We can han- 
dle it in general terms like algebraical 
signs, but long before we get up into the 
millions and billions the human mind 
drops down from comprehension to mere 
symbolic apprehension. 

When I tell yon that nearly four-fifths 
of the entire State is underlaid with a de- 
posit of coal more than forty feet thick on 
the average (now estimated by recent sur- 
veys, at seventy feet thick), you can get 
some idea of its amount, as you do of the 
amount of the national debt. There it is! 
41,000 square miles — one vast mine into 
which you could put any of the States; in 
which yon could bury scores of European 
and ancient empires, and liave room all 
round to work without knowing that they 
had been sepulchered there. 

Put this vast coal-bed down by the other 
great coal deposits of the world, and its 
importance becomes manifest. Great Brit- 
ain has 12,000 square miles of coal; Spain, 
3,000; France, 1719; Belgium, 578; Illinois 
about twice as many square miles as all 
combined. Virginia has 20,000 square 
miles; Pennsylvania, 16,000; Ohio, 12,000. 
Illinois has 41,000 square miles. One- 
seventh of all the known coal on this con- 
tinent is in Illinois. 

Could we sell tlie coal in this single State 
for one-seventh of one cent a ton, it would 
pay the national debt. Converted into 
power, even with the wastage in our com- 



mon engines, it would do more work than 
could be done by the entire race, beginning 
at Adam's wedding and working ten hours 
a day through all the centuries till the pres- 
ent time, and right on into the future at 
the same rate for the next 600,000 years. 

Great Britain uses enough mechanical 
power to-day to give to each man, woman, 
and child in the kingdom, the help and ser- 
vice of nineteen untiring servants. N'o 
wonder she has leisure and luxuries. Xo 
wonder the home of the common artisan 
has in it more luxuries than could be found 
in the palace of good old King Arthur. 
Think if you can conceive of it, of the vast 
arm}' of servants that slumber in the soil of 
Illinois, impatiently awaiting the call of 
Genius to come forth to minister to our 
comfort. 

At the present rate of consumption Eng- 
land's coal supply will be exhausted in 
250 years. When this is gone she must 
transfer her dominion either to the Indies, 
or to British America, which I would not 
resist; or to some other people, which I 
would regret as a loss to civilization. 

COAL IS KING. 

At the same rate of consumption (which 
far exceeds our own), the deposit of coal in 
Illinois will last 120,000 years. And lier 
kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom. 

Let us turn now from tiiis reserve power 
to the annual products of the State. We 
shall not be humiliated in this field. Here 
we strike the secret of our national credit. 
Nature provides a market in the constant 
appetite of the race. Men must eat, and if 
we can furnish the provisions we can com- 
mand the treasure. All that a man hath 
will he give for his life. 



64 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



According to the last census Illinois pro- 
duced 3U,000,000 of bushels of wheat. That 
is more wheat than was raised by any 
other State in the union. She raised in 
1875, 130,000,000 of bushels of corn— twice 
as much as any other State, and one-sixth 
of all tlie corn raised in the United States. 
Siie harvested 2,747,000 tons of hay, nearly 
one-tenth of all the hay in the republic. 
It is not generally appreciated, but it is 
true that the hay crop of the country is 
worth more than the cotton crop. The hay 
of Illinois equals the cotton of Louisiana. 
Go to Charleston, S. C, and see them ped- 
dling handfuls of hay or grass, almost as a 
curiosity, as we regard Chinese gods or the 
cryolite of Greenland ; drink your cotfee and 
condensed milk; and walk back from the 
coast for many a league through the sand 
and burs till you get up into the better at- 
mosphere of the mountains, without seeing 
a waving meadow or a grazing herd; then 
you will begin to appreciate the meadows 
of the Prairie State, where the grass often 
grows sixteen feet high. 

The value of her farm implements is 
$211,000,000, and the value of her live 
stock is only second to the great State of 
New York. In 1875 she had 25,000,000 
hogs, and packed 2,113,8-45, about one-half 
of all that were packed in the United States. 
This is no insignificant item. Pork is a 
growing demand of the old world. Since 
the laborers of Europe have gotten a taste 
of our bacon, and we have learned how to 
pack it dry in boxes, like dry goods, the 
world has become the market. 

The hog is on the march into the future. 
His nose is ordained to uncover the secrets 
of dominion, and his feet shall be guided 
by the star of empire. 



Illinois marketed §57,000,000 worth of 
slaughtered animals — more than any other 
State, and a seventh of all the States. 

Be patient with me, and pardon my 
pride, and I will give you a list of some of 
the things in wliicli Illinois excels all other 
States. 

Depth and richness of soil ; per cent, of 
good ground; acres of improved land; large 
farms — some farms contain from 40,000 to 
60,000 acres of cultivated land, 40,000 acres 
of corn on a single farm; number of farm- 
ers; amount of wheat, corn, oats and honey 
produced; value of animals for slaughter; 
number of hogs; amount of pork; number 
of horses — three times as many as Ken- 
tucky, the horse State. 

Illinois excels all other States in miles 
of railroads and in miles of postal service, 
and in money orders sold per annum, and 
in the amount of lumber sold in her mar- 
kets. 

Illinois is only second in many important 
matters. This sample list comprises a few 
of the more important: Permanent school 
fund (good for a young State); total in- 
come for educational purposes; number of' 
publishers of books, maps, papers, etc.; 
value of farm products and implements, 
and of live stock; in tons of coal mined. 

The shipping of Illinois is onl^' second 
to New York. Out of one port during the 
business hours of the season of navigation 
she sends forth a vessel every ten minutes. 
This does not include canal boats, which 
go one every five minutes. No wonder she 
is only second in number of bankers and 
brokers or in physicians and surgeons. 

She is third in colleges, teachers and 
schools; cattle, lead, hay, flax, sorghum and 
beeswax. 



EAELY HISTORY OF ILLIXOIS. 



Co 



She is fourth in population, in children 
enrolled in public schools, in law schools, 
in butter, potatoes and carriages. 

Slie is fifth in value of real and personal 
property, in theological seminaries and 
colleges exclusively for women, in milk 
sold, and in boots and shoes manufactured, 
and in book-binding. 

She is only seventh in the production 
of wood, while she is the twelfth in area. 
Surely that is Mell done for the Prairie 
State. She now has much more wood and 
growing timber than she had thirty years 

A few leading industries will justify 
emphasis. Slie manufactures $205,000,000 
worth of goods, which places her well up 
toward New York and Pennsylvania. The 
number of her manufacturing establish- 
ments increased from 1S60 to 1870, 300 
percent.; capital employed increased 350 
per cent., and the amount of product in- 
creased 400 per cent. She issued 5,500,000 
copies of commercial and financial news- 
papers — only second to New York. She 
has 6,759 miles of railroad, thus leading all 
other States, worth $636,458,000, using 
3,245 engines, and 67,712 cars, making a 
train long enough to cover one- tenth of the 
entire roads of the State. Iler stations are 
only five miles apart. More than two- 
thirds of her land is within five miles of a 
railroad, and less than two per cent is 
more than fifteen miles away. 

The State has a large financial interest 
in the Illinois Central railroad. The road 
was incorporated in 1850, and the State 
gave each alternate section for si,\ miles on 
each side, and doubled the price of the re- 
maining land, so keeping lierself good. 
The road received 2,595,000 acres of land, 



and pays to the State one-seventh of the 
gross receipts. Add to this the annual 
receipts from the canal, $111,000, and a 
large per cent, of the State tax is provided 
for. 

THE EELIGION AXD MOKALS 

of the State keep step with her productions 
and growth. Slie was born of the mission- 
ary spirit. It was a minister who secured 
for her the ordinance of 1787, by which she 
has been saved from slavery, ignorance, 
and dishonesty. Kev. Mr. Wiley, pastor 
of a Scotch congregation in Randolph 
County, petitioned the Constitutional 
Convention of 1818 to recognize Jesus 
Christ as king, and the scriptures as the 
only necessary guide and book of law. The 
convention did not act in the case, and the 
old covenanters refused to accept citizen- 
ship. They never voted until 1824_, when 
the slaver}' question was submitted to the 
people; then they all voted against it and 
cast the determining votes. Conscience 
has predominated whenever a great moral 
question has been submitted to the people. 

But little mob violence has ever been felt 
in the State. In 1817 regulators disposed 
of a band of horse-thieves that infested the 
Territory. TheMormon^indignities finally 
awoke the same spirit. Alton was also the 
scene of a pro-slavery mob, in which Love- 
joy was added to the list of martyrs. The 
moral sense of the people makes the law 
supreme, and gives to the State unruffled 
peace. 

With $22,-300,000 in cluircli property, 
and 4,298 church organizations, the State 
has that divine police, the sleepless patrol 
of moral ideas, that alone is able to secure 
perfect safet}-. Conscience takes the knife 



G6 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



from the assassin's hand and tlie bludgeon 
from tlie grasp of the highwayman. We 
sleep in safety, not because we are behind 
bolts and bars — these only fence against 
the innocent; not because a lone ofScer 
drowses on a distant corner of a street; 
not because a sheriff may call his posse 
from a remote part of the county; but 
because conscience guards the very ]3ortals 
of the air and stirs in the deepest re- 
cesses of the public mind. This spirit 
issues within the State 9,500,000 copies 
of religious papers annually, and I'cceives 
still more from without. Thus the crime 
of the State is onlj' one fourth that of New 
York and one half that of Pennsylvania. 

Illinois never had but one duel between 
l)er own citizens. In Belleville, in 1S20, 
Alphonso Stewart and William Bennett 
arranged to vindicate injured honor. The 
seconds agreed to make it a sham, and 
make them shoot blanks. Stewart was in 
the secret. Bennett mistrusted sometliing, 
and unobserved, slipped a bullet into his 
gun and killed Stewart. He then fled the 
State. After two years he was caught, 
tried, convicted, and, in spite of friends 
and political aid, was hung. This iixed 
tiie code of honor on a Christian basis, and 
terminated its use in Illinois. 

The early preachers were ignorant men, 
who were accounted eloquent according to 
the strength of their voices. But they set 
the style for all public speakers. Lawyers 
and political speakers followed this rule. 
Gov. Ford says: "Nevertheless, these first 
preachers were of incalculable benefit to 
the country. They inculcated justice and 
morality. To them are we indebted for 
the first Christian character of the Protest- 
ant portion of the people." 



In education Illinois surpasses her ma- 
terial resources. The ordinance of 17S7 
consecrated one thirty-sixth of her soil to 
common scliools, and the law of ISIS, the 
first law that went upon her statutes, gave 
three per cent of all the rest to 

EDUCATION. 

The old compact secures this interest 
forever, and by its yoking morality and 
intelligence it precludes the legal interfer- 
ence with the Bible in the public schools. 
With such a start it is natural that we 
should have 11,050 schools, and that our 
illiteracy should be less than New York or 
Pennsylvania, and only about one half of 
Massachusetts. We are not to blame for 
not having moi-e tlian one half as man}' 
idiots as the great States. These public 
schools soon made colleges inevitable. 
The first college, still flourishing, was 
started in Lebanon in 1828, by the M. E. 
church, and named after Bishop McKen- 
dree. Illinois College, at Jacksonville, 
supported by the Presbyterians, followed 
in 1830. In 1832 the Baptists built Shurt- 
leff College, at Alton. Then the Presby- 
terians built Knox College, at Galesburg, 
in 1838, and the Episcopalians built Jubilee 
College, at Peoria, in 1817. After these 
early years, colleges have rained down. A 
settler could hardly encamp on the prairie 
but a college would spring up by his wagon. 
The State now has one very well endowed 
and equipped university, narael}', the 
Northwestern University, at Evanston, 
with six colleges, ninety instructors, over 
1,000 students, and $1,500,000 endowment. 

Kev. J. M. Peck was the first educated 
Protestant minister in the State. He 
settled at Rock Spring, in St. Clair County, 



EAULY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



07 



18'20; and left his impress on the State. 
Before 1S37 only party papers were pub- 
lished, but Mr. Peck ])ublished a Gazetteer 
of Illinois. Soon after John llnssell, of 
Bluftdale, published essays and tales show- 
inuf ijenius. Jmlge James Hall published 
The Illinois Monthly Magazine with great 
ability, and an annual called Tlie Western 
Souvenir, wliich gave him an enviable 
fame all over the United States. From 
these beginnings, Illinois has gone on till 
she has more volumes in pubic libraries 
oven than Massachusetts, and of the 44:,- 
.oO(),000 voluitios in all the public libraries 
of the United States, she has one thirteenth, 
in ne\vs])apers she stands fourth. Iler 
increase is marvelous. 

This brings us to a record nnsurpassed 
in the history of any age. 

THK WAR RECORD OF ILLINOIS. 

I hardly know where to begin, or how to 
advance, or what to say. I can at best give 
you only a broken synopsis of her deeds, 
and you must put them in the order ot 
glory for yourself. Her sons have always 
been foremost on fields of danger. In 
1832-33, at the call of Gov. Reynolds, her 
sons drove Blaekhawk over the Mississippi. 

When the Mexican war came, in May, 
ISJrfi, S,370 men offered themselves when 
only 3,720 could be accepted. The fields 
of Buena Vista and Vera Cruz, and the 
storming of Cerro Gordo, will carry the 
glory of Illinois soldiers long after the 
causes that led to that war have been 
forgotten. Ibu it was reserved till our day 
for her sons to find a field and cause and 
foemen that could fitl^' illustrate their spirit 
and heroism. Illinois put into her own 
regiments for the United States government 



256,000 men, and into the army through 
other States enough to swell the number to 
200,000. This far exceeds all the soldiers 
of the Federal government in all tlie war 
of the Revolution. Her total years of 
service were over 600,000. She enrolled 
men trom eighteen to forty-five years of 
age when the law of Congress in 1864 — 
the test time — only asked foe. those from 
twenty to forty-five. Her enrollment was 
otherwise excessive. Her people wanted to 
go, and did not take the pains to correct 
the enrollment. Thus the basis of fixing 
the (piota was too great, and then the quota 
itself, at least in the trying time, was far 
above an}' other State. 

Thus the demand on some counties, as 
Monroe, for example, took every able-bod- 
ied man in the county, and then did not 
have enough to fill the quota. Moreover, 
Illinois sent 20,844 men for ninety or one 
hundred days, for whom no credit was 
asked. When Mr. Lincoln's attention was 
called to the inequality of the quota com- 
pared with other States, he replied : "The 
countr}' needs the sacrifice. We must put 
the whip on the free horse." In spite of 
all these disadvantages Illinois gave to the 
country 73,000 years of service above all 
calls. With one thirteenth of the popula- 
tion of the loyal States, she sent regularly 
one tenth of all the soldiers, and in the 
peril of the closing calls, when patriots 
were few and weary, she then sent one 
eighth of all that were called for by her 
loved and honored son in the White House. 
II(M' mothers and daughters went into the 
fit'ltls to raise the grain and keep the 
children together, while the fathers and 
older sons went to the harvest fields of the 
world. I knew a father and four sons who 



68 



EARLY IIISTOIIY OF ILLINOIS. 



agreed tliat one of them must stay at home ; 
and tliey pulled straws from a stack to see 
who might go. Tiie father was left. The 
next day lie came into the camp, saying: 
" Mother says she can get the crops in, and 
I am going, too." 1 know large Methodist 
churches from which every male member 
went to the army. Do you want to know 
what these heroes froiu Illinois did in the 
field ? Ask any soldier with a good record 
of his own, who is able to judge, and 
he will tell you that the Illinois men went 
in to win. It is common history that the 
greater victories were won in the West. 
When everything else looked dark Illinois 
was iraininir victories all down the river, 
and dividing the Confederacy. Sherman 
took with him on his great march forty- 
five regiments of Illinois infantrj', three 
companies of artillery, and one company of 
cavalry. He could not avoid 

GOING TO THE SEA. 

If he had been killed, I doubt not the 
men would have gone right on. Lincoln 
answered all rumors of Sherman's defeat 
with, "It is impossible; there is a mighty 
sight of fight in 100,000 Western men." 
Illinois soldiers brought home 300 battle- 
flags. The first United States flag that 
floated over Hichraond, was an Illinois flag. 
She sent messengers and nurses to every 
field and hospital, to care for her sick and 
wounded sons. She said, " these suff"ering 
ones are my sons, and I will care for them." 

When individuals had given all, then 
cities and towns came forward with their 
credit to the extent of many millions, to 
aid these men and their families. 

Illinois gave tlie countrj' the great 
general of the war — Ulysses S. Grant — 



since honored with two terms of the Presi- 
dency of the United States. 

One otiier name from Illinois comes up 
in all minds, embalmed in all hearts, that 
must have the supreme place in this story 
of our glory and of our nation's honor; 
that name is Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois. 

The analysis of Mr. Lincoln's character 
is difficult on account of its symmetry. 

In this age we look with admiration at 
his uncompromising honesty. And well 
we may, for this saved us. Tliousands 
tliroughout the length and breadth of our 
country, who knew him only as " Honest 
Old Abe," voted for him on that account; 
and wisely did they choose, for no other 
man could have carried ns through the 
fearful night of the war. When his plans 
were too vast for our comprehension, and 
his faith in the cause too sublime for our 
participation; when it was all night about 
us, and all dread before us, and all sad and 
desolate behind us; when not one ray 
shone upon our cause; when traitors were 
haughty and exultant at the South, and 
fierce and blasphemous at the iS^orth; when 
the loyal men here seemed almost in the 
minorit}'^; when the stoutest heart quailed, 
the bravest cheek paled, when generals 
were defeating each other for place, and 



contractors were leechinw out the 



very 



heart's blood of the prostrate republic; 
when every thing else had failed us, we 
looked at this calm, patient man, standing 
like a rock in the storm, and said: "Mr. 
Lincoln is honest, and we can trust him 
still." Holding to this single point with 
the energy of faith and despair we held 
togetlier, and, under God, he brought us 
through to victory. 

His practical wisdom made him the 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



69 



wonder of all lamls. With such certainty 
dill J\[r. Lincoln follow causes to their 
ultimate effects, that his foresiglit ofcon- 
tinsjjencies seemed almost jirophetic. 

lie is radiant with all the gi-eat virtues, 
and his memory shall shed a glory upon 
this age, that shall iill the eyes of men as 
they look into history. Other men have 
excelled him in some point, but, taken at 
all points, all in all, he stands head and 
shoulders above every otlior man of 6,000 
years. An administrator, he saved the na- 
tion in the perils of unparalleled civil war. 
A statesman, lie justified his measures by 
their success. A philanthropist, he gave 
liberty to one race and salvation to another. 
A moralist, he bowed from the summit of 
human power to the foot of the Cross, and 
became a Christian. A mediator, he exer- 
cised mercy under the most absolute abey- 
ance to law. A leader, he was no partisan. 
A commander, he was untainted with 
blood. A ruler in desperate times, he was 
unsullied with crime. A man, he has left 
no word of passion, no thought of malice, 
no trick of craft, no act of jealousy, no pur- 
pose of selfish ambition. Thus perfected, 
without a model and without a peer, he 
was dropped into these troubled years to 
adorn and embellish all that is good and 
all that is great in our humanity, and to 
present to all coming time the representa- 
tive of the divine idea of free government. 

It is not too much to say that away 
diiwn in the future, when the republic has 
fallen from its niche in the wall of time; 
when the great war itself shall have faded 
out in the distance like a mist on the hori- 
zon; when the Anglo Saxon language shall 
be spoken only by the tongue of the stran- 
ger; then the generations looking this way 



shall see the great president as the supreme 
figure in this vortex of history. 

CniCAGO. 

It is impossible in our brief space to give 
more than a meager sketch of such a city 
as Chicago, which is in itself the greatest 
marvel of the Prairie State. This mysteri- 
ous, majestic, mighty city, born first of 
water, and next of fire; sown in weakness, 
and raised in power; planted among the 
willows of the marsh, and crowned with 
the glory of the mountains, sleeping on the 
bosom of the prairie, and rocked on the 
bosom of the sea; the youngest city of the 
world, and still the eye of the prairie, as 
Damascus, the oldest city of the world, is 
the eye of the desert. With a commerce 
far exceeding that of Corinth on her 
isthmus, in the highway to the East; with 
the defenses of a continent piled around her 
by the thousand miles, making her far safer 
than Eome on the banks of the Tiber; with 
schools eclipsing Alexandria and Athens; 
with liberties more conspicuous than those 
of the old republics; with a heroism equal 
to the first Carthage, and with a sanctity 
scarcely second to that of Jerusalem — set 
your thoughts on all this, lifted into the 
eyes of all men by the miracle of its growth, 
illuminated by the flame of its fall, and 
transfigured by the divinity of its resurrec- 
tion, and you will feel, as I do, the utter 
impossibility of compassing this subject as 
it deserves. Some impression of her im- 
portance is received from the shock her 
burning gave to the civilized world. 

When the doubt of lier calamity was 
removed, and the horrid fact was accepted, 
there went a shudder over all cities, and a 
quiver over all lands. There was scarcely 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



a town ia the civilized world that did not 
shake on the brink of this opening chasm. 
The flames of our homes reddened all skies. 
The citj was set upon a hill, and could not 
be hid. All eyes were turned upon it. To 
have struggled and suffered amid the scenes 
of its fall is as distinguishing as to have 
fought at Thermopylae, or Salamis, or 
Hastings, or Waterloo, or Bunker Hill. 

Its calamity amazed the world, because 
it was felt to be the common property of 
mankind. 

The early history of the city is full of 
interest, just as tlie early history of such a 
man as Washington or Lincoln becomes 
public property, and is cherished by every 
patriot. 

Starting with 560 acres in 1833, it em- 
braced and occupied 23,000 acres in 1869, 
and having now a population of more than 
600,000, it commands general attention. 

The first settler — Jean Baptiste Pointe 
an Sable, a mulatto from the West Indies 
— came and began trade with the Indians 
in 1796. John Kinzie became his success- 
or in 1801:, m which year Fort Dearborn 
was erected. 

A mere trading-post was kept here from 
that time till about the time of the Black- 
hawk war, in 1832. It was not the city. 
It was merely a cock crowiu"; at midnight. 
The morning was not j'et. In 1833 the 
settlement about the fort was incorporated 
as a town. The voters were divided on the 
propriety of such corporation, twelve voting 
for it and one against it. Four years later 
it was incorporated as a city, and embraced 
560 acres. 

The produce handled in this city is an 
indication of its power. Grain and flour 
were imported from the East till as late as 



1837. The first exportation by way of 
experiment was in 1839. Exports exceeded 
imports first in 1842. The Board of Trade 
was organized in 1818, but it was so weak 
that it needed nursing till 1855. Grain 
was purchased by the wagon-load in the 
street. 

I remember sitting with my father on a 
load of wheat, in the long line of wagons 
along Lake street, while the buyers came 
and untied the bags, and examined the 
grain, and made their bids. That manner 
of business had to cease with the day of 
small things. One tenth of all the wheat 
in the United States is handled in Chicago. 
Even as long ago as 1853 the receipts of 
grain in Chicago exceeded those of the 
goodly city of St. Louis, and in 1851 the 
exports of grain from Chicago exceeded 
those of New York and doubled those of 
St. Petersburg, Archangel, or Odessa, the 
largest grain markets in Europe. 

The manufacturing interests of the city 
are not contemptible. In 1873 maunfiic- 
tories employed 45,000 operatives; in 1876, 
60,000. The manufactured jiroduct -in 
1875 was worth $177,000,000. 

No estimate of the size and power of 
Chicago would be aderjuate that did not 
put large emphasis on the railroads. Be- 
fore they came thundering along our 
streets, canals were the hope of our coun- 
try. But who ever thinks now of traveling 
by canal packets? In June, 1852, there 
were only forty miles of railroad connected 
with the city. The old Galena division of 
the Northwestern ran out to Elgin. But 
now, who can count the trains and measure 
the roads that seek a terminus or connection 
in this city? The lake stretches away to 
the north, gathering into this center all 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



71 



the harvests that might otherwise pass to 
the north of us. If you will take a map 
and look at the adjustment of railroads, 
you will see, first, that Ciiicago is the great 
railroad center of the world, as New York 
is the commercial city of this continent; 
and, second, tiiat the railroad lines form 
the iron spokes of a great wheel whose hub 
is tiiis city. Tiie lake furnishes the only 
break in the spokes, and this seems simply 
to have pushed a few spokes together on 
each shore. See tlie eighteen trunk lines, 
exclusive of eastern connections. 

Pass round the circle, and view their 
numbers and extent. Tiiere is the great 
Northwestern, with all its brandies, one 
branch creeping along the lake shore, and 
so reaching to the north, into the Lake 
Superior regions, away to the riglit, and on 
to the Northern Pacific on the left, swing- 
ing around Green Bay for iron and copper 
and silver, twelve months in the year, and 
i-eachino; out for the wealth of the great 
agricultural belt and isothermal line trav- 
ersed by the Northern Pacific. Another 
branch, not so far nortii, feeling for the 
heart of the Badger Statu. Another push- 
ing lower down the Mississippi — all these 
make many connections, and tapping all 
the vast wheat regions of Minnesota, AVis- 
consin, Iowa, and all the regions this side 
of sunset. There is that elegant road, the 
Ciiicago, Burlington & Quincy, running 
out a goodly number of branches, and 
reajiing the great fields this side of the 
Missouri River; I can only mention the 
Ciiicngo, Alton & St. Louis, our Illinois 
Central, described elsewhere, and the Ciii- 
cago & Rock Island. Further around we 
come to the lines connecting us with all 
the Eastern cities. The Chicago, Indian- 



apolis & St. Louis, the Pittsburg, Fort 
Wayne & Chicago, the Lake Sliore & 
Michigan Southern, and the Micliigan 
Central and Great Western, give us many 
highways to the seaboard. Thus we reach 
the Mississippi at five points, from St. Paul 
to Cairo and the Gulf itself by two routes. 
We also reach Cincinnati and Baltimore, 
and Pittsburg and Philadelphia, and New 
Tork. Nortli and south run the water 
courses of the lakes and the rivers, broken 
just enough at this point to make a ])ass. 
Through this, from east to west, run the 
long lines thatstretcli from ocean to ocean. 

This is the neck of the glass, and the 
golden sands of commerce must pass into 
our hands. Altogether we have more than 
10,000 miles of railroad, directly tributary 
to this city, seeking to unload their wealth 
in our coffers. All these roads have come 
themselves by the infallible instinct of 
capital. Not a dollar was ever given by 
the city to secure one of them, and only a 
small per cent, of stock taken originally by 
her citizens, and that taken simply as an 
investment. Coming in the natural order 
of events, they will not be easily diverted. 

There is still another showing to all this. 
The connection between New York and 
San Francisco is by tiie middle route. This 
passes inevitably through Chicago. St. 
Louis wants the Southern Pacific or Kansas 
Pacific, and pushes it out through Denver, 
and so on up to Cheyenne. But before the 
road is fairly under way, the Chicago roads 
shove out to Kansas City, making even the 
Kansas Pacific a feeder, and actually leav- 
ing St. Louis out in the cold. It is not too 
much to expect that Dakota, Montana, and 
Washington Territorv will find tlieir a-vpnt 
market in Chicago. 



72 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



But these are not all. Perhaps I had 
better notice here the ten or fifteen new 
roads that have just entered, or are just 
entering, our city. Their names are all 
that is necessary to give. Chicago & St. 
Paul, looking up the E,ed River country to 
the British possessions ; the Chicago, At- 
lantic & Pacific ; the Chicago, Decatur & 
State line ; the Baltimore & Ohio ; the 
Chicago, Danville & Yincennes ; the Chi- 
cago & La Salle Railroad ; the Chicago, 
Pittsburgh & Cincinnati ; the Chicago and 
Canada Southern ; the Chicago and Illi- 
nois River Railroad. These, with their con- 
nections, and with the new connections of 
the old roads, already in process of erection, 
give to Chicago not less than 10,000 miles 
of new tributaries from the richest land on 
the continent. Thus there will be added 
to the reserve power, to the capital within 
reach of this city, not less than $1,000,000,- 
000. 

Add to all this transporting power the 
ships that sail one every nine minutes of 
the business hours of the season of naviga- 
tion; add, also, the canal boats that leave 
one every five minutes during the same 
time — and you will see something of the 
business of the city. 

THE COMMERCE OF THIS Crry 

has been leaping along to keep pace with 
the growth of the country around us. In 
1852, our commerce reached the hopeful 
sum of $20,000,000. In 1870 it reached 
$■±00,000,000. In 1871 it was pushed up 
above $450,000,000, and in 1875 it touched 
nearly double that. 

One half of our imported goods come di- 
rectly to Chicago. Grain enough is export- 
ed directly from our docks to the old world 



to employ a semi-weekly line of steamers of 
3,000 tons capacity. This branch is not 
likely to be greatlj' developed. Even after 
the gi'eat Welland Canal is completed we 
shall have only fourteen feet of water. The 
great ocean vessels will continue to control 
the trade. 

The schools of Chicago are unsurpassed 
in America. Out of a population of 300,- 
000, there were only 186 persons between 
the ages of six and twenty-one unable to 
read. This is the best known record. 

In 1831 the mail system was condensed 
into a half-breed, who went on foot to 
Niles, Mich., once in two weeks, and 
brought back what papers and news he 
could find. As late as 181G there was 
often only one mail a week. A post-office 
was established in Chicago in 1833, and 
the post-master nailed up old boot-legs on 
one side of his shop to serve as boxes for 
tlie nabobs and literary men. 

The improvements that have character- 
ized the city are as startling as the city 
itself In 1831, Mark Beaubien established 
a ferry over the river, and put himself un- 
der bonds to carry all the citizens free for 
the privilege of charging strangers. Now 
there are twenty-four large bridges and two 
tunnels. 

In 1833 the government expended $30,- 
000 on the harbor. Tlieii commenced that 
series of maneuvers with the river that has 
made it one of the world's curiosities. It 
used to wind around in the lower end of 
the town, and make its way rippling over 
the sand into the lake at the foot of Madi- 
son street. They took it up and put it 
down where it now is. It was a narrow 
stream, so narrow that even moderately 
small crafts had to go up throngli the wil- 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



lows and cat's tails to tlie point near Lake 
street bridge, and back np one of the 
brandies to get room enongli in which to 
turn aroniul. 

In lS4i the quagmires in the streets 
were first pontooned by plank roads, which 
acted in wet weather as public squirt-guns. 
Xeeping YOU out of the mud, they com- 
])romised by squirting the mud over you. 
The wooden-block pavements came to Chi- 
cago in 1857. In lS-10 water was delivered 
by peddlers in carts or by hand. Then a 
twentj'-five horse-power engine pushed it 
through hollow or bored logs along the 
streets till 1S54-, when it was introduced 
into the houses by new works. The first 
fire-engine was used in 1835, and the first 
'steam tire-engine in 1859. Gas was util- 
ized for lighting the city in 1850. The 
Young Men's Christian Association was 
organized in 1858, and horse railroads 
carried them to their work in 1859. The 
alarm telegraph adopted in 1861:. The 
opera-house built in 18C5. The city grew 
from 560 acres in 1833 to 23,000 in 1869. 
In 1834, the taxes amounted to §48.90, and 
the trustees of the town borrowed $60 more 
for opening and improving streets. In 
1835, the Legislature authorized a loan of 
$2,000, and the treasurer and street com- 
missioners resigned ratlier than j)lunge the 
town into such a gulf. 

(^ne third of the city has been raised up 
an average of eight feet, giving good pitch 
to the 263 miles of sewerage. Tlie water 
of the city is above all competition. It is 
received through two tunnels extending to 
a crib in the lake two miles from shore. 
The first tunnel is five feet two inches in 
diameter and two miles long, and can 
deliver 50,000,000 of gallons per day. The 



second tunnel is seven feet in diameter and 
six miles long, running four miles under 
the city, and can deliver 100,000,000 of 
gallons per day. This water is distributed 
thi-ough 410 miles of watermains. 

The three grand engineering exploits of 
the city are : First, lifting the city up on 
jack-screws, whole squares at a time, with- 
out interrupting the business, thus giving 
us good drainage ; second, running the 
tunnels un<ler the lake, giving us the best 
water in the world ; and third, the turning 
the current of the river in its own channel, 
delivering us from the old abominations, 
and making decency possible. They re- 
dound about equally to the credit of the 
engineering, to the energy' of the jieople, 
and to the health of the city. 

That which really constitutes the city, its 
indescribable spirit, its soul, the way it 
lights up in every feature in the hour of 
action, has not been touched. In meeting 
strangers, one is often surprised how some 
liomely women marry so well. Their forms 
are bad, their gait uneven and awkward, 
their complexion is dull, their features 
are misshapen and mismatched, and when 
we see them there is no beauty that we 
should desire them. But when once they 
are aroused on some subject, they put on 
new proportions. They light up into great 
power. The real person comes out from 
its unseemly ambush, and captures us at 
will. They have power. They have abil- 
ity to cause things to come to pass. We 
no longer wonder why they are in such 
high demand. So it is with our city. 

There is no grand scenery except the 
two seas, one of water, the other of prairie. 
Nevertheless, there is a spirit about it, a 
push, a breadth, a ])owcr, that soon makes 



74 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



it a place never to be forsaken. One soon 
ceases to believe in impossibilities. Ba- 
laams are the only prophets that are disap- 
pointed. The bottom that has been on the 
point of falling out has been there so long 
that it has grown fast. It can not fall out. 
It has all tiie capital of the world itching 
to get inside the corporation. 

The two great laws that govern the 
irrowth and size of cities are, first, the 
amount of territory for which they are the 
distributing and receiving points ; second, 
the number of medium or moderate dealers 
that do this distributing. Monopolists 
build up themselves, not the cities. They 
neither eat, wear, nor live in proportion lo 
their business. Both these laws help Chi- 



can-o. 



The tide of trade is eastward — not up or 
down the map, bat across the map. The 
lake runs up a wingdam for 500 miles to 
gather in the business. Commerce can 
not ferry up there for seven months in the 
year and the facilities for seven months can 
do the work for twelve. Then the great re- 
gion west of us is nearly all good, productive 
land. Dropping south into the trail of 
St. Louis, you fall into vast deserts and 
rocky districts, useful in holding the world 
together. St. Louis and Cincinnati, instead 
of rivaling and hurting Chicago, are her 
p-reatest sureties of dominion. Thev are 
far enough away to give sea-room — farther 
ofl" than Paris is from London — and yet 
they are near enough to prevent the spring- 
ing up of any other great city between 
them. 

St. Louis will be helped by the opening 
of the Mississippi, but also hurt. That 
will put New Orleans on her feet, and with 
a railroad running over into Texas and so 



AVest, she will tap the streams that now 
crawl up the Texas and Missouri road. The 
current is East, not North, and a seaport at 
New Orleans can not jjermanently help St. 
Louis. 

Chicago is in the field almost alone, to 
handle the wealth of one fourth of the ter- 
ritory of this great republic. This strip of 
seacoast divides its margins between Port- 
land, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, 
Baltimore and Savannah or some other 
great port to be created for the South in the 
next decade. But Chicago has a dozen em- 
pires casting their treasures into her lap. 
On a bed of coal that can run all the ma- 
chinery of the world for 500 centuries ; in 
a garden feed the race by the thousand 
years; at the head of the lakes that give* 
her a temperature as a summer resort 
equaled by no great city in the land; with 
a climate that insures the liealth of her 
citizens; surrounded by all the great de- 
posits of natural wealth in mines and forests 
and herds, Chicago is the wonder of to-day, 
and will be the city of the future. 

MASSACEE AT FORT DEARBORN. 

During the war of 1812, Fort Dearborn 
became the theater of stirring events. The 
garrison consisted of fifty-four men under 
command of Captain Nathan Ileald, 
assisted by Lieutenant Helm (son-in-law of 
Mrs. Kinzie) and Ensign Konan. Dr. 
Yoorhees was surgeon. The only residents 
at the post at that time were the wives of 
Captain Ileald and Lieutenant Helm, and 
a few of the soldiers, Mr. Kinzie and his 
fomily, and a few Canadian voyageurs, 
with their wives and children. The sol- 
diers and Mr. Kinzie were on most friendly 
terms with the Pottawatomies and Win- 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



75 



nebagoes, the principal tribes around them, 
but they could not win them from their 
attacliuient to the British. 

One evening in April, lSli2, Mr. Kinzie 
sat playing on his violin and hiscliildren 
were dancing to the music, when Mrs. Kin- 
zie came rusliing into the house pale with 
terror, and exclaiming: " Tlie Indians! tlie 
Indians!" "What? wliere? " eagerly in- 
(piired Mr. Kinzie. " Up at Lee's, killing 
and scalping," answered tlie frightened 
mother, who, when the alarm was given, 
was attending Mrs. Barnes (just confined) 
living not far oft". Mr. Kinzie and his 
family crossed the river and took refuge in 
the fort, to which place Mrs. Barnes and 
her infant not a day old, were safely con- 
veyed. The rest of tiie inhabitants took 
shelter in the fort. This alarm was caused 
by a scalping party of Winnebagoes, who 
hovered about the fort several days, when 
they disappeared, and for several weeks 
the inhabitants were undisturbed. 

On the 7th of August, 1812, General 
Hull, at Detroit, sent orders to Captain • 
Ileald to evacuate Fort Dearborn, and to 
distribute all the United States property to 
the Indians in the neighborhood — a most 
insane order. The Pottawatomie chief 
who brought tlie dispatch had more wisdom 
tlinn the commanding general. He ad- 
vised Captain Ileald not to make the 
distribution. Said he: ''Leave the fort 
and stores as they are, and let the Indians 
make distribution for tlieinselves; and 
while they are engaged in the business, 
the white people may escajje to Fort 
Wayne." 

Captain Ileald held a council with the In- 
dians on tlie afternoon of the 12th, in which 
his officers refused to join, for they had been 



informed that treachery was designed — 
that the Indians intended to murder the 
white people in the council, and then 
destroy those in the fort. Captain Ileald, 
however, took the precaution to open a 
port-hole displaying a cannon pointing di- 
rectly upon the council, and by that means 
saved his life. 

Mr. Kinzie, who knew the Indians well, 
begged Cajitain Ileald not to confide in 
their promises, nor distribute the arms and 
munitions among them, for it would only 
put ])owcr into their hands to destroy the 
whites. Acting upon this advice, Ileald 
resolved to withhold the munitions of war; 
and on the night of the 13tli after the dis- 
tribution of the other property had been 
made, the powder, ball and liquors were 
thrown into the river, the muskets broken 
u]) and destroyed. 

Black Partridge, a friendly chief, came 
to Cajitain Ileald and said: "Linden birds 
have been singing in my ears to-day; be 
careful on the march you are going to 
take." On that night vigilant Indians had 
crept near the fort and discovered the 
destruction of their .promised booty going 
on within. The next morning the powder 
was seen floating on the sui-face of the river. 
The savages were exasperated and made 
loud complaints and threats. 

On the following dav when preparations 
were making to leave the fort, and all the 
inmates were deeply impressed with a sense 
of impending danger, Cn])t. Wells, an 
uncle of Mrs. Ileald, was discovered upon 
the Indian trail among the sand hills on 
the borders of the lake, not far distant, 
with a band of mounted Miamis, of whose 
tribe he was chief, having been adopted by 
the famous ^liami warrior, Little Turtle. 



76 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



"When news of Hnll's surrender reached 
Fort Wayne, he had started with this force 
to assist Heald in defending Fort Dearborn. 
He was too late. Every means for its 
defense had been destroyed the night be- 
fore, and arrangements were made for leav- 
ing tlie fort on the morning of the 15th. 

It was a warm, bright morning in the 
middle of August. Indications were posi- 
tive that the savages intended to murder 
the white people; and when they moved 
out of the southern gate of the fort, the 
march was like a funeral procession. The 
band, feeling the solemnity of the occasion, 
struck up the Dead March in Saul. 

Capt. "Wells, who had blackened his ftice 
with gun-powder in token of his fate, took 
the lead with his band of Miamis, followed 
by Captain Heald witli his wife by his side 
on horseback. Mr. Kinzie hoped by his 
personal influence to avert the impending 
blow, and therefore accompanied them, 
leaving his family in a boat in charge of a 
friendly Indian, to be taken to his trading 
station at the site of Niles, Michigan, in 
the event of his death. 

The procession moved slowly along the 
lake shore till they reached the sand hills 
between tlie prairie and the beach, when 
the Pottawatomie escort, under the lead- 
ership of Blackbird, filed to the right, 
placing those hills between them and the 
white people. AVells, with his Miamis, had 
kept in the advance. They suddenly came 
rushing back, "Wells exclaiming, "They 
are about to attack us; form instantly." 
These words were quickly followed by a 
storm of bullets which came whistling 
over the little hills which the treacherous 
savages had made the covert for their mur- 
derous attack. The white troops charged 



upon the Indians, drove them back to the 
prairie, and then the battle was waged be- 
tween hfty-four soldiers, twelve civilians 
and three or four women (the cowardly 
Miamis having fled at the outset) against 
five hundred Indian warriors. The white 
people, hopeless, resolved to sell their lives 
as dearly as possible. Ensign Konan 
wielded his weapon vigorously, even after 
falling upon liis knees weak from the loss 
of blood. Capt. AVells, who was by the 
side of his niece, Mrs. Heald, when the 
conflict began, behaved with the greatest 
coolness and courage. He said to her, 
""We have not the slightest chance for life. 
"We must part to meet no more in this 
woi'ld. God bless you." And then he 
dashed forward. Seeing a young warrior, 
painted like a demon, climb into a wagon 
in which were twelve children, and toma- 
hawk them all, he cried out, unmitidful of 
his personal danger, " If that is your game, 
butchering women and children, I will kill 
too." He spurred his horse towards the 
Indian camp, where the}' had leit their 
squaws and papooses, hotly ])ursued by 
swift-footed j'oung warriors, who sent bul- 
lets wliistling after him. One of these 
killed his horse and wounded him severely 
in the leg. "With a yell the young braves 
rushed to make him their prisoner and re- 
serve him for torture. He resolved not to 
be made a captive, and by the use of the 
most provoking epithets tried to induce 
them to kill him instantlj-. He called a 
flery young chief a squaw, when tlie en- 
raged warrior killed "Wells instantly with 
his tomahawk, jumped upon his body, cut 
out his heart, and ate a portion of the warm 
morsel with savage delight ! 

In this foartul combat women bore a 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



conspicuous part. Mrs. Ileald was an ex- 
cellent equestrian and an expert in the use 
of the rifle. Slie fought the savages bravely, 
receiving several severe wounds. Though 
faint from tlie loss of blood, she managed to 
keep her saddle. A savage raised his toma- 
hawk to kill her, when she looked him full 
in the face, and with a sweet smile and in a 
gentle voice said, in his own language, 
"Surely you will not kill a squaw 1" The 
arm of the savage fell, and the life of the 
heroic woman was saved. 

Jfrs. Helm, the step-daughter of Mr. 
ivinzie, had an encountei- with a stout In- 
dian, who attempted to tomahawk her. 
Springing to one side, she received the 
glancing blow on her shoulder, and at the 
same instant seized the savage round the 
neck with her arms and endeavored to get 
bold of his scalping knife, which hung in a 
sheath at his breast. Wliile she was thus 
struggling she was dragged from her anta<r- 
onist by another powerful Indian, who bore 
her, in spite of lier struggles, to the margin 
of the lake and plunged her in. To her 
astonishment she was held by him so that 
she would not drown, and she soon per- 
ceived that she was in the hands of the 
friendly Black Partridge, who had saved 
her life. 

The wife of Sergeant Holt, a large and 
jiowcrful woman, behaved as bravely' as an 
Amazon. She rode a fine, high-spirited 
liorse, which the Indians coveted, and 
several of them attacked her with the butts 
of their guns, for the purpose of dismount- 
ing her; but she used the sword which she 
had snatched from her disabled husband so 
skillfully that she foiled them; and, sud- 
denly wheeling her horse, she dashed over 
the prairie, followed by the savages shout- 



ing, "The brave woman! the brave woman! 
Don't hurt her!" They finally overtook 
her, and while she was fighting them in 
front, a ])owerful savage came up behind 
hei-, seized her by the neck and dragged 
her to the ground. Horse and woman 
were made captive. Mrs. Holt was a long 
time a captive among the Indians, but was 
afterward ransomed. 

In this sharp conflict two thirds of the 
white people were slain and wounded, and 
all their horses, baggage and provision 
were lost. Only twenty-eight straggling 
men now remained to hght five hundred 
Indians rendered furious by the sight of 
blood. They succeeded in breaking through 
the ranks of the murderers and gaining a 
slight eminence on the prairie near the 
Oak "Woods. The Indians did not pursue, 
but gathered on their flanks, while the 
chiefs held a consultation on the sand-hills, 
and showed signs of willingness to parley. 
It would have been madness on the part of 
the whites to renew the fight; and so Capt. 
Ileald went forward and met Blackbird on 
the open prairie, where terms of sur- 
render were agreed upon. It was arranged 
that the white people should give up their 
arms to Blackbird, and that the survivors 
should become prisoners of war, to be ex- 
changed for ransoms as soon as practicable. 
With this understanding captives and cap- 
tors started for the Indian camp near the 
fort, to which Mrs. Helm had been taken 
bleeding and suftering by Black Partridge, 
and had met her step-father and learned 
that her husband was safe. 

A new scene of horror was now opened 
at the Indian camp. The wounded, not 
being included in the surrender, as it was 
interpreted by the Indians, and the British 



78 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



general, Proctor, having offered a liberal 
bounty for American scalps, delivered at 
Maiden, nearly all the wonnded men were 
killed and scalped, and price of the trophies 
was afterward paid by the British govern- 
ment. 

This celebrated Indian chief, Shabbona, 
deserves more than a passing notice. Al- 
though he was not so conspicuous as 
Tecumseh or Black Hawk, j'et in point of 
merit he was superior to either of them. 

Shabbona was born at an Indian village 
on the Kankakee River, now in Will County 
about the year 1775. While young he was 
made chief of the band, and went to Shab- 
bona Grove, now De Kalb County, where 
they were found in the early settlement of 
the county. 

In the war of 1812, Shabbona, with his 
warriors, joined Tecumseh, was aid to that 
great chief, and stood by his side when he 
fell at the battle of the Thames. At the 
time of the Winnebago war, in 1827, he 
visited almost every village among the Pot- 
tawatomies, and by his persuasive argu- 
ments prevented them from taking part in 
the war. By request of the citizens of 
Chicago, Shabbona, accompanied by Billy 
Caldwell (Sauganash), visited Big Foot's 
village at Geneva Lake, in order to pacify 
the warriors, as fears were entertained that 
they were about to raise the tomahawk 
against the whites. Here Shabbona was 
taken prisoner by Big Foot, and his life 
threatened, but on the following day was 
set at liberty. From that time the Indians 
(through reproach) styled him " the white 
man's friend," and many times his -life was 
endangered. 

Before the Black Hawk war, Shabbona 
met in council at two different times, and 



by his influence prevented his people from 
taking part with the Sacs and Foxes. 
After the death of Black Partridge and 
Senachwine, no chief among the Pottawat- 
omies exerted so much influence as Shab- 
bona. Black Hawk, aware of this influ- 
ence, visited him at two different times, in 
order to enlist him in his cause, but was 
unsuccessful. While Black Hawk was a 
prisoner at Jefferson Barracks, he said, had 
It not been for Shabbona the whole Potta- 
watomie nation would have joined his 
standard, and he could have continued the 
war for years. 

To Shabbona many of the early settlers 
of Illinois owe the preservation of their 
lives, for it is a well-known fact, had he not 
notifled the people of their danger, a large 
portion of them would have fallen victims 
to the tomahawk of savages. By saving 
the lives of whites he endangered his own, 
for the Sacs and Foxes threatened to kill 
him, and made two attempts to execute 
their threats. They killed Pypeogee, his 
son, and Pyps, his nephew, and hunted him 
down as though he was a wild beast. 

Shabbona had a reservation of two sec- 
tions of land at his Grove, but by leaving 
it and going West for a short time, the 
Government declared tlie reservation for- 
feited, and sold it the same as other vacant 
land. On Shabbona's return, and finding 
his possessions gone, he was very sad and 
broken down in spirit, and left the Grove 
forever. The citizens of Ottawa raised 
money and bought him a tract of land on 
the Illinois River, above Seneca, in Grundy 
County, on which they built a house, and 
supplied him witli means to live on. He 
lived here iintil his death, which occurred 
on the 17th of July, 1859, in the eighty- 



EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. 



79 



fourth year of liis age, and was buried with 
great pomp in tlie cemetery at Morris. 
His squaw, Pokanoka, was drowned in 
JEazon Creek, Grundy County, on the 
30th of November, 1864, and was buried 
by his side. 

In 1861 subscriptions were taken up in 



many of the river towns, to erect a monu- 
ment over the remains of Sbabbona, but 
the war breaking out, tlie enterprise was 
abandoned. Only a plain marble slab 
marks the resting-place of this friend of the 
white man. 




■^ 



LBAp'20 



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